# US 8,317,693 B2 · Cyclo olefin polymer and copolymer medical devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,317,693 B2 - Document ID: US8317693B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/191,164 - Filed: 2008-08-13 - Published: 2010-02-18 - Granted: 2012-11-27 - Earliest claimed: 2008-08-13 - Assignees: Invuity, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas L. Grey; Fernando Erismann; Alex Vayser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8317693B2 ## CPC - A61B 1/0625: {for multiple fixed illumination angles} - A61B 1/06: with illuminating arrangements - A61B 1/0669: {at proximal end of an endoscope} - A61B 1/267: for the respiratory tract, e.g. laryngoscopes or bronchoscopes - A61B 17/02: for holding wounds open, e.g. retractors; Tractors - A61B 17/0206: {with antagonistic arms as supports for retractor elements} - A61B 17/3421: {Cannulas} - A61B 90/30: Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure - A61B 90/35: Supports therefor - A61L 29/041: {obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds} - A61B 2090/306: {using optical fibres} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) ## Abstract Medical retractors including light guides made of cyclo olefin polymer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An illuminated retractor system, said retractor system comprising: a retractor blade; and a blade insert illuminator engaged with the retractor blade, wherein the blade insert illuminator is formed primarly of a cylic olefin polymer, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a light input end near a proximal end of the blade insert illuminator, a light output end near a distal end of the blade insert illuminator, and a light conducting portion therebetween, and wherein the blade insert illuminator is an optical waveguide and light is conducted from the light input end through the light conducting portion to the light output end by total internal reflection, and wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a light input portion having an input dead zone where total internal reflection does not occur, and an input collar connected to the illuminator blade in the input dead zone, the collar surrounding the light input portion and forming an input air gap therebetween and circumferentially therearound. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the retractor blade comprises a slot and the blade insert illuminator is disposed in the slot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the blade insert illuminator is adjustably engaged with the retractor blade. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises one or more engagement elements for securing the blade insert illuminator to the retractor blade. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the engagement elements comprises a plate or a tab. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises active zones, wherein light passes through the active zones using total internal reflection, and wherein an air gap is maintained between the active zones of the blade insert illuminator and the retractor blade. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the blade insert illuminator, comprises dead zones and one or more engagement elements for securing the blade insert illuminator to the retractor blade, and wherein the engagement elements are disposed in the dead zones of the blade insert illuminator such that the blade insert illuminator contacts the retractor blade only along the dead zones. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the light input portion has a generally cylindrical input zone transitioning to a generally rectangular neck. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the blade insert illuminator has a width and a thickness, and wherein the width is greater than the thickness. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a flat section having one or more light output zones. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein each of the one or more light output zones is formed of parallel prism shapes with a primary facet and a secondary facet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the primary facets and the secondary facets of each output zone have different dimensions and are oriented at different angles relative to a rear surface of the blade insert illuminator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the primary facets and the secondary facets are oriented relative to a plane parallel to a rear surface of the blade insert illuminator such that the primary facets forms a primary angle relative to the plane and the secondary facets forms a secondary angle relative to the plane, and wherein at least some of the primary angle is acute. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the secondary angle is obtuse. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein each output zone has the same depth from a rear surface of the blade insert illuminator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a front surface, a rear surface, and a rear reflector for reflecting light away from the blade insert illuminator, the rear reflector adjacent a distal portion of the blade insert illuminator, wherein the front surface is parallel to the rear surface, and wherein the rear reflector is angled relative to the front surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a light output zone, the light output zone configured to provide light at two or more levels throughout a surgical site. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises an end zone having a rear reflector and a terminal facet. ### Claim 19 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, further comprising a pair of engagement tabs disposed on opposite sides of the blade insert illuminator, wherein the pair of engagement tabs are parallel with one another and parallel with the blade insert illuminator, and wherein a gap separates each engagement tab from the blade insert illuminator, and wherein each engagement tab comprises a dead zone where total internal reflection does not occur, and wherein each of the engagement tabs are coupled with the retractor blade. ### Claim 20 An illuminated retractor system, said retractor system comprising: a retractor blade; and a blade insert illuminator engaged with the retractor blade, wherein the blade insert illuminator is formed primarly of a cylic olefin polymer, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a light input end near a proximal end of the blade insert illuminator, a light output end near a distal end of the blade insert illuminator, and a light conducting portion therebetween, and wherein the blade insert illuminator is an optical waveguide and light is conducted from the light input end through the light conducting portion to the light output end by total internal reflection, and wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises active zones, wherein light passes through the active zones using total internal reflection, and wherein an air gap is maintained between the active zones of the blade insert illuminator and the retractor blade, and wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises dead zones and one or more engagement elements for securing the blade insert illuminator to the retractor blade, and wherein the engagement elements are disposed in the dead zones of the blade insert illuminator such that the blade insert illuminator contacts the retractor blade only along the dead zones. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the retractor blade comprises a slot and the blade insert illuminator is disposed in the slot. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the blade insert illuminator is adjustably engaged with the retractor blade. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the engagement elements comprises a plate or a tab. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a light input portion having an input dead zone where total internal reflection does not occur, and an input collar connected to the illuminator blade in the input dead zone, the collar surrounding the light input portion and forming an input air gap therebetween and circumferentially therearound. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the light input end comprises a generally cylindrical input zone transitioning to a generally rectangular neck. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the blade insert illuminator has a width and a thickness, and wherein the width is greater than the thickness. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a flat section having one or more light output zones. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein each of the one or more light output zones is formed of parallel prism shapes with a primary facet and a secondary facet. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the primary facets and the secondary facets of each output zone have different dimensions and are oriented at different angles relative to a rear surface of the blade insert illuminator. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the primary facets and the secondary facets are oriented relative to a plane parallel to a rear surface of the blade insert illuminator such that the primary facet forms a primary angle relative to the plane and the secondary facet forms a secondary angle relative to the plane, and wherein at least some of the primary angle is acute. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein at least some of the secondary angle is obtuse. ### Claim 32 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein each of the one or more light output zones has the same depth from a rear surface of the blade insert illuminator. ### Claim 33 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a front surface, a rear surface, and a rear reflector for reflecting light away from the blade insert illuminator, the rear reflector adjacent a distal portion of the blade insert illuminator, wherein the front surface is parallel to the rear surface, and wherein the rear reflector is angled relative to the front surface. ### Claim 34 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a light output zone, the light output zone configured to provide light at two or more levels throughout a surgical site. ### Claim 35 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises an end zone having a rear reflector and a terminal facet. ### Claim 36 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the engagement elements comprise a pair of engagement tabs disposed on opposite sides of the blade insert illuminator, wherein the pair of engagement tabs are parallel with one another and parallel with the blade insert illuminator, and wherein a gap separates each engagement tab from the blade insert illuminator, and wherein each engagement tab comprises the dead zones where total internal reflection does not occur, and wherein each of the engagement tabs are coupled with the retractor blade. ### Claim 37 An illuminated retractor system, said retractor system comprising: a retractor blade; and a blade insert illuminator engaged with the retractor blade, wherein the blade insert illuminator is formed primarly of a cylic olefin polymer, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a light input end near a proximal end of the blade insert illuminator, a light output end near a distal end of the blade insert illuminator, and a light conducting portion therebetween, and wherein the blade insert illuminator is an optical waveguide and light is conducted from the light input end through the light conducting portion to the light output end by total internal reflection, and wherein the blade insert illuminator further comprises a pair of engagement tabs disposed on opposite sides of the blade insert illuminator, wherein the pair of engagement tabs are parallel with one another and parallel with the blade insert illuminator, and wherein a gap separates each engagement tab from the blade insert illuminator, and wherein each engagement tab comprises a dead zone where total internal reflection does not occur, and wherein each of the engagement tabs are coupled with the retractor blade. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the retractor blade comprises a slot and the blade insert illuminator is disposed in the slot. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the blade insert illuminator is adjustably engaged with the retractor blade. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises active zones, wherein light passes through the active zones using total internal reflection, and wherein an air gap is maintained between the active zones of the blade insert illuminator and the retractor blade. ### Claim 41 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a light input portion having an input dead zone where total internal reflection does not occur, and an input collar connected to the illuminator blade in the input dead zone, the collar surrounding the light input portion and forming an input air gap therebetween and circumferentially therearound. ### Claim 42 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the light input portion has a generally cylindrical input zone transitioning to a generally rectangular neck. ### Claim 43 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the blade insert illuminator has a width and a thickness, and wherein the width is greater than the thickness. ### Claim 44 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a flat section having one or more light output zones. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein each of the one or more light output zones is formed of parallel prism shapes with a primary facet and a secondary facet. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, wherein the primary facets and the secondary facets of each output zone have different dimensions and are oriented at different angles relative to a rear surface of the blade insert illuminator. ### Claim 47 (depends on 45) The system of claim 45, wherein the primary facets and the secondary facets are oriented relative to a plane parallel to a rear surface of the blade insert illuminator such that the primary facets forms a primary angle relative to the plane and the secondary facets forms a secondary angle relative to the plane, and wherein the primary angle is acute. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The system of claim 47, wherein the secondary angle is obtuse. ### Claim 49 (depends on 44) The system of claim 44, wherein each output zone has the same depth from a rear surface of the blade insert illuminator. ### Claim 50 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a front surface, a rear surface, and a rear reflector for reflecting light away from the blade insert illuminator, the rear reflector adjacent a distal portion of the blade insert illuminator, wherein the front surface is parallel to the rear surface, and wherein the rear reflector is angled relative to the front surface. ### Claim 51 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises a light output zone, the light output zone configured to provide light at two or more levels throughout a surgical site. ### Claim 52 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the blade insert illuminator comprises an end zone having a rear reflector and a terminal facet.