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US 5,993,385 AGranted
Self-aligning side-loading surgical retractor
OwnerTerry Johnston, Thomas Wiedenmaier +2inventors
InventorsTerry Johnston, Thomas Wiedenmaier, Daniel Bass, Todd Pope
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical retractor with interchangeable retractor blades allows the retractor blades to be positioned in an incision before being side-loaded into the retractor body and locked in place. The surgical retractor uses a nipple connector with a conical base and a rounded head which fits into and self-aligns in a corresponding socket.
Claims26
A surgical retractor, comprising:
- a retractor blade having a retracting surface and a nipple connector, the nipple connector being tapered from wide to narrow in a generally perpendicular direction away from the retracting surface of the retractor blade;
- and
- a retractor body having a socket, the socket removably receiving the nipple connector.
A surgical retractor, comprising:
- a retractor blade having a retracting surface and a nipple connector, the nipple connector having a generally cylindrical section and a conical frustum section having a top and a base, the top being coupled to the generally cylindrical section, the base being coupled substantially perpendicular to the retracting surface;
- and
- a retractor body having a socket, the socket removably receiving the nipple connector.
A surgical retractor blade, comprising:
- a generally planar retracting section;
- a generally cylindrical section;
- and
- a conical frustum section having a top and a base, the top being coupled to the cylindrical section, the base being coupled to the retracting section.
1 more element
A surgical retractor, comprising:
- a retractor body having a socket, the socket having a generally cylindrical hollow and a conical frustum hollow, the conical frustum hollow having a mouth and a waist, the mouth configured to receive a nipple connector of a retractor blade, the waist being continuous with the generally cylindrical hollow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.