Side loading surgical retractor

[0001] This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application No. 10/117,929 filed Apr. 5, 2002, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/327,437 filed Oct. 5, 2001.

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates generally to a surgical retractor apparatus used with interchangeable retractor blades. More particularly the present invention relates to a surgical retractor adapted to lateral load interchangeable retractor blades.

[0004] 2. Background of the Invention

[0005] When conducting some surgical procedures, it is often desirable to retract tissue. Although there are a number of procedures and devices available to retract tissue, U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,540 allows for the top loading as well as the side loading of retractor blades into a socket. The side loading feature of this, and other prior art, is believed to be advantageous whereby the surgeon's vision is not obscured while connecting, or disconnecting a blade from a retractor. The top loading capability is not believed to be necessary by the Applicant.

[0006] The '540 Patent discloses a number of retractors which can utilize the blade of FIG. 1A, specifically, the longitudinal retractor of FIG. 3, the transverse retractor of FIG. 4, and the side-loading hand-held retractor of FIG. 5. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, the blades typically have connector heads locking pins typically extend from opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the connector head. Although the '540 Patent specifically shows a top loading connector head, other connector heads also employ the opposing locking pin construction.

[0007] In the '540 Patent, rotation of cam 130 about pivot 128 locks and unlocks a connector head from within the socket chamber. One of the perceived drawbacks of this cam design is the release lever 124 begins substantially perpendicularly to retractor arms 142 and rotates and extends away from the socket 12 over an arc of about forty degrees as the cam is moved in and out of the socket chamber. Another difficulty is that the '540 Patent allows only for perpendicular side loading. This design may not optimize the width and length of the socket and may be difficult to lock the connector in the socket in some embodiments or to easily tell if the connector is securely loaded in the socket.

[0008] Accordingly, a need exists for an improved retractor design.

[0009] A need exists for a surgical retractor which accepts blades having a connector head at least in a lateral loading manner.

[0010] Another need exists for a surgical retractor which securely retains connector heads in a socket.

[0011] Yet another need exists for a side loading surgical retractor socket which allows a connector head to snap in to a locked configuration without a need for an operator to manually operate or reset a locking mechanism.

[0012] Another need exists for a non-moving portion of the socket to assist in retracting the connector head in a locked position to take at lease some of the lock during retraction.

[0013] Accordingly, a surgical retractor includes a body having a socket for receiving a connector head. The socket has a release which moves a lock toward and away from a connector head when positioned within the socket. The lock may rotate as illustrated or slide as shown in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/117,929, incorporated by reference. A convex surface on a first face of the lock allows for the connector head to be pushed into position or snapped in, while a convex surface on a second face of the lock is believed to assist in retaining an inserted connector head in position within the socket. The socket is preferably constructed to have an interior ledge which would prevent top loading of sockets and angularly offset in a lateral direction. The angular offset of the socket is a J-channel. As the connector head is loaded, it moves off the perpendicular loading axis to a locked position.

[0014] The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of a side-loading retractor arm portion of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the surgical retractor of FIG. 1 with internal portions shown in phantom; and

[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective cross sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a surgical retractor arm portion 10 having at least one socket 12. This arm can be utilized instead of the arm shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,540. Other retractor designs may also utilize the socket 12 of the present invention. The socket 12 of this design receives a connector head 14 in a lateral loading manner as shown in FIG. 2. In fact, at least one protuberance, such as one or more pins, or ledge 16 shown in FIG. 3, prevent a connector head 14 from being top loaded in the preferred embodiment as the pins 16 extend into the socket chamber 18 and are preferably received within a lateral groove in the connector head 14.

[0019] In alternative embodiments, top loading may be allowed, such as if the ledge 16 is not provided, does not sufficiently extend within the socket chamber 18, or otherwise. The connector head 14 shown and described in co-pending and co-owned patent application Ser. No. 60/327,437 incorporated by reference works well with the socket 12 of the preferred embodiment. This particular connector head design has a cap that prevents top loading. Other connector heads could also be utilized.

[0020] Instead of using a cam which rotates as shown and described in the '540 Patent to secure a connector head within the socket chamber as shown in FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment may utilizes a linearly moving lock, as shown and described in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/117,929 or a pivoting lock 20 as shown in the Figures. The lock 20 is moveable between a locked position as shown in FIG. 2, and an unlocked position shown in phantom in FIG. 2.

[0021] The lock 20 has a first face 22 which is directed outward from the socket cavity 18. The first face 22 is preferably convex so that when a connector head 14, which is traditionally cylindrical in shape, is pushed against the first face 22, the lock 20 is deflected into slot 26. The slot 26 receives the lock 20 as it is deflected.

[0022] A spring 19 normally biases the lock 20 into the locked position shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, when the bias of spring is overcome by a connector head 14 being directed within the socket cavity 18, the connector head 14 snaps into position since once the head clears the tip 30 of the lock 20, it encounters second face 32 which is concave. The concave shape of the second face 32 is believed to be advantageous as it may allow for the circular shape of the socket cavity 18 to be continued so that a circle inscribed along the socket walls 34 would continue along the second face 32. Furthermore the concave shape of the second face 32, in the preferred embodiment, prevents the second face 32 from being positioned in the socket cavity 18.

[0023] The socket cavity 18 is offset in the preferred embodiment as illustrated. In the prior art, lateral insertion of a connection head into a socket was done only along loading axis also referred to as perpendicular axis 21 which was perpendicular to support axis 23 extending along the retractor arm 10. In the preferred embodiment the connector head 14 may begin the insertion process along perpendicular axis 21, but must travel angularly off this perpendicular axis 21 to the locked position in the socket cavity 18 shown in FIG. 2.

[0024] Adjacent to, and in communication with, the socket cavity 18 is a recess 36 which may accept a fixing pin of a connector head. Furthermore, other recesses or notches may also accept a second fixing pin of a connector head at least partially therein to assist in prevent the locking pin from rotating.

[0025] While the connector head 14 may be snapped into the socket cavity 18 as explained above, the lock 20 may be operated with the trigger 40. The trigger 40 may also be curved to accommodate a user's thumb or finger. The trigger is connected to the lock 20 by arm 44. Movement of the trigger 40 pivots the lock 20 into and out of the locking position accordingly.

[0026] While many aspects differentiate the preferred embodiment from the design shown and described in the '540 Patent, many of the new aspects of this disclosure could be advantageously incorporated into that design as well.

[0027] When loading the connector head 14 into the cavity 18, the connector head is laterally loaded along perpendicular axis 21 into mouth 25 located on the side 27 of the retractor 10. Although the connector head in the preferred embodiment is initially loaded perpendicularly into the mouth 12, in some embodiments it may be possible that the mouth 25 allows for the direct offset insertion of the connector head 14, i.e., angularly relative to perpendicular axis 21. After entering the mouth and traveling into slot 29, the connector head 14 reaches its furthermost insertion of direct perpendicular insertion. At this point in time, the connector head 14 is displaced at least some degree perpendicularly to the perpendicular axis 21. In the preferred embodiment it is also displaced an additional amount along the travel of the perpendicular axis 21 as shown in FIG. 2. Eventually the connector head 14 reaches the socket cavity 18 which is preferably located at the end of slot 29.

[0028] Once in the socket cavity 18 with the lock 20 in place as described above, the connector head 14 is retained as shown in FIG. 2 by the lock 20 as well as the socket cavity 18. In particular, the leg 31 at least partially assists the lock 20 in retaining the connector head 14 from direct movement solely along the perpendicular axis 21 out of the socket cavity 18. In the prior art, the moveable locking mechanism was the only means of restraining the connector head 14 within the socket cavity when pulled along the perpendicular axis 21. Accordingly, if the lock 20 were to fail, the connector head 14 would immediately be released from the socket cavity 18. In the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the leg 31 assists in retaining the connector head 14 in the locked position and bears a significant portion, if not all of the perpendicular of the forces along outward movement along the perpendicular axis 21.

[0029] Numerous alternations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.