The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 21, 2000
Filed:
Jan. 16, 1998
Clark D Gerhart, Hazleton, PA (US);
Robert D Rambo, Sellersville, PA (US);
Medical Creative Technologies Inc., Colmar, PA (US);
Abstract
A surgical instrument and the method for delivering and withdrawing surgical tools through a cannula in an abdominal cavity during hand-assisted minimally invasive surgery. A tube slidably extends through a cannula with a slender surgical tool such as a suture needle holder, secured in a snap-in gripper at the insertion end of the tube. The thumb and fingers of one hand of the surgeon or an assistant's cause the tube to move axially from a fully retracted position in the cannula to a position where the tool projects from a snap-in socket in the tube a length sufficient for a surgeon's hand to grip a knurled surface around the tool. A detent bead around the periphery of the tool snaps into a complementary groove within the gripper. Insufflating gas may be introduced or vented as needed through a port which communicates through the interior of the tube with the abdominal cavity. The procedure is reversed for withdrawing the tool.