Stabilization system and aspiration device with protected cutting edge
Inventors
Loushin, Michael K. H. • Leland, Keith J.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8574240-B2
Publication Date
2013-11-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
A device performs a myringotomy and includes a main body, a hollow positioning member, a cutting edge for piercing a tympanic membrane, a protective sheath and an actuator. The main body is oriented along an axis and has a proximal end, a distal end and an outer surface. The main body includes an attachment hub for receiving components that provide suction. The hollow positioning member extends at least partially along the axis, is coupled to the main body and includes a distal end. The actuator is located on the main body and is configured to move the protective sheath from a first position that surrounds the cutting edge to a second position that exposes the cutting edge and from the second position back to the first position.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a device for performing a myringotomy. The device includes a main body oriented along a central axis with an attachment hub for receiving components that provide suction. A hollow positioning member is coupled to the main body and extends at least partially along the central axis to support placement of a distal cutting edge for piercing a tympanic membrane.
The device further includes a protective sheath and an actuator located on the main body. The actuator moves the protective sheath from a first position that surrounds the cutting edge to a second position that exposes the cutting edge, and then moves the protective sheath back to the first position. This sheath movement controls when the cutting edge is exposed relative to a tympanic membrane during a myringotomy.
In an additional configuration, the device uses a rotatable nosepiece and a hollow positioning member fixed to the nosepiece. The positioning member extends at least partially along the central axis and partially along an axis orthogonal to the central axis, and the rotatable nosepiece is adjustable such that the hollow positioning member can be oriented in more than one direction relative to the central axis. The protective sheath is slidable along the positioning member between a first position covering the cutting edge and a second position exposing the cutting edge to support controlled piercing of the tympanic membrane.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim set includes three independent claims. Across these independent claims, the core inventive features are protected by the structural combination of a main body with an attachment hub for suction, a hollow positioning member and a cutting edge for piercing a tympanic membrane, and a protective sheath actuated to alternately cover and expose the cutting edge.
Protective sheath actuator exposing and surrounding the cutting edge
A device for performing a myringotomy includes an actuator configured to move a protective sheath from a first position that surrounds the cutting edge to a second position that exposes the cutting edge and from the second position back to the first position.
Hollow positioning member along the central axis with a distal cutting edge
A hollow positioning member coupled to the main body includes a distal end and extends at least partially along the central axis, and a cutting edge is provided for piercing a tympanic membrane of a body.
Main body with suction attachment hub for components providing suction
A main body oriented along a central axis has a proximal end, a distal end and an outer surface, and the main body includes an attachment hub for receiving components that provide suction.
Manual myringotomy sequence advancing with sheath covering, then actuating to expose
A method of performing a myringotomy includes manually inserting at least portions of the positioning member, the cutting edge and the protective sheath into an ear canal of a patient such that the cutting edge and the protective sheath are located a spaced distance from the tympanic membrane and wherein the protective sheath covers the cutting edge; actuating the protective sheath while the positioning member and the cutting edge remain in place such that the protective sheath slides relative to and along the positioning member to expose the cutting edge; manually advancing the positioning member, the cutting edge and the actuated protective sheath using the handle such that the cutting edge pierces the tympanic membrane; manually retracting the positioning member, the cutting edge and the actuated protective sheath such that the cutting edge is again located the spaced distance from the tympanic membrane; actuating the protective sheath while the positioning member and the cutting edge remain in place such that the protective sheath slides relative to and along the positioning member to again cover the cutting edge; and manually extracting the positioning member, the cutting edge and the protective sheath from the ear canal using the handle.
Rotatable nosepiece adjustable to orient the hollow positioning member in more than one direction
A device includes a rotatable assembly with a rotatable nosepiece rotatably coupled to the cylindrical main body and extending along the central axis, and a hollow positioning member fixed to the nosepiece that extends at least partially along the axis and partially along an axis orthogonal to the central axis; the rotatable nosepiece is adjustable such that the hollow positioning member can be oriented in more than one direction relative to the central axis.
The independent claims collectively focus on controlling exposure of a distal cutting edge for piercing a tympanic membrane by using a protective sheath that moves between positions covering and exposing the cutting edge, supported by a hollow positioning member and a main body with a suction attachment hub. One independent claim adds a method with a manual sequence of inserting, actuating to expose, piercing, retracting to re-space, and re-actuating to again cover the cutting edge, while another independent claim adds a rotatable, adjustable nosepiece to orient the hollow positioning member in more than one direction.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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