Surgical retractors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10398299-B2
Application number	US-201514797717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for surgically manipulating tissue. In general, the methods and devices can include an elongate retractor shaft having a distal retractor tip that is configured to manipulate tissue, for example the tip can be configured to separate muscle and nerve fibers surrounding a vertebra. The elongate retractor shaft can include an illumination source such that at least a portion of the surgical field is illuminated by the device when the device is used in the body. A sensor can also or alternatively be included on the elongate retractor shaft, for example on the blunt retraction tip, such that the sensor can monitor physiological parameters of the tissue in or adjacent to the surgical field.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A surgical retractor device, comprising:
an elongate retractor shaft having a proximal end with a handle portion and a distal end having a blunt retraction tip configured to manipulate tissue within a body;
a lumen extending at least partially through the distal end of the elongate retractor shaft, wherein the lumen extends into at least one aperture formed at a convex surface of the elongate retractor shaft;
an illumination source disposed in the at least one aperture and configured to illuminate tissue;
a sensor disposed on the retraction tip and configured to sense at least one physiological parameter of tissue being manipulated by the retraction tip; and
a signal processor disposed in the elongate retractor shaft;
wherein, when a parameter monitored by the sensor is outside a preset range, the signal processor is configured to activate the illumination source to alert a user.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an internal power source disposed within the handle portion and configured to provide power to at least one of the illumination source and the sensor.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the blunt retraction tip has a concave surface configured to conform to a bone surface.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate retractor shaft is non-linear with at least one bend formed therein such that the blunt retraction tip extends along a central longitudinal axis that is transverse to a central longitudinal axis of the handle portion.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is at least partially disposed within the lumen.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the illumination source includes a fiber optic lighting system.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the illumination source includes a light emitting diode.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the blunt retraction tip is configured to anchor into bone.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense at least one physiological parameter selected from the group consisting of a temperature, a pressure, a blood oxygen level, neuro conductivity, or combinations thereof.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the elongate retraction shaft is malleable.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is laminated to an external surface of the elongate retractor shaft.

12. The device of claim 1 , where the illumination source is configured to alert the user by flashing, blinking, turning off, or changing color.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the illumination source is disposed on an opposite side of the retraction tip than the sensor.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the illumination source produces a diffuse light field to light a general working area in the body including a deep access portal in the body through which the device is disposed.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the illumination source is disposed on an opposite side of the retraction tip than the sensor, and is partially disposed within the lumen, and
the elongate shaft has a second lumen, extending through at least portion thereof, configured to deliver surgical instruments therethrough.

16. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a switch disposed on the handle portion and configured to control power to the illumination source such that a range of illumination can be chosen to illuminate the tissue.

17. The device of claim 1 ,
wherein the distal end of the elongate retractor shaft includes a concave surface opposite the convex surface;
wherein the at least one aperture formed at the convex surface of the elongate retractor shaft is part of a plurality of apertures formed in the concave and convex surfaces of the elongate retractor shaft;
wherein the illumination source includes a plurality of illumination sources disposed in the plurality of apertures formed in the concave and convex surfaces of the elongate retractor shaft.

18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a lab-on-a-chip sensor, a temperature sensor, an electrical conductivity meter, a pressure sensor, or combinations thereof.

19. A surgical retractor device for monitoring physiological parameters of tissue, comprising:
an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
a handle portion located at the proximal end of the elongate shaft;
a retraction tip disposed on the distal end of the elongate shaft;
an illumination source disposed in the retraction tip configured to illuminate the tissue;
a sensor disposed on the retraction tip configured to sense at least one physiological parameter of the tissue selected from the group consisting of temperature, pressure, blood oxygen level, neural conductivity, and combinations thereof; and
a signal processor disposed within the elongate shaft configured to activate the illumination source when a parameter sensed by the sensor is outside a preset range;
wherein the retraction tip has a distal-facing concave end.

20. The device of claim 19 , further comprising:
a display disposed on the handle portion configured to communicate an output of the sensor or display tissue imaged by the sensor.

21. The device of claim 19 , wherein:
the proximal end of the elongate shaft is coupled to a malleable connector; and
the malleable connector is configured to wrap around a support structure to support the device.

22. The device of claim 19 , wherein the illumination source comprises a plurality of illumination sources.

23. The device of claim 19 , wherein the illumination source is disposed on an opposite side of the retraction tip than the sensor.

24. The device of claim 19 , wherein the illumination source produces a diffuse light field to light a general working area in the body including a deep access portal in the body through which the device is disposed.

25. The device of claim 19 , wherein:
the elongate shaft has a first lumen extending through at least a portion thereof, and the illumination source is disposed on an opposite side of the retraction tip than the sensor, in a bore formed in the shaft, and is partially disposed within the first lumen, and
the elongate shaft has a second lumen, extending through at least portion thereof, configured to deliver surgical instruments therethrough.

26. The device of claim 19 , further comprising:
a switch disposed on the handle portion and configured to control power to the illumination source such that a range of illumination can be chosen to illuminate the tissue.

Assignees

• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Hawkins John Riley
• Pavento Nicholas
• Selover Sean P
• Leclerc Michelle

Classifications

• A61B2090/309

  using white LEDs · CPC title

• A61B90/36

  Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61B90/06

  Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61B2090/065

  for measuring contact or contact pressure · CPC title

• A61B2090/064

  for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension · CPC title