AU6956300A

AU6956300A - A surgical instrument

Info

Publication number: AU6956300A
Application number: AU69563/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Lee Muir Lenton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-10-25
Filing date: 2000-10-25
Publication date: 2001-05-03

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT St. ue *5 S

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S Name of Applicant(s): Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: LEE MUIR LENTON LEE MUIR LENTON CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street, Brisbane, QId. 4000, Australia.

A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

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Details of Associated Provisional Application: PQ3645 filed 25 October 1999 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT This invention relates to an instrument for use in eye surgery.

Eye surgery such as LASIK surgery or cataract removal require that the eyelids be retracted to render the eye accessible so that the surgical technique may be performed. In eye surgery a cutting tool such as a keratome may be used and care needs to be exercised to ensure that the lid margins are not injured whilst performing the surgical technique.

A speculum with metallic arms having lid engaging fingers at free ends of the arms is used to retract the eyelids to provide access to the eye so that surgery may be performed.

.The eye is periodically irrigated to flush out unwanted debris such as meibomian oil, hair and other foreign matter. The speculum offers no protection to the eye to prevent accidental damage to the eye from surgical instruments and does not shield the eye from debris.

It is an object of the invention to provide a surgical instrument S. which at least minimises the disadvantages referred to above.

According to one aspect, the invention provides a surgical instrument for use in eye surgery having opposed arms terminating in opposed eyelid receiving portions, a unitary drape extending from the arms or a respective drape extending from each said arm, the drape or drapes *.**allowing access to the eye and extending over lid margins of the eye.

Particular preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a surgical instrument according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view through part of the instrument shown in figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of the instrument of figure 1 shown in use; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an instrument according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a surgical instrument according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a surgical instrument according to the invention; Figure 7 is a sectional view of the instrument of figure 6 taken along line VII-VII in figure 6; Figure 8 shows a view of an instrument according to another embodiment of the invention; and, Figure 9 shows detail of part of the instrument of figure 8.

The surgical instrument 10 in figure 1 consists of a resilient frame 11 and two surgical drape portions or skirts 12 and 13. The frame 11 is lo provided with two arms 14 and 15 configured into U shaped eyelid receiving portions 16, 17 like that shown in greater detail in figure 2. Each portion 16 or 17 has an upper part 18 and a lower part 19. The region connecting the upper part 18 to the lower part 19 is curved and adapted to engage beneath an eyelid 20 or 21 and around a margin of the eyelid.

The eyelid 21 is located within space 22 whilst drape 13 extends over the eyelid and over an adjacent part of the face near the eye as shown in figure 3. The eyelid receiving portion 16 locates about eyelid 20 with drape 12 extending over an adjacent part of the face near the eye.

In order to achieve the configuration shown in figure 3 the arms 20 14 and 15 are pressed towards one another, the instrument 10 is then positioned over the eye and the arms 14 and 15 are then released. The :'..resiliency of the frame 11 causes the arms 14, 15 to move apart to capture the eyelids and move them apart to expose the eye for surgery.

The instrument opens the eye and protects the surface of the eye from contamination from debris from the eyelashes, eyebrow and from the lid margin as well as from meibomian oil or secretions.

The instrument functions as a retractor and not only shields the eye from contamination but also protects the lid and lid margins from accidental damage from other instruments used to conduct eye surgery.

Figure 4 shows an alternative instrument to that shown in figures 1 to 3. The instrument 30 consists of two parts 31, 32. Each of these parts has a frame 32 and a surgical drape portion 33. A free end of each of the frames 32 may be permanently or releasably held by a speculum shown in broken outline in figure 4.

Each frame has an eyelid receiving portion 41 constructed in a similar manner to the portions 16 and 17 of the embodiment previously s described and illustrated in figures 1 to 3. Operation of the speculum allows the instrument of figure 4 to be used as a retractor to open the eyelids and to protect the eye from damage and debris.

The instrument 50 in figure 5 is also adapted to be used with a speculum which receives free ends of two arms 51. The instrument 50 has a io unitary surgical drape 52 with an opening 53 through which the eye is 0.-.,accessible. Eyelid receiving portions 54 are of a similar construction to portions 41, 16 and 17.

The drape 52 has overlapping ends 55 which may extend over a temporal region adjacent to the eye to further protect the eye.

Figures 6 and 7 show a further embodiment of instrument having a resilient frame 61 like that of the figure 1 embodiment. The frame 61 has arms 62, 63 which terminate in eyelid receiving portions 64, configured like portions 16 and 17 in figure 1. A unitary surgical drape 66 is carried by the frame 61 and has the portions 64 and 65 carried by it. An opening 67 provides access to the eye. If desired, the instrument of figure 6 may have discrete arms like arms 51 in figure 5 with free ends integral with or removably receivable by a speculum.

The frame 61 may be made from a suitable surgically acceptable material such as surgical grade stainless steel or the like. The drape or drape portions may be made from any suitable material such as silicone.

The instrument may be re-usable, and in which case the material of construction should be such that it may be sterilised in an autoclave or in a suitable sterilising solution. Alternatively, the instrument may be designed to be used once and then disposed of.

Figure 8 shows a speculum made in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

The speculum 70 has a yoke 71 to which arms 72 and 73 are pivotally secured. The distal ends of the arms 72 and 73 terminate in arcuate eyelid receiving portions 74, Links 76, 77 are pivotally connected to the arms 72, 73 and extend between those arms and a follower 78 which is in engagement with an adjusting screw 79 such that relative rotation between the follower 71 and the screw 79 is possible. The screw 79 is in screw threaded engagement with the yolk 71 and rotation of the screw 79 results in either the portions 74 and moving towards or away from each other.

The links 76, 77 are pivotally connected to the follower.

A unitary drape 80 is captured by the portions 74, 75 and has an opening 81. The drape 80 is made from a resilient flexible material.

Each of the portions 74, 75 is substantially U shaped in transverse cross section like that shown in figure 9. The portions 74, 75 each have a connecting web 82, an upper flange 83 and a lower flange 84, the margin of the aperture 81 of the drape 80 is received between the flanges 83 *oo• -and 84.

Flange 84 of each of the portions 74 and 75 is curved to ••approximate the curved profile of an eye. The configuration of the portions 74 and 75 are such that no only does the instrument of figure 8 spread apart eyelids to expose an eye for surgery but also causes the lid margins to be moved downwardly relative to an eye socket to expose a greater surface area of the eye than would otherwise be the case.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for use in eye surgery, the instrument having opposed arms terminating in opposed eyelid receiving portions and a unitary drape extending from the arms or a respective said drape extending from each of the arms, the drape or drapes allowing access to the eye and extending over lid margins in the eye.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein there are respective said drapes and the arms are adapted to be releasably received by respective arm portions of a speculum.

3. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the opposed arms are part of a frame and are linked to each other and the arms may be urged towards one another and are able to return to a rest position to thereby move the eyelids I: "away from one another to expose the eye for surgery.

4. The instrument of claims 3 wherein the eyelid receiving portions are substantially U shaped in transverse cross section and engage beneath and S. around a margin of an eyelid. The instrument of claim 4 wherein the drape or drapes have portions within which parts of the arms are encapsulated.

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6. The instrument of any one of the preceding claims wherein the drape or drapes are made from silicone.

7. A surgical instrument for use in eye surgery, the instrument having opposed arms terminating in opposed eyelid receiving portions, a drape extending from the portions and the arms being mounted for movement towards and away from one another.

8. The instrument of claim 7 wherein each of the eyelid receiving portions is U shaped in transverse cross section.

9. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the eyelid receiving portions have a web and an upper and lower flange extending from the web.

10. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the drape has an aperture with a margin received between the flanges of the eyelid receiving portions.

11. The instrument of any one of claims 7 to 10 including a yolk to which the arms are pivotally mounted and an adjusting mechanism extending between the yolk and the arms, the mechanism allowing the arms to be moved towards and away from one another.

12. The instrument of claim 11 wherein the mechanism includes an adjusting member secured to the yolk and link members extending between the arms and a follower mounted on the adjusting member.

13. The instrument of claim 12 wherein the adjusting member consists of a screw threaded member received in screw threaded engagement with the yolk.

14. A surgical instrument substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 to 3, figure 4, figure 5, figures 6 and 7, or figures 8 and 9 of the °"drawings. S: DATED this 25 day of October 2000. LEE MUIR LENTON S.By his Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO l