US 6,254,534 B1 · Retractor

Abstract

A retractor (101) for retracting the margins of a wound opening (103) comprises an inner anchoring O-ring (105) attached to a cylindrical sleeve (106) at a distal end and a reinforcing O-ring (109) attached to a proximal end of the sleeve (106). The sleeve (106) is led between an inner ring part (110) and a corresponding recess (116) in an outer ring part (111). The outer ring part (111) has anchor formations (120) over which the proximal end of the sleeve (106) is attached to anchor the sleeve (106). To retract the wound opening (103) the sleeve (106) is pulled while the guide rings (110, 111) are moved against the tissue surrounding the wound opening (103). This pulls the inner O-ring (105) against the inside of the tissue adjacent the wound opening (103), and retracts the wound opening (103). The sleeve (106) is manipulated locally for maximum retraction efficiency.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A surgical wound retractor comprising:

a distal 105 anchoring member for insertion into a wound opening;
a connecting 106 means having an inner wound engaging portion and an outer portion, the wound engaging portion being mounted to the distal anchoring member, the connecting means having an insertion configuration in which the inner wound engaging portion has a reduced radial dimension and a retracting configuration;
an external guide 110 means for the outer portion of the connecting means;
the external guide means being movable relative to the connecting means to shorten the axial extent of the connecting means and thereby bias the wound engaging portion of the connecting member into the retracting configuration to retract the wound opening laterally;
and
external 120 anchoring means for anchoring the connecting means to maintain retraction of the opening.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Retractor

Life of this patent

Retractor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27