1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of microsurgical instruments. More particularly the present invention relates to the field of improved handles for microsurgical instruments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following prior art patents generally relate to the field of microsurgical and other clipping devices.
1. U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,554 issued to Korber on Mar. 26, 1991 for "Microscissors Device And Anastomotic Repair Technique" (hereafter the "Korber Patent").
2. U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,501 issued to Greenberg on Jun. 23, 1987 for "Surgical Instrument" (hereafter the "Greenberg Patent").
3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,651 issued to Jacobsen on Feb. 24, 1987 for "Instrument For Gripping Or Cutting" (hereafter the "Jacobsen Patent").
4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,687 issued to Burke et al. on Feb. 28, 1984 for "Microsurgical Scissors" (hereafter the "Burke Patent").
5. U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,745 issued to Heifetz on Aug. 28, 1979 for "Surgical Manipulator" (hereafter the "Heifetz Patent").
6. U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,816 issued to Curutchet on Oct. 26, 1968 for "Surgical Instrument Handle" (hereafter the "Curutchet Patent").
7. U.S. Pat. No. 2,540,255 issued to Graves on Feb. 5, 1951 for "Fruit Clipper" (hereafter the "Graves Patent").
8. U.S. Pat. No. 987,095 issued to Bonta on Mar. 14, 1911 for "Fruit Clipper" (hereafter the "Bonta Patent").
9. U.S. Pat. No. 288,096 issued to Morgan on Nov. 6, 1883 for "Fruit Picker" (hereafter the "Morgan Patent").
10. German Patent No. 291,238 issued on Apr. 7, 1916 (hereafter the "German Patent").
The Heifetz Patent discloses a surgical manipulator having a pair of elongated prongs 32 and 33, each having a first end and a second end. The two elongated prongs 32 and 33 are resiliently biased away from each other by a biasing means 45 which "may be separate from or integral with the device" (Column 3, Lines 38 and 39). One particular feature of the Heifetz Patent is that the first ends of the two elongated prongs 32 and 33 are joined together to form a spindle 60. Therefore the Heifetz Patent is generally a pair of tweezers, although in one embodiment the second ends of the two elongated prongs 32 and 33 can hingeably support a pair of scissors 80 (FIG. 6).
The Burke Patent discloses a microsurgical scissors specially designed for arthroscopic knee surgery. The first cutting blade, shaft blade 13, is disposed at the forward end of an elongated hollow shaft 11. The second cutting blade, the rod cutting blade 14, is disposed at the forward end of a rod 12 which in turn is disposed within the hollow shaft 11. By pressing a sleeve 10B, the surgeon can rotate the rod 12 through the gear engagement, which in turn actuates the rod blade 14 to move in an arcuate path past the shaft blade 13 for providing a shearing action of the scissors. The Burke Patent performs the cutting in a rotary cutting action.
The Jacobsen Patent discloses a surgical instrument having a fixed jaw 12 integrally formed at one end of an elongated base 11 and a movable jaw 13 pivoted on the elongated base 11 adjacent to the fixed jaw 12. The movable jaw 13 is controlled by a handle 28, which is pivoted on the opposite end of the elongated base 11, through an elongated actuating shank 22. The Jacobsen Patent utilizes three separate elongated members: the base 11, the handle 28 and the actuate shank 22.
The Greenberg Patent discloses a surgical instrument having a pair of scissors 72 and 76 respectively provided on the ends of two axially mating and relatively slidable elongated shafts 54 and 56, which are in turn activated by a pair of handles 12 and 16. The fixed shaft 54 and the movable shaft 56 "are conjointly rotatable about their common central axis" by rotating an indexing wheel 38, such that the cutting plane of the pair of scissors 72 and 76 can be rotatively changed.
The Korber Patent discloses a microsurgical scissors having two elongated arms 3 and 5 pivoted at a joint 7. Two cutting edges are provided respectively on the two elongated arms 3 and 5, between their first ends and the joint 7. At the second ends of the two elongated arms 3 and 5 there are two spring arms 3A and 5A provided for biasing the second ends of the two elongated arms 3 and 5 away from each other. The two spring arms 3A and 5A are hingeably attached to each other at joint 9. Furthermore, knurled surfaces 11 and 13 are provided on the two elongated arms 3 and 5 adjacent to their second ends for easy gripping of the device.
The Morgan Patent discloses a fruit picker having outwardly disposed grooves provided on its handles for adapting the user's fingers.
The Bonta Patent discloses a fruit clipper having finger loops 4 provided on its handles for adapting the user's fingers.
The Graves Patent discloses a fruit clipper also having finger loops 16 provided on its handles for adapting the user's fingers.
The Curutchet Patent discloses an early surgical instrument handle having extra members 13 and 14 with grooves for adapting the surgeon's fingers.
The German Patent discloses a scissor-type apparatus apparently having biasing springs e and f attached to the two handles and hinged to each other.
Many of the above-reference prior art patents, including the Curutchet Patent, the Greenberg Patent, the Burke Patent and the Jacobsen Patent, have complicated structures and numerous components. Others, including the Morgan Patent, the Bonta Patent and the Graves Patent, are not designed and constructed for microsurgical purposes, but rather for fruit clipping.
The Korber Patent is a microsurgical scissors device. It has two elongated arms 3 and 5 pivoted at a joint 7. Adjacent the first ends of the two elongated arms 3 and 5 there are two cutting edges provided for functioning as scissors. At the second ends of the two elongated arms 3 and 5 there are two spring arms 3A and 5A provided for biasing the two elongated arms 3 and 5. The problem with the Korber Patent microsurgical scissors is that when a surgeon holds the handle portions of the two elongated arms 3 and 5, his fingers are generally perpendicular to the two elongated arms 3 and 5. In other words, when handling the microsurgical scissors device in this fashion, the elongated arms of the microsurgical scissors device is generally not aligned with the general lengthwise direction of the surgeon's fingers. handling the microsurgical scissors device in this fashion sometimes limits the flexibility and sensitivity that the surgeon has for controlling the cutting orientation and strength because of the natural bone structure and movement of a human hand. In addition, the elongated biasing springs 3A and 5A, which extend from the rear ends of the two elongated arms 3 and 5 respectively, sometimes interfere with the surgeon's palm or wrist as he tries to orient the instrument in certain positions during microsurgical operations.
The Jacobsen Patent provides a surgical gripping or cutting instrument, wherein when held by a surgeon, the elongated arms of the gripping or cutting instrument are generally aligned with the lengthwise direction of the surgeon's thumb and index finger. This arrangement gives the surgeon more precise control over the instrument, because it more readily adapts to the natural bone structure and movement of a human hand. However, the Jacobsen Patent instrument is relatively complicated and heavy because it has extra bar members. In addition, the tiny biasing coil springs, such as coil springs 38 and 48, and the tiny apertures holding the coil springs, sometimes make it difficult to clean the instrument thoroughly.
Therefore, although various types of microsurgical devices have been disclosed in the prior art, it is still desirable to have improved simple structure handles for microsurgical instruments.