Sternal retractor with changeable blades and blade latch mechanism
OwnerJohn T. M. Wrightinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical retractor with a special latch mechanism and arrangement for changing retractor blades without tools during surgery is disclosed.
Claims12
A method of carrying out surgery by spreading the patients tissue or bone structures apart using a rack and pinion retractor that comprises a pair of opposed retractor blades carried by a pair of arms to gain access to the organs inside the chest, the retractor being configured and constructed to permit the respective arms to be moved reciprocally toward and away from each other by the rack and pinion, the improvement comprising positioning in a surgical incision in the patient a rack and pinion retractor wherein at least one of the opposed blades is removably retained on the respective arms by latch means pivotally attached to the respective arms capable of being moved by the surgeon without tools from a closed position retaining the blade on the arm to an open position to permit the blade to be removed by the surgeon without tools from the arm, and replacing during surgery one blade with a different blade.
In a retractor comprising a rack and pinion, first and second arms attached to the rack and pinion movable by the rack and pinion toward and away from each other, hinged first and second arms hingably connected respectively to the first and second arms attached to the rack and pinion, first and second retractor blades pivotally attached to the respective hinged arms for engaging and spreading of the sternum of a patient during surgery, the improvement wherein at least one of the respective blades is removably attached to the respective arm by means pivotally attached to the respective arms for selectively latching the blade to the arm and unlatching the blade to permit the blade to be removed from the arm and a different blade to be attached to the blade all without the use of tools.
In a retractor comprising a rack and pinion, first and second arms attached to the rack and pinion movable by the rack and pinion toward and away from each other, hinged first and second arms hingably connected respectively to the first and second arms attached to the rack and pinion, first and second retractor blades pivotally attached to the respective hinged arms for engaging and spreading of the sternum of a patient during surgery, the improvement further comprising latch means pivotally attached to at least one of the arms for removably latching one of the blades to said arm for being attached to and removed from attachment with the blade during surgery without the use of tools.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.