# US 11,439,379 B2 · Illuminated surgical retractor

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- Number: US 11,439,379 B2
- Document ID: US11439379B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/511,922
- Filed: 2019-07-15
- Published: 2019-11-21
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-05
- Assignees: Obp Surgical Corporation
- Applicants: Obp Surgical Corporation
- Inventors: Jeffrey Ralph Swift
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439379B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/02: for holding wounds open, e.g. retractors; Tractors
- A61B 90/30: Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
- A61B 1/0669: {at proximal end of an endoscope}
- A61B 1/0684: {using light emitting diodes [LED]}
- A61B 1/32: Devices for opening or enlarging the visual field, e.g. of a tube of the body
- A61B 2017/0023: {disposable}
- A61B 2017/00734: {battery operated}
- A61B 2017/0092: {for X-rays}
- A61B 2017/00964: {composite}
- A61B 2090/309: {using white LEDs}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A surgical retractor, comprising a blade having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a handle extending at an angle from a proximal end of the blade, wherein the blade and the handle are molded from a glass-fiber reinforced polymer having a flexural strength of at least 300 Mpa, and wherein the blade, being molded from the glass-fiber reinforced polymer, deforms less than 10 mm under 15 lbs of force applied thereto.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A surgical retractor, comprising:
a blade having a top surface and a bottom surface; and
a handle;
a deepened concave portion connecting a proximal end of the blade to the handle,
wherein the deepened concave portion increases in depth from the proximal end of the blade toward the handle,
wherein the blade and the handle are molded from a glass-fiber reinforced polymer having a flexural strength of at least 300 Mpa; and
wherein the blade, being molded from the glass-fiber reinforced polymer, deforms less than 10 mm under 15 lbs of force applied thereto.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a 50 wt % glass-fiber reinforced polymer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic crystalline polymer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The surgical retractor of claim 3, wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic crystalline polymer of aromatic diamines and aromatic dicarboxylic anhydrides.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein the polymer has a flexural modulus of at least 17 Gpa.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein the polymer has a flexural strength of at least 375 Mpa.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein the polymer has an impact strength of at least 100 J/M.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein a proximal tip of the blade withstands over 30 lbs of force applied thereto.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein the polymer has a flexural modulus of at least 16 Gpa.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein the blade has a thickness of 2 mm.

### Claim 11

A surgical retractor, comprising:
a blade having a top surface and a bottom surface; and
a handle;
a deepened concave portion connecting a proximal end of the blade to the handle,
wherein the deepened concave portion increases in depth from the proximal end of the blade toward the handle,
wherein the blade and the handle are molded from a polymer, said polymer being a low conductivity polymer and a radiolucent polymer;
wherein said polymer has a flexural strength of at least 300 Mpa; and
wherein the blade, being molded from the polymer, deforms less than 10 mm under 15 lbs of force applied thereto.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The surgical retractor of claim 11, wherein the polymer has a flexural modulus of at least 16 Gpa.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The surgical retractor of claim 11, wherein the polymer is a 50 wt % glass-fiber reinforced polymer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The surgical retractor of claim 11, wherein the polymer is a polyarylamide compound.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The surgical retractor of claim 11, wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic crystalline polymer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The surgical retractor of claim 15, wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic crystalline polymer of aromatic diamines and aromatic dicarboxylic anhydrides.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The surgical retractor of claim 11, wherein the polymer comprises a non-conductive material that limits currents to less than 10′ A.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The surgical retractor of claim 11, wherein the blade has a thickness of 2 mm.

### Claim 19

A surgical retractor, comprising:
a blade having a top surface and a bottom surface; and
a handle;
a deepened concave portion connecting a proximal end of the blade to the handle,
wherein the deepened concave portion increases in depth from the proximal end of the blade toward the handle,
wherein the blade and the handle are molded from a low conductivity polymer,
wherein the polymer comprises a non-conductive material that limits currents to less than 10−6 A, and
wherein a proximal tip of the blade withstands over 30 lbs of force applied thereto.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The surgical retractor of claim 19, wherein the blade, being molded from the polymer, deforms less than 10 mm under 15 lbs of force applied thereto.