Apparatus for removal of objects from body passages

A grasping tool for use in a passageway, comprising:

• an elongated tubular body defining a central axial bore extending from a forward end to a rearward end of said body, said body adapted to be inserted into a passageway;
• an elongated shaft movably fitted within said bore to move between a rearward retracted position and a forward extended position;
• forward opening jaws positioned within the forward end of said bore, said jaws configured to open upon the application of forces directed radially outward against said jaws;
• and
• a magnet at the forward end of said shaft and configured to apply a radially outward force on said jaws upon movement of said shaft toward its forward position,
• with said jaws being slidable between a first retracted position within said bore and substantially within the forward end of said tubular body and a second extended position substantially external of said bore and substantially forward of said forward end of said tubular body.

A grasping tool for use in a passageway, comprising:

• an elongated tubular body defining a central axial bore extending from a forward end to a rearward end of said body, said body adapted to be inserted into a passageway;
• an elongated shaft movably fitted within said bore to move between a rearward retracted position and a forward extended position;
• forward opening jaws positioned within the forward end of said bore, said jaws configured to open upon the application of forces directed radially outward against said jaws;
• and
• a magnet at the forward end of said shaft and configured to apply a radially outward force on said jaws upon movement of said shaft toward its forward position,
• said jaws being shaped internally to define a forward cavity and a rearward passageway, the interior of said passageway configured to receive said magnet such that said magnet applies an axial force to move the jaws forward and a radial opening force to said jaws upon forward movement of said shaft to thereby open said jaws and said cavity and enable said magnet to protrude through said cavity.

A tool for removing an object from a passageway in a human or animal body, comprising:

• a tubular body adapted to be inserted into a passageway, said body having a forward end, a rearward end and a longitudinal bore therethrough;
• a normally-closed receptacle at said forward end of said body remotely operable from said rearward end of said body to open to receive an object from within said passageway, said object being received within a cavity in said receptacle;
• and
• a magnet normally positioned within said receptacle and remotely operable from said rearward end of said body to be extended to a position forward and external of said cavity when said receptacle is open and to be retracted into said receptacle.

A tool for use in removing an intraurethral device from a urethra which comprises:

• a soft, flexible tubular body having forward and rearward ends corresponding to the front and rear of the tool and an axial bore extending between said ends, said body adapted at its forward end to be inserted into a urethra;
• a tubular sleeve longitudinally movable between longitudinally spaced forward and rearward positions within said bore;
• a set of normally closed, forward facing jaws fitted within said forward end of said bore and attached at their rearward ends to the forward end of said sleeve, said jaws configured internally to define a passageway substantially co-axial with said sleeve and extending forward into said jaws;
• said jaws further configured internally forward of said passageway to define a cavity;
• a shaft fitted within said sleeve in longitudinally slidable relation with said sleeve, said shaft having a rearward end which extends beyond the rearward ends of said body and said sleeve;
• and
• a magnet attached at its rearward end to the forward end of said shaft and extending forward into said passageway to terminate in a configuration adapted to move forward and open said jaws and to pass forward of said cavity upon forward movement of said shaft relative to said sleeve when said sleeve is in its said forward position.