US20050187435A1 - Apparatus for retaining otherwise hand-held retractors - Google Patents

Abstract

A retractor retaining device retains an otherwise handheld retractor in the retraction position. The device includes a flexible loop that is detachably attached to a retractor support proximate the surgical wound with the loop engaging a proximal end or handle of the retractor to retain the retractor in the retraction position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to surgical retractors, and to devices for holding surgical retractors in a retraction position.
• Most improvements in surgical retractor supports or clamps to hold surgical retractors in a retraction position are directed to improvements on devices that have been used to mount retractors on retractor supports using rigid mechanical clamps for restraints. However, in certain situations, retractors are still manually held by a nurse or a surgeon since no clamp provides such versatile holding characsteristics. There are no devices that will retain a retractor in the retraction position that is otherwise manually held from a typical retractor support. The Edoga U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,047 describes the use of a belt on which various types of retractor retaining mechanism are shown, especially inFIGS. 7athrough7i. However, these retaining mechanisms do not address the problem of quickly and easily retaining an otherwise manually held retractor. Furthermore, the retractor handle has to be specially adapted to engage the fastening mechanism.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention includes a retractor retaining device for retaining a retractor in a retraction position within a surgical wound from a retractor support. The retractor retaining device includes a main body that is attachable to the retractor support and a flexible loop that is detachably attached to the main body for engaging a proximal end of the tractor such that the retractor is retained in the retraction position.
• The invention also includes a method of holding a surgical retractor in the retraction position within the surgical wound. The method includes providing a support member near the surgical wound and then inserting a retractor within the surgical in a retraction position. The retractor is retained in the retraction position by securing a proximal end of the retractor in engagement with a flexible loop that is attached to the support member thereby securing the retractor in the retraction position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention in use.
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines2-2 inFIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 is a bottom view of one embodiment of the device in the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the bottom surface of another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• The retractor retaining device of the present invention is generally indicated at10 inFIG. 1. Like reference characters will be used to indicate like elements throughout the drawings. Thedevice10 retains aretractor12 in a retraction position. Thedevice10 is used for retaining retractors that are otherwise manually held in the retraction position. Theretractor12 is initially manually placed in the retraction position and thedevice10 is then used to retain theretractor12 which otherwise would have to be held in a retraction position manually by a doctor or a nurse.
• Thedevice10 is mounted on aretractor support14 that is positioned over or proximate to asurgical wound16. The type ofretractor support14 is not particularly important to the present invention except that it provides a solid base to which theretaining device10 is attached.
• The essence of the present invention is to provide a structure and a method for retaining theretractor12 that is normally held in a retraction position manually. Thedevice10 quickly engages the retractor or is quickly disengaged from the retractor. The retractor does not require a handle designed to be gripped by a specific retaining device and can therefore be of any shape. This purpose is accomplished by providing aloop18 that extends from thesupport14 and encircles a proximal end (handle)20 of theretractor12. Theretractor12 at a distal end is inserted into thewound16. Theloop18 encircles theproximal end20 of theretractor12 securing theretractor12 in a retraction position.
• Theloop18 is a portion ofcord24. Thecord24 is secured at afirst end26 to aplatform28 of theretaining device10. Preferably, the length or size of theloop18 is adjustable. For adjustability, thecord24 is detachably attachable to theplatform28 in a quick connect/disconnect fashion. The detachable attachment serves at least two purposes. The first is that the size of theloop18 is thereby adjustable to accommodate different diameters ofretractor handle20, and second to quickly and easily encircle thehandle20 with thecord24.
• A preferred method of quickly detachably attaching thecord24 to theplatform28 includes a V-shaped notch30 in theplatform28. Thecord24 is secured by positioning thecord24 into the V-shaped notch30 with the V-shaped notch30 engaging thecord24 as the cord is pulled into a progressively smaller area of the V-shaped notch30.
• Theretaining device10 is preferably configured to engageapertures30 in theretractor support member14. Preferably, theretractor support14 has anupper surface32 that is substantially flat and is disposed in an horizontal position proximate thewound16. Theplatform28 of theretaining device10 includes a correspondingly lower substantiallyflat surface34 as best illustrated inFIG. 2. Theplatform28 includes a plurality ofresilient fingers34 as best illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3 that extend into one of theapertures30 for securing theplatform28 to thesupport member14. Theembodiment10 includes preferably four fingers as best illustrated inFIG. 3. Abutton member36 extends into abore38 and moves within thebore38 in the direction indicated byarrows40 inFIG. 2. Thebutton member36 has anupper portion40 extending above anupper surface42 of theplatform28 such that the upper surface is engageable by a finger or thumb. At alower portion44, thebutton member36 has a first reduceddiameter section46 that has a smaller diameter than theupper portion40 and a second lower section of reduceddiameter48 that has a smaller diameter than thesection46 and anend portion50 disposed below and adjacent tosection48 and having a diameter larger than thesections46 and48.
• Theresilient fingers34 flex in a direction indicated by arrows52. Eachfinger34 includes an upper finger section54 that when extended into theaperture30 is spaced therefrom to permit flexing. Thefingers34 also each have alower section56 that is set apart from the upper section54 by an inwardly extending sloped shoulder58 and an outwardly extendingshoulder60. The inwardly extending sloped shoulder58 extends sufficiently inward such that theupper portion40 of thebutton member36 cannot be moved past inwardly facingsurfaces62 of thelower section56 of thefinger34. The inwardly facingsurfaces62 of each of thefingers34 collectively form a throughhole64 through which thelower portion44 of thebutton member36 is disposed and moves therethrough in a direction ofarrow41. Theend portion50 is positioned below the throughhole64 and has a diameter that is larger than thelower portion44 and larger than the throughhole64 such that theend portion50 acts as a stop when the button member is pushed upwardly in one of the directions indicated byarrow40 and abuts against alower surface66 of each of thefingers34.
• In operation, to secure thedevice10 to thesupport member14, thefingers34 are inserted into theaperture30 with the button member at its uppermost position, that is theend portion50 abutting against thelower surfaces66 of thefingers34. To secure thedevice10 to thesupport member14, the button member is engaged manually at itsupper end40 and pushed in a downward direction as indicated byarrow41. When moved in the downward direction, theend40 andsection46 act against the inwardly extending sloped shoulders58 of thefingers34 thereby flexing the fingers in a radial outward direction as indicated by arrow52. The outwardly flexing of the resilient fingers engages the outwardly extendingshoulders60 with a lower surface of thesupport member14 securing thedevice10 to thesupport member14.
• To disengage thedevice10 from thesupport member14, thelower end50 is pushed manually in an upward direction as indicated byarrow40 thereby removing thesection46 from engagement with the inwardly extending sloped shoulders58 of theresilient fingers34 thereby permitting the lower portions of thefingers34 to extend radially inwardly such that the outwardly extendingshoulders60 are removed from engagement with the lower surface of thesupport member14.
• Additionally, to better guide the engagement of thedevice10 with thesupport member14, a pair of downwardly extendingguide posts70 extend downwardly from theplatform28 and engage aside surface72 of thesupport member14. Theposts70 preferably have beveledsurfaces74 to facilitate engagement of theside surface72 of thesupport member14. Theguide post70 also prevents rotational movement of theplatform28 about theaperture30.
• Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated inFIG. 4 which includes a downwardly extendingguide shoulder76 instead of theposts70.
• Thecord24 is engaged at one end to theplatform28 by initially inserting thefirst end26 into a firstcord engaging aperture80, as best illustrated inFIG. 3. The cord is then positioned alongcavity82 and the remainder of the cord is then inserted into a secondcord engaging aperture84 and pulled such that the cord is drawn taught and frictionally engaged byapertures80 and82. Thecord24 is made of a plastic material that is slightly compressible. The slight compressibility of cord adds to the frictional forces for engagement of the cord through its travel withinapertures80 and84.
• The slight compressibility of the cord also aids in engagement of the cord with the V-shapednotch30. The V-shapednotch30 has oppositely facingsurfaces86 and88 that progressively come together untilengagement aperture90. Theengagement aperture90 is slightly less in diameter than thecord24 such that when thecord24 is pulled into engagement within the V-shapednotch30, it is retained thereby inaperture90. The cord is easily detachable from the V-shaped notch by pulling outwardly in a direction indicated byarrow92. Thereby, theloop18 as illustrated inFIG. 1 is quickly formed and disposed about thehandle20 of theretractor12 and is made to fit the size of the retractor handle.
• Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (8)

1-28. (canceled)

29. A retractor retaining device for retaining a retractor in a retraction position within a surgical wound, the device comprising:

a retractor support; and

a flexible cord detachably attached at one end to the retractor support for engaging a proximal end of the retractor such that the retractor is retained in the retraction position.

30. The device ofclaim 29 and further including a main body attachable to the retractor support.

31. The device ofclaim 29 and further including an attaching mechanism that engages and attaches the retaining device to the retractor support.

32. The device ofclaim 31 wherein the retractor support has a plurality of apertures and the attaching mechanism has an aperture engaging member for engaging one of the apertures.

33. The device ofclaim 30 wherein the main body includes a V-type slot and wherein the cord is engageable within the V-type slot such that the second end of the cord is detachably attached to the main body.

34. A method of holding a surgical retractor in a retraction position within a surgical wound, the method comprising:

providing a support member near the surgical wound;

inserting a distal end of a retractor within the surgical wound and manually positioning the retractor in the retraction position; and

securing the retractor in the retraction position by engaging a proximal end of the retractor with a flexible cord that is attached to the support member

35. The method ofclaim 34 wherein the cord is attached to the support member by engaging a V-shaped slot.

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