Abstract: A laparoscopic instrument is formed by a removable shaft combination portion separable from a housing. The housing portion includes a pair of handles, a quick-release button, a clutch to quickly rotate the shaft during use, and a releaser. The socket is attached to the proximal handle. The shaft combination has a center shaft, a slotted outer shaft and a shaft cover insulator. The center shaft has a pair of graspers at the distal operating end. The other end of the center shaft has an anchor point for engaging with the socket at the other end of the instrument. The socket holds the end of the center shaft and causes the shaft to reciprocate slightly in response to the surgeon closing or opening the pair of handles. The graspers close or open in response to the squeezing action by the surgeon. The socket has a quick-release button and the housing has a release to allow the entire shaft combination to be quickly removed from the rest of the instrument, and cleaned or replaced with another shaft combination.

Abstract: A rongeur surgical instrument is disclosed which has an actuating mechanism providing a variable degree of mechanical advantage for operation of the cutting element in the instrument. During the cutting stroke the rate of movement steadily decreases, while the degree of precision of movement and the amount of torque increase throughout the stroke. The instrument also has an improved shaft design which maintains cutting edge alignment with the footplate anvil surface, and also provides a mechanism for preventing cut portions of body material from aggregating near the distal end of the shaft and interfering with the cutting operation. In addition, the grip portion of the instrument has an adjustable spur member to allow the grip portion to comfortably fit a variety of hand sizes.

Abstract: A laparoscope instrument is formed by a shaft combination, a pair of squeeze handles, a socket, a stationary barrel, a movable barrel, and a clutch. The socket is attached to the proximal handle. The shaft combination has an outer hollow shaft and an inner shaft. The inner shaft has a pair of cutting tips or grippers at the distal operating end. The other end of the inner shaft has an anchor point for engaging with the socket at the other end of the instrument. The socket holds the end of the inner shaft and causes the shaft to reciprocate slightly in response to the surgeon closing or opening the pair of handles. The cutting tips close or open in response to the squeezing action by the surgeon. The socket has a quick-release button to allow the inner shaft with the cutting tips to be quickly removed from the instrument, and replaced with another shaft and cutting tips. The instrument does not have to be disassembled.

Abstract: The rongeur has a frame with a medial horizontal channel in one portion and a stationary handle at the other portion. A carriage is slidably engaged in the channel. A movable handle is attached at a fulcrum arm at the bottom front of the frame. A two-piece shaft extends from an integral cover & barrel secured to the carriage. The shaft has a stationary lower half, and an upper half that reciprocates on the stationary half to open and close the bite area at the tip of the shaft in response to the surgeon gripping the handles. The shaft halves are held together by a slidable joint. The cover & barrel with the extended shaft can be cocked open to remove the shaft. The tip of the shaft has a closable bite area and is used to remove tissue or to take a biopsy. The tip can be rotated to various angles after pressing a release lever. Also, the shaft can be quickly removed and replaced with another shaft having a different tip.

Abstract: The surgical instrument is used to hold a suture needle and thread to suture a wound or incision on a patient. A pair of pivotal jaws form the bite area. A pair of pivot handles are placed in tandem to the pair of jaws. The front ends of the handles are pivotally connected to the back of the jaws. When the handles are at-rest, the jaws are shut. When the handles are squeezed together, the jaws open. There is a compression spring placed between the rear ends of the handle to keep tension on the handles to keep them spread apart, which in turn keeps tension on the jaws to keep them shut. The dual pivot points of the pair of handles and the pair of jaws increases the pressure at the bite of the jaws. The jaws remain closed and secure the needle to allow the surgeon to suture without having to keep tension on the handles keep the jaws shut. The surgeon squeezes the handles to temporarily open the jaws to release the needle or to grab the needle and then releases his grip on the handles.

Abstract: A generally U-shaped surgical instrument for prying apart and keeping open the rib cage in open heart surgery. There is a stationary arm with a toothed cross bar attached to it. A movable arm similar in configuration to the stationary arm has a housing at one end which slides on the bar and can be cranked open to force the sternum apart. The housing holds the crank mechanism and a pair of circular bearing inserts. The cranking mechanism is self-locking. One of the inserts is a safety feature, because it can be quickly popped out, should the movable arm become jammed on the bar during the cranking sequence, to provide clearance to unbind the arm on the bar. Both inserts are replaceable and take the wear and tear during the cranking process. New inserts can be inserted to refurbish the instrument. There is a V-clamp that slides on the arms and holds a support rod. There is a castellated clamp that slides on the support rod and it has an articulated extension rod.