Atraumatic instruments and associated methods for capsulotomy

Inventors

Johnson, Matthew • Pharr, Zachary • Boyer, Trenton • Stephens, Jeremy

Assignees

Arthrex Inc

Abstract

This disclosure relates to surgical instruments and methods for incising soft tissue. The instruments may include one or more atraumatic features for reducing a likelihood of trauma to adjacent tissue.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to atraumatic surgical capsulotomy instruments and methods that use a blunt distal tip portion sized to engage cartilage without perforation. A cutting instrument includes first and second cutting blades on opposite sides of a cutting portion that extend inwardly from the tip portion, enabling at least partial separation of capsular tissue by moving the blades.

The instrument further includes a catch feature and a proximal engagement face that function to prevent accidental withdrawal or back-out and to retract capsular tissue. The catch is at or near a junction between the tip portion and the cutting portion, and the proximal engagement face engages capsular tissue to oppose proximal movement of the cutting instrument.

In additional structural configurations, the cutting blades include hook-shaped cutting edges or hook features that incise/cut and hook capsular tissue near the tip portion. The disclosed geometry supports separating or retracting capsular tissue while the blunt tip portion engages cartilage adjacent to the capsular tissue.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim is directed to a method of performing a capsulotomy using an instrument with first and second cutting blades on opposite sides of a cutting portion extending inwardly from a blunt tip portion, followed by moving at least one blade to separate capsular tissue. Dependent claims refine the blade/tip interaction by adding proximal engagement and retracting behavior, hooking capsular tissue adjacent to the tip, and engaging cartilage adjacent to capsular tissue, resulting in a total of one independent claim with multiple claim refinements.

Across the independent claim and its dependents, coverage centers on inserting a blunt tip portion through an incision into capsular tissue, using first and second cutting blades on opposite sides of a cutting portion that extend inwardly from the tip portion, and moving at least one blade to at least partially separate capsular tissue. Dependent refinements specifically add a proximal engagement face for retracting capsular tissue to oppose proximal movement, a hooking action by the cutting blades adjacent the tip portion, and engagement of the tip portion with cartilage adjacent to the capsular tissue.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications