US3788325A

US3788325A - Vein stripping surgical instrument

Info

Publication number: US3788325A
Application number: US00291192A
Authority: US
Inventors: B Jacobsen
Original assignee: Astra Gruppen AS
Current assignee: Astra Gruppen AS
Priority date: 1971-09-22
Filing date: 1972-09-22
Publication date: 1974-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-29
Also published as: GB1371176A; SE379276B; DK126413B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a surgical instrument for extracting or stripping of veins in connection with surgical treatment of varicose veins. The vein stripper comprises a string-shaped body which preferably has a uniform cross section along the whole length thereof except from a section of reduced width positioned at least at one and preferably at both end portions of said body and spaced from the adjacent free end thereof. The vein stripper also comprises an enlarged element or a stripper head having a longitudinally and radially extending slit or slot and preferably also a central non-through end bore or depression at least at one end surface and preferably at both end surfaces for receiving part of the string-shaped body in locking engagement. The opposite end surfaces of the stripper head may be shaped differently and may for example have a convex and a concave shape, respectively.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,788,325 Jacobsen Jan. 29, 1974 [5 VEIN STRIPPING SURGICAL INSTRUMENT 3,659,606 5/1972 Reimels .5 128/303 R [75] Inventor: 3:32 3 g g Primary Examiner-Aldrich F. Medbery Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Anthony P. Delio et al. [73] Assignee: Astra-Sjuco a division under Astra-Gruppen A/S, Roskildevej, [57] ABSTRACT Albertslund Denmark The present invention relates to a surgical instrument [22] Filed: Sept. 22, 1972 for extracting or stripping of veins in connection with surgical treatment of varicose veins. The vein stripper [21] Appl' 291192 comprises a string-shaped body which preferably has a uniform cross section along the whole length thereof [30] Forei n Application P i it D t except from a section of reduced width positioned at Sept. 22 1971 Denmark 4631/71 least at one and Preferably al boll end Polllolls of Said body and spaced from the adjacent free end thereof. 52 US. Cl 128/303 R The vein Stripper comprises an enlarged element 51 1111.01 A6lb 17/00 or a Stripper head having a longitudinally and radially 58 Field of Search 128/303 R 304 341 extending Slit 0r Slot and Preferably also a central through end bore or depression at least at one end sur- [56] References Cited face and preferably at both end surfaces for receiving part of the string-shaped body in locking engagement. UNITED STATES PATENTS The opposite end surfaces of the stripper head may be gi u g shaped differently and may for example have a convex a en 1 3,185,155 5/1965 $131611 et al. 128/303 R and a concave shape respectwely' 3,508,553 4/1970 Kanbar et a]. 128/303 R 12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 2 9 I974 VEIN STRIPPING SURGICAL INSTRUMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention A so-called vein stripper is a surgical instrument for the extraction of veins in connection with surgical treatment of varicose veins. The invention relates to such vein strippers.

2. Description of the Prior Art The most commonly used known vein strippers are of the type comprising a string-shaped body having an enlarged end portion at each end, and a stripper head having a non-through axial end bore or recess at each end and a radial slit or slot extending axially from one end of the stripper head to the other. The string-shaped body is normally made from plastics material which is preferably monoaxially oriented in the string-shaped portion between said enlarged end portions. When a vein, for example vena saphena magna, is to be extracted by means of a stripper of the type described the surgeon effects an entrance into the vein by making an incision in the patients leg adjacent to the groin as well as adjacent to the ankle, and thereafter one end of the stripper is inserted into the vein. The maximum diameter of the enlarged end portions of the stripper must be a little smaller than the inner diameter of the vein, and therefore, the string-shaped body between said end portions must necessarily be relatively thin, and it is also rather flexible. The high flexibility of the stringshaped portion is caused by the monoaxial orientation of the plastics material performed in order to obtain the tensile strength necessary for the rather thin stringshaped body. Due to the high flexibility of the stringshaped body a stripper of the type described must be inserted in the vein at the distal incision, i.e. in such a direction that the vein valves may be pushed open. When the string-shaped body has been inserted in the vein section defined between the two incisions made in the patients leg and thus extends through the vein section along the whole length thereof the stripper head is mounted on an end section of the string, said end section being received in the radial slit or slot of the stripper head. Thereafter the head is being locked in an aligned position by displacing the string and the head in relation to each other in such a manner that the adjacent enlarged end portion is received in the recess or end bore defined in one end surface of the stripper head. The vein may now be extracted thereby that the mounted stripper head is being drawn in one direction or the other through the tubular passage in the leg defined by the tissue surrounding the outer wall of the vein. I

When a vein stripper is inserted in vena saphena magna through the distal incision in the patients leg and as described above this is necessary when a stripper of the above known type is used there is risk that the string-shaped body is forced into vena femoralis through a piercing and reaches the groin through the last mentioned vein. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a string-shaped body being so stiff that it could pierce the vein valves and thus be inserted into the vein from the proximal incision in the leg, if desired.

Another type of known vein strippers comprises a string-shaped body which is sufficiently stiff to be able to pierce the vein valves. However, these vein strippers are provided with a stripper head which is permanently fixed to the string-shaped body at one end thereof. A

stripper of the last-mentioned type may be inserted into the vein from the distal or the proximal incision as desired, but before inserting the vein stripper the surgeon must decide in which direction he desires to extract the vein, because due to the fact that the stripper head is permanently fixed the direction of extracting the vein is necessarily the same as the direction of inserting the string-shaped body therein. The choice of direction of extraction is not unimportant because extraction in a distal direction reduces the risk of injuring nervus saphenus, causes extraction of increased lengths of tributary veins of vena saphena magna, and reduces the risk of invagination of vena saphena magna. In return, the extraction in distal direction does not allow compression bandages to be arranged on the leg concurrently with the extraction. By extracting the vein in proximal direction it is possible to provide the leg with such a bandage, but in return the advantages mentioned in connection with extraction in distal direction may not be obtained.

It is necessary to obtain security against that the stripper head permanently fixed to the string-shaped body or the enlarged end portions on such body are not torn off during vein extraction, and therefore the said stripper head or enlarged end portions must either be formed integrally with the string or be properly fastened thereto. In the known vein strippers described above the integral forming of the enlarged end portions or stripper heads on the string-shaped body involves substantially increased manufacturing costs which is especially disadvantageous for vein strippers of the disposable type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION body, a section of said end portion spaced from the adjacent free end of the string-shaped body having a re-l:

duced width and being adapted to be received in a substantially radial slit or slot defined in said enlarged element or head, the maximum outer diameter of the central portion as well as of the free end portions of the string-shaped body exceeding the width of said slit or slot. It is understood that the enlarged element or stripper head of the surgical instrument or vein stripper according to the invention may be mounted on the stringshaped body in a similar manner as described above in connection with the first-mentioned known vein stripper, the free end portion of the string-shaped body adjacent to and at the outer side of the section of reduced width serving the same purpose as the enlarged end portion of the said known stripper. The string-shaped body of the vein stripper according to the invention may be made in a very simple and economical manner, for example by extrusion of plastics material, and may have a thickness or outer diameter being little smaller than the inner diameter of a vein to be extracted, and therefore, the string-shaped body may be made so stiff that it may be inserted in the vein either from the distal or the proximal incision in the leg of the patient. The section of the string-shaped body having a reduced width may for example have a round or square cross section, but has preferably an oblong cross section which may for example be formed by thermoplastic deformation of the string-shaped body, by milling or by any other type of machining.

Preferably, the string-shaped body is provided with a section of reduced width at both ends. In that case the surgeon may postpone the decision as to the direction of extraction of the vein till the string-shaped body has been inserted therein. Thus, the vein stripper according to the present invention is very advantageous in manufacture as well as in use. Due to the relatively low manufacturing costs the vein stripper according to the invention is suited for being disposed after a single use.

According to the present invention the enlarged element or stripper head may comprise a central end bore or recess at one or both ends for receiving part of the adjoining end portion of the string-shaped body when the section of reduced width has been received in the radial slit or slot of the stripper head. Thereafter the head and the body may be axially displaced in relation to each other, whereby the stripper head may be locked to the string-shaped body against relative transverse displacement. The enlarged element or stripper head may be shaped symmetrically about a plane vertical to the longitudinal axis of the head. In that case the longitudinal orientation of the head is unimportant when being mounted on the string-shaped body by the surgeon. However, some surgeons prefer to use a stripper head having a convexly rounded active end surface and other prefer an active end surface of the concavely shaped type having a relatively sharp edge. According to the invention the end surfaces of the stripper head may be shaped differently. For example, one of the end surfaces may be convex and the other end surface may be concave. In that case, the surgeon may choose his favoured shape by mounting the stripper head on the string-shaped body with the corresponding longitudinal orientation.

The section or sections of the string-shaped body having a reduced width may preferably have a substantially rectangular cross section the maximum dimension of which is identical or substantially identical to the outer diameter or thickness of the adjoining portions of the string-shaped body. Thereby the weakening of the string-shaped body caused by the said sections is reduced to a minimum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Embodiments of the surgical instrument or vein stripper according to the invention will now be described more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein FIG. 1 shows a side view of a first embodiment of the vein stripper according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows in enlarged scale an end portion of a vein stripper shown in FIG. 1 provided with a modified stripper head,

FIG. 3 shows the end portion shown in FIG. 2 rotated 9 about its longitudinal axis,

FIG. 4 shows an end view of the stripper head according to FIGS. 2 and 3, and

FIG. 5 shows a side view of another embodiment of the stripper head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The surgical instrument or vein stripper shown in FIG. 1 consists of a string-shaped body or a probe and an enlarged element or stripper head 11 detachably mounted thereon. Both of these parts may advantageously be made from plastics material, such as polycarbonate, for example that marketed under the tradmark MAKROLON. The probe 10 as well as the head 11 have a substantially circular cross section and the string-shaped body 10 has a reduced section 12 at each end portion. In the embodiment shown on the drawing these reduced sections have a substantially rectangular cross section the length of which is equal to the outer diameter of the body 10. However, in principle the reduced sections may have any cross section, for example a square, an elliptical, or a circular cross section, provided that in at least one direction the largest diameter of the cross section is smaller than the outer diameter of the string-shaped body 10. The reduced sections 12, which may for example be made by thermoplastic deformation, by milling or another type of machining, are spaced from the respective free ends of the body 10 and thus they define or separate body end portions 13. The string-shaped body 10 having a diameter which is preferably little smaller than the inner diameter of a vein to be extracted, is preferably solid, but may be hollow, if desired. Furthermore, the body 10 may possibly be provided with interval reinforcing means, for example in the form of threads or wires.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 5 the stripper head is provided with a central, non-through end bore 14 at each end. The diameter of these bores is equal to or a little greater than the diameter of the end portions 13 of the string-shaped body. The stripper head is also provided with a radially extending and axially throughgoing slit or slot 15 the width of which is smaller than the outer diameter of the body 10 but greater than or equal to the smallest transverse dimension or width of the reduced sections 12 of the body 10. It will be understood that the stripper head 11 may easily be mounted on the body 10 thereby that one of the reduced sections 12 is being inserted in the slot 15 of the stripper head 11 so that the adjoining end portion 13 is being aligned with one of the end bores 14. The end portion 13 may now be inserted in the end bore 14 by a relative axial displacement of the body 10 and the stripper head 11, whereby the stripper head is being locked against transverse displacement and centred on the body 10. It should be understood that any other type of centring and locking means for centring and locking the stripper head in relation to the string-shaped body may be used.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 4 the stripper head 11 is symmetrical about a plane vertical to the longitudinal axis of the head which has concave end surfaces 16. Due to the symmetrical shape of the head the longitudinal orientation of the stripper head 11 is unimportant when the head is being mounted on the body 10.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the stripper head 1 1 comprises a concave end surface 16 as well as a convex end surface 11. The surgeon may then chose whether the active end surface pointing in the direction of extraction should be concave or convex.

It should be understood, that various modifications of the embodiments described above may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A surgical instrument for vein extraction comprising a string-shaped body and an enlarged element or head with a substantially longitudinally extending radial slot connectable to an end portion of said stringshaped body in substantially aligned relationship therewith and having a maximum outer diameter exceeding that of the string-shaped body, a section of said end portion, spaced from the adjacent free end of the string-shaped body, having at least one section of said body a reduced width and being shaped to be received in said substantially radial slit or slot defined in said enlarged element or head, the maximum outer diameter of the central portion, as well as of the free end portions, of the string-shaped body exceeding the width of said slit or slot.

2. A surgical instrument according to claim 1 and comprising a section of reduced width at each end portion of said string-shaped body.

3. A surgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein an end surface of said enlarged element or head includes a central recess or end bore for receiving part of the string-shaped body adjoining said section of reduced width and positioned intermediate of that section and the adjacent free end of the string-shaped body.

4. A surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein a central recess or end bore includes a nonplanar end surface on each end of said enlarged element or head.

5. A surgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein said end surfaces are shaped differently.

6. A surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein one of said end surfaces is convex whereas the other end surface is concave.

7. A surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein said string-shaped body is made from plastic material.

8. A surgical instrument for vein extraction comprising a string-shaped body made from plastics material, and an enlarged element or head having a maximum outer diameter exceeding that of the string-shaped body and being detachably connectable to any one of the two end portions of said string-shaped body in substantially aligned relationship therewith, a section of each of said end portions of said string-shaped body spaced from the adjacent free ends thereof having a reduced width and being shaped to be received in a substantially radial slit or slot extending longitudinally in said enlarged element or head, the maximum outer diameter of the string-shaped body exceeding the width of said slit or slot, and the string-shaped body having a uniform cross section between and outside of its two sections of reduced width.

9. A surgical instrument according to claim 8, wherein an end surface of said enlarged element or head includes a central recess or end bore for receiving that part of the string-shaped body adjoining said section of reduced width and positioned intermediate of that section and the adjacent free end of the stringshaped body.

10. A surgical instrument according to claim 9, wherein a central recess or end bore includes a nonplanar end surface of said enlarged element or head.

11. A surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein said end surfaces are shaped differently.

12. A surgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein one of said end surfaces is convex, whereas the other end surface is concave.

PO-wso UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,788,325 med n ary 29, 197

Inventor) Bj arne Hamilton Jacobsen It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 15, after "other" insert '--as exemplified in British Patent No. l,26 4,976--.' Column 3, line 29, "other" should read -others--'. Column 3, line 58, "9" ould read --9O- Column 4-, line 1 j te-r" should read -dimension. Column 4, line 25, -'interval" should read -i nternal--. Column 4, line 58, "chose" should read -+-choose--. Claim 8, line 2, "plastics" should read -plastic-'-. Claim 10, line 3, insert --on each end-- after "surface". Column 5, line 5, after "body" delete -a-, and insert in place thereof --at least one-. Column 5, line 6, C after "portion" insert --of said body--. Column 5, line 7, after "having" delete -at least one section of 'said body--. Claim 7, line 1, "3" should read -2--.

I Signed and sealed this 20th day of August 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCCY M. GIBSON, JR. C. MARSHALL CDANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for vein extraction comprising a string-shaped body and an enlarged element or head with a substantially longitudinally extending radial slot connectable to an end portion of said string-shaped body in substantially aligned relationship therewith and having a maximum outer diameter exceeding that of the string-shaped body, a section of said end portion, spaced from the adjacent free end of the string-shaped body, having at least one section of said body a reduced width and being shaped to be received in said substantially radial slit or slot defined in said enlarged element or head, the maximum outer diameter of the central portion, as well as of the free end portions, of the stringshaped body exceeding the width of said slit or slot.

4. A surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein a central recess or end bore includes a non-planar end surface on each end of said enlarged element or head.

9. A surgical instrument according to claim 8, wherein an end surface of said enlarged element or head includes a central recess or end bore for receiving that part of the string-shaped body adjoining said section of reduced width and positioned intermediate of that section and the adjacent free end of the string-shaped body.

10. A surgical instrument according to claim 9, wherein a central recess or end bore includes a non-planar end surface of said enlarged element or head.