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:
Jul. 19, 2011
Filed:
Jul. 24, 2007
Robert F. Labadie, Nashville, TN (US);
J. Michael Fitzpatrick, Nashville, TN (US);
Jason E. Mitchell, Nashville, TN (US);
Robert F. Labadie, Nashville, TN (US);
J. Michael Fitzpatrick, Nashville, TN (US);
Jason E. Mitchell, Nashville, TN (US);
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (US);
Abstract
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a surgical instrument for providing an access to a target of interest of a living subject. In one embodiment, the surgical instrument has a bearing member, a shaft member and a probe. The bearing member has a first end portion, an opposite, second end portion, a body portion defined therebetween having a longitudinal axis, and a shoulder portion extending from the second end portion. The body portion defines a bore therein along the longitudinal axis. The shoulder portion defines a passage substantially coaxial with and in communication with the bore. The shaft member has an first end portion and an opposite, second end portion, and is slidably received in the bore of the bearing member. The shaft member defines a space extending from the first end portion to the second end portion. The probe has a working end portion and is received in the space of the shaft member such that the working end portion is extendable through the passage of the shoulder portion of the bearing member to reach a target of interest of a living subject so as to provide an access thereto.