SURGICAL TOOL AND METHOD OF USE FOR CARPEL TUNNEL RELEASE PROCEDURE

Abstract

A carpal tunnel release surgical tool has an elongate main body supporting a blade at one end thereof for insertion through a wrist incision. The blade moves between a working position protruding from the main body for cutting the transverse carpal ligament, and a stored position in which the blade is retracted to shield the cutting edge. A light source on the body in proximity to the second end thereof emits light for illuminating the ligament to be cut while the tool is inserted in the body of the patient. An actuator member is supported on the body in operative connection to the blade for actuation by an operator to displace the blade between the working position and the stored position of the blade while the bladed end of the body remains inserted to allow removal of the tool after cutting the ligament.

Claims

1. A surgical tool comprising: a main body which is elongated in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end of the body; a blade supported on the main body in proximity to the second end of the main body; the blade having a cutting edge along one side of the blade; the blade being movable between a working position in which the cutting edge of the blade protrudes radially outwardly from the main body transversely to the longitudinal direction, and a stored position in which the blade is retracted radially inwardly towards the main body in relation to the working position; a light source on the body in proximity to the second end of the main body so as to be arranged to emit light from the main body; and an actuator member supported on the body in operative connection to the blade so as to be actuable by an operator of the tool to displace the blade between the working position and the stored position of the blade.

2. The tool according to claim 1 wherein the blade is pivotally coupled to the main body so as to be pivotal between the working position and the stored position of the blade.

3. The tool according to claim 1 wherein the cutting edge of the blade is retracted into a hollow interior of the main body in the stored position of the blade.

4. The tool according to claim 1 wherein the cutting edge of the blade faces towards first end of the main body in the working position.

5. The tool according to claim 1 wherein the cutting edge follows a concave curvature along a length of the blade.

6. The tool according to claim 1 wherein a distal end of the blade is folded towards the first end of the main body from the working position to the stored position of the blade and the cutting edge of the blade is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the main body in the stored position.

7. The tool according to claim 1 further comprising a spring operatively connected to the blade so as to be arranged to bias the blade from the working position towards the stored position.

8. The tool according to claim 7 wherein the spring is received within a hollow interior of the main body and is coupled a first end to the main body and at a second end to the blade.

9. The tool according to claim 7 wherein the spring extends in the longitudinal direction of the main body under tension.

10. The tool according to claim 1 wherein the actuator member is slidably supported on the main body and pivotally coupled to the blade such that the actuator member slides longitudinally relative to the main body together with pivotal movement of the blade relative to the body between the working and stored positions.

11. The tool according to claim 10 wherein the actuator member is a shaft received within a hollow interior of the main body, the shaft having a first end in proximity to the first end of the main body and a second end pivotally coupled on an actuator lobe of the blade, the actuator lobe and the cutting edge of the blade being diametrically opposite one another.

12. The tool according to claim 11 wherein the first end of the shaft protrudes from the main body for gripping by the operator.

13. The tool according to claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a light emitting device supported on the main body in proximity to the second end of the main body.

14. The tool according to claim 13 further comprising a battery supported within a cavity in the main body to provide electrical power to the light emitting device.

15. The tool according to claim 13 further comprising an actuator switch on the main body in operative connection with the light source for actuating the light source, the actuator switch being externally accessible on the main body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0046] FIG. 1 is an illustration showing an incision location for performing a prior art open carpal tunnel release surgery;

[0047] FIG. 2 is an illustration showing tool placement in a prior art endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery and the resulting cut in the transverse carpal ligament;

[0048] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the surgical tool according to the present invention;

[0049] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the surgical tool along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3, showing the blade in the working position;

[0050] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the surgical tool along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3, showing the blade in the stored position; and

[0051] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the surgical tool according to the present invention when used in a carpel tunnel release procedure.

[0052] In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] Referring to the accompanying figures, there is illustrated a surgical tool 10 for use in a surgical carpel tunnel release procedure. The surgical tool 10 can replace expensive and time-consuming endoscopic surgery without needing complicated and difficult techniques and tools normally used in endoscopic surgery. The surgical tool 10 described herein is a simple, cheap and very user-friendly device which is decreased invasiveness, complexities and cost compared to traditional carpal tunnel release procedures, including traditional endoscopic and open carpal tunnel surgery.

[0054] The tool 10 generally includes a main body 12 which is elongate in a longitudinal direction between a first end 14 and a second end 16 which are opposite one another. The main body is tubular in shape, having a hollow interior passage spanning substantially the full length of the main body between the opposing first and second end thereof. The second end of the body is smooth and tapered in shape for ease of insertion into the body of a patient through a suitable incision as described in further detail below.

[0055] A blade 18 is mounted on the main body 12 in proximity to the second end 16 thereof. More particularly the blade comprises a flat rigid plate of material having a sharpened cutting-edge 20 formed along one side thereof. The cutting edge 20 spans substantially the full length of the blade generally in a longitudinal direction of the blade from a first end 22 of the blade that is pivotally coupled to the main body 12 to a second end 24 of the blade which is distal from the pivotal connection. The cutting edge 20 follows a concave curvature while extending in the longitudinal direction between the first and second ends of the blade.

[0056] The first end of the blade 18 is received within the hollow interior of the main body 12 in proximity to the second end of the body for pivotal movement about a pivot axis oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the main body. The blade 18 generally pivots between a working position protruding outward from the main body for cutting, and a stored position in which the blade is retracted inwardly towards the body relative to the working position.

[0057] More particularly, in the working position the cutting edge 20 of the blade is oriented to extend generally radially outwardly, transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body while facing towards the first end of the main body 12. A blade opening 26 is provided in the form of an elongated slot formed along one side of the main body in alignment with the mounting location of the blade 18 to receive the blade protruding therethrough in the working position.

[0058] In the stored position, the second end of the blade is displaced radially inwardly and longitudinally toward the first end of the main body as the blade is folded from the working position towards the stored position. In the resulting stored position, at least the cutting edge 20 of the blade and in some instances the entirety of the body of the blade can be retracted into the hollow interior of the main body, such that the cutting edge extends generally in the longitudinal direction of the main body.

[0059] The body of the blade 18 further includes an actuating lobe 28 which extends from the pivot axis of the blade diametrically opposite to the cutting edge.

[0060] A spring 30 is received within the hollow interior of the main body 12 to extend under tension in the longitudinal direction of the main body between a first end pivotally coupled to the actuating lobe 28 of the blade and a second end coupled to the main body at the second end of the main body. The tension of the spring as a result of the stretching of the spring in the working position acts to pull the actuating lobe towards the second end of the main body which in turn biases the second end 24 of the blade to pivot toward the first end of the main body corresponding to the stored position thereof.

[0061] An actuator member 32 is provided on the main body 12 for actuating displacement of the blade between the stored position and the working position thereof. The actuator member 32 comprises an elongated shaft supported within the hollow interior of the main body 12 so as to be longitudinally slidable in the longitudinal direction relative to the main body 12. The shaft of the actuator member 32 extends longitudinally between (i) a first end 34 protruding through an actuator opening at the first end of the main body to extend longitudinally outward beyond the end of the main body and (ii) a second end 36 which is pivotally coupled to the actuating lobe 28 of the blade 18 at a location spaced radially from the pivot axis at a location which is generally diametrically opposite from the second end 24 of the blade in relation to the pivot axis.

[0062] The operator of the tool grips the first end 34 of the actuator member 32 and displaces the actuator member longitudinally relative to the main body to pivot the blade between the working and stored positions thereof with longitudinal sliding of the actuator member. Displacing the actuator member longitudinally outward from the main body acts to open the blade 18 towards the working position, whereas pushing the actuator member 32 into the main body acts to close the blade towards the stored position thereof.

[0063] A light source is supported on the main body 12 in the form of a plurality of light emitting diodes 38 supported in proximity to the second end of the main body. In particular rows of LED bulbs 38 are supported alongside the slotted blade opening 26 such that the rows of bulbs are oriented in the longitudinal direction. The bulbs are oriented to emit light such that the light is emitted radially outwardly from the main body in the same direction that the blade protrudes in the working position.

[0064] A battery 40 is supported within a respective battery cavity 42 within the hollow interior of the body. A suitable circuit connects the battery 40 to the light emitting diodes 38 for providing electrical power to the diodes. An actuation switch 44 forms part of the circuitry between the battery 40 and the diodes 38. The switch 44 is externally accessible on the main body in proximity to the first end thereof so that a user can actuate illumination of the light emitting diodes by actuating the switch.

[0065] Use of the tool to perform a carpal tunnel release procedure begins with an operator forming an incision in the wrist area of the patient for insertion of the second end of the main body into the body of the patient. The light emitting diodes 38 are actuated to emit light which is visible through the tissue of the patient as the second end of the tool is positioned in proximity to the transverse carpal ligament of the patient. The illumination by the LEDs 38 assists in guiding position of the tool relative to the transverse carpal ligament. Once the tool has been properly aligned with the ligament, the operator grips the first end of the actuator member 32 to longitudinally slide the actuator member outwardly from the main body sufficiently to displace the blade 18 from the stored position to the working position thereof. While maintaining the blade in the working position, the tool is longitudinally displaced relative to the patient so that the blade cuts through the transverse carpal ligament of the patient. Once the ligament has been cut, the actuator member 32 is pushed inwardly into the main body 12 sufficiently to displace the blade from the working position to the stored position thereof. With the blade remaining in the stored position, the tool is removed from the patient. The incision is subsequently sutured to complete the procedure.

[0066] Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.