Surgical instrument with guarded blade

Abstract

The present invention relates to a surgical instrument assembly useful during retinal surgery. In particular, a surgical instrument described herein may be constructed from a small gauge. A guarded blade having an exposed sharp blade tip is described. A sleeve may be used to guard the blade tip while leaving a sharp cutting tip exposed. Use of a sleeve to guard the blade while allowing the sharp tip to remain exposed in the manner of the invention may allow for safer dissection of tissues. When used for surgeries involving the eye, a blade having a polymer sleeve and an exposed tip may inhibit and/or avoid the occurrence of inadvertent retinal tissue injury. For example, using a small gauge blade guarded by a polymer sleeve during retinal surgical procedures may reduce or inhibit injuries to the retinal tissue when used during retinal surgical procedures such as membrane peeling and/or dissection. The present invention relates to a surgical instrument, in particular a vitreoretinal surgical assembly, having a guarded blade useful during retinal surgery. For example, a vitreoretinal surgical assembly may be used to dissect at least one of adherent internal limiting membrane, epiretinal membrane, diabetic tractional membranes and/or proliferative vitreoretinal disorders.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.