Abstract: A device for retrieval of defect closure devices, comprising a closure-catch catheter having at a distal end thereof a closure-catching device and at a proximal end thereof, a grip for operating the closure-catching. An elongated sheath having a lumen and is provided at the proximal end thereof with a lateral injection tube and hemostatic device. The catheter is moveably insertable in the lumen.

Abstract: A surgical device for removing implanted devices includes a sleeve device with an elongated trough portion arranged to extend through a skin opening and be positioned subjacent to a particular implanted device. A removable knife assembly is inserted through a tubular portion of the sleeve device and is used to incise scar tissue from a proximal end of the implanted device. The implanted device is then manipulated through the opening in the surrounding scar tissue and deposited on the trough portion of the sleeve device whereupon it is removed through the skin opening. The surgical device may also include a removable trochar device slidably engaging the tubular portion of the sleeve device and penetrating flesh to the implanted device.

Abstract: An insertion device for inserting a deformable intraocular lens into the eye. The insertion device has a an enclosing member that is attached to the body of the insertion device and that has two hinge portions at a lens receiving section. Further, a retainer member is fitted onto the enclosing member and a holder fitted onto the body. The deformable intraocular lens is placed in the lens receiving section after the enclosing member is opened. When the holder is retracted, the intraocular lens is deformed by a tapered inner wall portion formed at a the tip end of the holder, so that the exterior size of the lens is reduced. Subsequently, a push rod supported by the body is advanced in order to insert the lens into the eye.

Abstract: In a surgical staple remover, the combination comprises multiple parts having operative interconnection, and relatively movable to retract a removed staple from a tissue zone; and a storage zone toward which removed staples are retracted for storage in response to relative movement of parts, a storage zone carried by at least one of the parts.

Abstract: A ligation clip remover removes closed ligation clips from a ligated vessel. The remover includes a handle assembly having a squeezable trigger and a slender barrel assembly connected to the handle assembly. A clip separating mechanism is connected to a distal end of the barrel assembly, and a shaft is slidably disposed in the barrel assembly for operating the clip separating mechanism when the trigger is squeezed.

Abstract: A surgical staple remover includes a first elongate member having a forward first end, a rearward second end and a central portion therebetween, the first end terminating in two spaced anvil members, a second elongate member having a forward first end, a rearward second end and a central portion therebetween, the first end terminating in a blade member adapted to fit between the two spaced anvil members, a releasable pivot member for releasably and pivotably joining the first end of the first member and the first end of the second member at a pivot point, and a releasable joining member for joining the second end of the first member and the second end of the second member and for holding the releasable pivot member in a pivotably joined position, at least one of the first and second members being at least partially bowed whereby movement of the central portion of the first member relative to the central portion of the second member provides pivot of the anvil members relative to the blade member.

Abstract: A suture cutter which is adapted to clamp, sever and cauterize a thermoplastic suture includes a housing having an electrical power source located in the housing and a trigger attached to the housing having open and closed positions. A suture clamp is attached to the housing and includes a stationary jaw and a pivotal jaw. A radiant heating element is adjacent to the suture clamp. An actuator connects the trigger to the pivotal jaw and electrical circuitry joins the power source to the radiant heating element. Closing of the trigger first closes the pivotal jaw against the stationary jaw to hold a suture, and then completes the circuitry to sever and cauterize the suture with radiant heat.

Abstract: A staple remover is disclosed for removing surgical staples wherein said surgical staples have side members spaced from each other in a fired position at a staple spacing. The staple remover has a housing, a first arm having a first end and a second arm having a second end, said first and second arms being positioned within said housing so that said first and second ends extend from said housing at a first spacing which is less than said staple spacing, and a widening member for widening said first spacing of said first and second ends to a second spacing wider than said staple spacing.

Abstract: A tool for removing ticks and similar parasites. A spoon-shaped tool, the spoon of which is split lengthwise and hinged to rotate the split spoon sections normally open far enough to fit over a tick's body, then rotated closed into an overlapping relationship by thumb and forefinger closing pressure to trap the tick about the neck in a v-shaped slit in one side of the opening in the spoon. A mechanical stop prevents the slit from closing completely to sever the tick from it's head. The handle may have a centerline hinge, integral spring, and thumb and finger locators to facilitate use of the tool in a palm-down fashion by either hand. The spoon sections may have opposing slits that close upon each other to likewise trap the tick. The tick is at all times visible in the open bowl of the tool. The tool may be molded in one piece, with a "living hinge" and spring incorporated into it's design.

Abstract: A suture cutter which is adapted to clamp, sever and cauterize a thermoplastic suture. The suture cutter includes a housing having an electrical power source located in the housing and a trigger attached to the housing having open and closed positions. A suture clamp is attached to the housing and includes a stationary jaw and a pivotal jaw. A radiant heating element is adjacent to the suture clamp. An actuator connects the trigger to the pivotal jaw and electrical circuitry joins the power source to the radiant heating element. Closing of the trigger first closes the pivotal jaw against the stationary jaw to hold a suture, and then completes the circuitry to sever and cauterize the suture with radiant heat.

Abstract: A surgical staple extractor which has a gripping portion and a pair spaced-apart jaws and an anvil associated with the gripping portion. Structures are provided with the gripping portion for moving the anvil and the jaws in a scissor action to transfer forces from the anvil and jaws to a staple retained therebetween in order to mechanically deform or reform the staple for extraction from a patient. Cams are positioned between the jaws and the anvil for positively camming or displacing the jaws outwardly when the anvil jaws and jaws are operated. Actuation of the gripping portion results in moving the anvil and jaws with the cams interacting between the anvil and jaws for positively displacing the jaws outwardly in relation to the anvil for promoting controlled deformation of the staple in a removal path approximating the entry path thereby disengaging the staple from the patient.

Abstract: A laparoscopic surgical staple system comprises a staple, a staple extractor, and methods of applying and extracting such staples. The staples of the present invention are visible through a limited viewport, such as a trocar, and include an extraction member which forms a substantially closed hole through which a hook can be inserted. The staple extractor of the present invention includes a mechanism for grasping and pulling to remove the staple from body tissue, and a hook which can receive and hold multiple staples. The staples are applied by a device which is capable of inserting the staple's legs into a patient's body tissue. Staples are extracted using methods which allow multiple staples to be removed in a single, quick laparoscopic procedure and which reduce the risk of infection to the patient.

Abstract: Suture cutting apparatus includes a notched holding blade having a predetermined thickness and a cutting blade for cutting suture elements held in the notch of the holding blade. The notch of the holding blade is generally axially extending with respect to the longitudinal axis of the holding blade and the notch extends inwardly from an outer tip of the holding blade. The holding blade is of a predetermined thickness so that the bottom of the blade may be disposed on a knot and the cutter blade will cut off the suture elements disposed in the notch at a predetermined distance above the knot. The predetermined distance is the thickness of the holding blade.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus for removing fasteners from the body includes an endoscopic portion for insertion through an endoscopic tube and a fastener removing assembly positioned at the distal end of the endoscopic portion. By engaging a fastener with the fastener removing assembly, a surgeon can actuate the assembly and cause the fastener to distort to a configuration suitable for removal from the body.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus for removing fasteners from the body includes a pair of fastener removing members which are configured and dimensioned to contact the legs of a fastener to be removed. The legs are then forced apart so as to caused the fastener legs to deform to a configuration suitable for removable from the body.

Abstract: A tendon threader and process for its use for positioning and endosteally mounting a tendon within the endosteum of a closed tunnel end of a straight ligament tunnel that has been formed in a patient's knee in an arthroscopic surgical procedure for replacement of a cruciate ligament. The tendon threader includes a straight tubular body, with a handle arranged on one end, and the other tube end includes a pair of aligned wide longitudinal slots formed, with tube end remainder portions adjacent to which wide longitudinal slots each having a small longitudinal slot formed therein, the small slots for receiving a tendon, or a suture sewn onto the end of a tendon, fitted therein, forming a loop across the tube end. The tendon threader is for insertion into the straight ligament tunnel to where the tendon or suture loop is proximate to a ligament tunnel section end.

Abstract: A remotely controlled, powered applier for attaching aneurism clips has a fixed jaw and a movable jaw at the end of an extension having two parallel rods. Longitudinal motion of a movable rod causes the jaws to open or close. The proximal ends of the rods are connected to an actuator having a radially symmetrical housing. Within the actuator, a movable rod is attached to a rotary to linear motion converter driven by a small, reversible, electric motor. Footswitches control the speed and direction of the motor and the action of the jaws. The rotary to linear converter is an internally threaded sleeve rotated by the motor and engaging a thread on the proximal end of the movable rod.

Abstract: A tool structure employs a rectilinear body having a front wall, the front wall including a lowermost end orthogonally oriented relative to the front wall and extending beyond a bottom wall in an orthogonal relationship, wherein the lowermost end of the front wall includes a plurality of rods arranged in a parallel relationship relative to one another, and the first rod having a first hook, the second rod of the plurality of rods having a cutting edge therewithin, whereupon the hook permits lifting and the cutting edge effects severing of sutures.

Abstract: A laparoscopic surgical staple system comprises a staple, a staple extractor, and methods of applying and extracting such staples. The staples of the present invention are visible through a limited viewport, such as a trocar, and include an extraction member which forms a substantially closed hole through which a hook can be inserted. The staple extractor of the present invention includes a mechanism for grasping and pulling to remove the staple from body tissue, and a hook which can receive and hold multiple staples. The staples are applied by a device which is capable of inserting the staple's legs into a patient's body tissue. Staples are extracted using methods which allow multiple staples to be removed in a single, quick laparoscopic procedure and which reduce the risk of infection to the patient.

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprises an elongate flexible forceps member having a diameter sufficiently small so that the forceps member is slidably insertable into a biopsy channel extending longitudinally through a flexible tubular endscope member, the forceps member being provided at a distal end with a pair of forceps jaws each formed on an inwardly facing surface with a longitudinally extending groove. A staple having a spring bias construction tending to force the staple into an opened configuration is disposed in a closed prefiring configuration between the jaws and has a pair of legs each disposed in the closed prefiring configuration in a respective one of the grooves in the forceps jaws. The provided with locking elements for locking the staple in a closed postfiring configuration.

Abstract: An improved hand held medical instrument having an instrument tip having a preferred orientation, and rotatable to at least one other orientation, the tip being attached to an instrument handle adapted to be held in the hand of the user, the handle having at least one substantially round body portion for facilitating rotation of the instrument, and an at least generally flat reference surface on the body portion, the reference surface engagable by the hand of the user for orienting the instrument in the preferred orientation, or as a reference point in facilitating rotation to another position.

Abstract: A forceps-like device with scored surfaces on the inside of the tips of two arms for grasping a suture. A blade is provided on the inside of one arm just behind the tip. The blade does not contact the other arm when a light amount of compression force is applied to grasp a suture. By applying a greater amount of compression force, the arms are further compressed behind the tips, pushing the blade into contact with an anvil surface on the opposite arm, allowing it to cut a suture positioned in-between.

Abstract: A disposable suture cutter and needle holder for a suture needle having thread thereon has a supporting base for a foamed plastic needle holder. A cutting blade having foamed plastic disposed adjacent to it is also mounted on the supporting structure. In one embodiment the supporting structure is in the form of a bracelet having a reversely turned portion at one end. The cutting blade is embedded in the reversibly turned portion. In another embodiment, two truncated conical members are joined at one side of their edges and spaced at the opposite side. The cutting blade is disposed between the spaced edges. In still another embodiment, two conical members are spaced from each other by foamed plastic having diametrically opposite located slots therein. The cutting blade has cutting edges adjacent to each slot.

Abstract: A guide and method for use in arthroscopic knee surgery for the repair and reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. The guide is in the form of a elongated flexible wire, and it enables the semitendinosus and the gracilas tendons to be pulled through the knee joint in an expeditious manner in order to replace the anterior cruciate ligament.

Abstract: A stapler system for surgical suturing comprising a novel stapler and novel precurved staples designed for use with the stapler. Staples stored on a magazine are implanted by a ram mounted for reciprocal movement on the body of the stapler. The ram is moved to firing position by a handle pivotally mounted to the stapler body. As the handle is pivoted, a flat spring coupled to the ram is biased. When the ram reaches its firing position, the handle slips from engagement with the ram, thus permitting the biased spring to drive the ram downward so as to implant a staple into the incised tissue. The legs of the staple enter the tissue along a curved path. During implantation the staple is bent around an anvil causing the legs of the staple to penetrate the tissue along a curved path. Insertion of the staple legs along this curved path draws adjacent portions of incised tissue together.