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:
May. 02, 2017
Filed:
Feb. 07, 2013
Depuy Products, Inc., Warsaw, IN (US);
Conrad Lee Klotz, Nappanee, IN (US);
Sarah Elizabeth Stephens, North Webster, IN (US);
DePuy Synthes Products, Inc., Raynham, MA (US);
Abstract
A surgical scalpel, scalpel instrument and/or scalpel system (collectively, scalpel), is configured for use in a transverse carpal ligament surgical procedure. The scalpel evaluates an incision path with respect to a nerve in the incision path, and performs the incision if appropriate. The scalpel emits a signal through a potential incision path through tissue captured by the scalpel. The scalpel utilizes the emitted signal to determine whether a nerve is in the incision path. The surgical instrument includes a retractable blade. Evaluation includes determining whether a nerve is present before incision and/or evaluating whether the target tissue has been appropriately captured. A warning is provided when a nerve is in the incision path and/or the captured target tissue is inappropriate. The surgical instrument disables extension of the blade when a nerve is in the dissection path and/or the captured target tissue is inappropriate.