SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments and, more particularly, to a A surgical forceps is provided that is configured for treating and/or cutting tissue. The surgical forceps of the present invention is based on the so named ‘mosquito forceps’ and provides a new clamping configuration of the tip making it that is particularly useful for neuropathic skin surgery, such as in case of diabetes or other skin irregularities e.g. the callus or the like.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A surgical forceps configured for neuropathic skin surgery, the surgical forceps comprising a pair of handling rings at one end of a pair of handle shanks pivotably connected by a pivotal connection to a pair of jaws making up a jawing head ending in a bended tip, wherein the jawing head comprises a curved recess in a bended section of the jawing head, and wherein the jaws comprise an outward bend in the bended section of the jawing head, and are configured with the ability to grab a bulb of skin.

18. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the curved recess is an oval-shaped recess.

19. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the curved recess is bent under an angle between 90° and 130°.

20. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the curved recess is configured as a V-shaped groove.

21. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the bend in the jawing head is between 90° and 130°.

22. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the jaws are thickened and slightly rounded.

23. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the non-bended part of the jaws is extended.

24. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the bended part of the jaws is extended.

25. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the jawing head, including the curved recess is provided with a series of clamping teeth.

26. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the handle shanks are slightly bent.

27. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the handle shanks are extended.

28. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein the handle shanks are thickened, with the thickening being the largest at the pivoting point and progressively reducing toward the handles.

29. The surgical forceps of claim 17, wherein pivoting point is thickened when compared to the rest of the forceps.

30. The surgical forceps of claim 17, further comprising a locking grip.

31. The surgical forceps of claim 30, wherein the locking grip has 3 to 5 teeth.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] With specific reference now to the figures, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the different embodiments of the present invention only. They are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention. The description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

[0022] FIG. 1: Technical drawing of an original Mosquito Forceps: Closed and open position—Showing the pair of handle rings (1); the handle shanks (2); the locking grip (tongues/catch) (3); the pivotal connection (4); the jaws making up the jawing head (6). In this example the jaws are bended and end in a sharp tip (7) and are provided at the inside with a series of clamping teeth (8).

[0023] FIG. 2: Technical drawing of a Forceps according to the invention: Closed and open position—Showing the common features of the Mosquito Forceps; i.e. the pair of handle rings (1); the handle shanks (2); the locking grip (tongues/catch) (3); the pivotal connection (4); the jaws making up the jawing head; but differing in the jaws comprising an outward bend in the curved part of the jaws. Together they create a curved recess (5) In the jawing head.

[0024] FIG. 3: Zoomed view of the jawing head of a forceps according to the invention. In this shown embodiment also the outwardly bended part in the curved part of the jaws comprises clamping teeth (8) at the inside of the jaws.

[0025] FIG. 4: Zoomed view of the jawing head of a forceps according to the invention. In this shown embodiment the outwardly bended part in the curved part of the jaws comprises tapered jaws (11) at the inside of the jaws, and the jaws head further comprises a cutting area (10).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] As mentioned herein before, the grabbing functionality of the current mosquito forceps is limited. This results in poor stability of the tool and as a consequence bad handling control.

[0027] In order to solve the ‘problem’ an additional curved recess (5) on the forcep's jawing head is added to the prior art Mosquito forceps. More specifically, the curved recess is positioned in the bended section of the jawing head. The idea is to use the curved recess, i.e. the opening in the closed jawing head, as another neurophatic skin grabbing functionality option. Grabbing the neurophatic skin with the curved recess solves the ‘problem’ in the sense that: i) due to the fact that the grabbing surface is significantly larger a skin bulb can be grabbed, the total force and grip level can be significantly increased; ii) the force distribution is equally distributed over a larger contact surface of the skin, thus signficantly decreasing the risk of causing additional skin damage; iii) the new position of the grabbing item (infra), in addition with the ability to grap a bulb of the skin, decreases the level of degree of freedom of the forceps, and thus allowing for a significantly increased handling stability.

[0028] Per reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, most of the design and technical specifications are identical to the original tooling. The forceps consists of a pair of handle rings (1), with one ring on each side member. It is connected to the pair of prolonged handle shanks (2), which are pivoted (4) together and manipulate the jawing head (6). In a preferred embodiment the shanks are slightly bended as such to provide improved handling ergonomics. A pivoting point (4) connects the handling shanks to the jawing head. The jawing head incorporates the newly invented curved recess (5), which provides the primary neurophatic skin grabbing functionality. In one embodiment it is an ovally spaced recess, allowing for effective grabbing, locking and manipulating of a skin bulb. The jaws still end in a sharp jawing head tip (7) similar to the tip in the prior art mousquito forceps and still provides the original grabbing and pinching functionality. It is sharp and pointy, in order to be able to provide the adequate pinching force and it is largely bended in targetting the appropriate ergonomics. In one embodiment the jawing head and the newly invented curved recess (5) is provided with a series of clamping teeth (8) to provide the adequate gripping level. In the example shown in FIG. 3 the clamping teeth are closely spaced.

[0029] A locking tongue or catch, herein also referred to as a locking grip (3) is provided in order to fix/lock the handles shanks together. In one embodiment the locking grip has 3-5 teeth to allow ratchet clamping at various pressures.

[0030] Per reference to FIG. 3, in positioning the curved recess (5) in the jawing head it was found that it is best built in at the bending position of the jaws in the jawing head and characterized in an outward bent of the jaws at said position (infra). The angle of the curved recess is typically between 90° and 130°; in particular between 110° and 120°; more in particular about 120°, such as 116°, 117°, 118°, 119°, 120°, 121°, 122°, 123° and 124°. In a particular embodiment the curved recess is configured as a V-shaped groove, more in particular a V-shaped groove wherein the angle of said V-shaped groove is between 90° and 130′; in particular between 110° and 120°; more in particular about 120°, such as 116°, 117°, 118°, 119°, 120°, 121°, 122°, 123° and 124°. Compared to the prior art mosquito forceps the non-bended part of the jaws could be extended in order to provide more space for the curved recess, but elongation of the jawing shanks not only provides more space for the curved recess it also adds improved ergonomics to the tool and creates a larger momentum on the grabbed material. This allows the therapist to better control and to exert a larger force in handling the grabbed material. The foregoing effects could be further enhanced by an extension of the handling shanks (2) when compared to a prior art mosquito forceps.

[0031] The bend in the jaws in the jawing head is typically between 90° and 150°; in particular between 110° and 130°; more in particular about 130°. In one embodiment the jawing head is thickened and slightly rounded when compared to a prior art mosquito forceps. Such thickened jawing head reduces the inner stress on the jawing beams when applying force. This is particularly suitable in said embodiments wherein the non-bended part of the jaws are extended and/or the handling shanks are extended. In said embodiment wherein the handling shanks are extended, and the non-bended part of the jaws are extended, higher handling forces can be exerted. In order to comply with the increased moment on such elongated handle shanks, without effecting inner stresses, the handles shanks could be thickened. In the idea of logic design and reduction of raw materials usage, in one such embodiment the thickening is the largest at the pivoting point and reduces progressively towards the handles. Alternatively, only the pivoting point could be thickened to comply with the increased moment on the handles shanks.

[0032] In FIG. 4 another embodiment is shown adding a cutting area (9) to the tool. In this embodiment all actions needed debridement of skin wounds, can be performed with a single tool. Picking of dirt or small isolated dead tissue particles by means of the sharp tips (7), decallusing through the bended recess (5) to enclose the neuropathic skin, and excision or clipping of loose or loosened material from the wound by means of the cutting area (9).

[0033] These and other embodiments will be apparent for the skilled person from the claims hereinafter.

[0034] The parts list of the forceps consist of the following:

TABLE-US-00001 1) The pair of handle rings  2) Handles shanks 3) Locking tongues/catch  4) Pivotal connection 5) Curved recess (Invention)  6) Jawing head 7) Bended tip 10) Cutting edge 8) Series of clamping teeth 11) Tapered Jaw parts 9) Cutting Area