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:
Apr. 16, 2013
Filed:
Jun. 30, 2003
Conrad Lee Klotz, Nappanee, IN (US);
Sarah Elizabeth Stephens, North Webster, IN (US);
Conrad Lee Klotz, Nappanee, IN (US);
Sarah Elizabeth Stephens, North Webster, IN (US);
DePuy Products, Inc., Warsaw, IN (US);
Abstract
The subject invention is a surgical scalpel, scalpel instrument and/or scalpel system (collectively, scalpel), particularly designed for use in a transverse carpal ligament surgical procedure, that evaluates an incision path with respect to a nerve in the incision path, and is used to perform the incision if appropriate. The scalpel emits an evaluation signal through a potential incision path through tissue captured by the scalpel. The scalpel utilizes the emitted evaluation signal to determine the presence of a nerve in the incision path. The dissection and evaluation (surgical) instrument includes a blade that is retractable relative to a target tissue capture area thereof. Evaluation may include determining the presence of a nerve before incision and/or the evaluating whether the target tissue has been appropriately captured. The surgical instrument may disable extension of the blade when the evaluation determines that a nerve is in the dissection path and/or when the captured target tissue is determined to be inappropriate.