Patent ID: 6051005
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A laparoscopic knife apparatus, for use in surgical procedures, for enabling the contiguous enlargement of existing surgical incisions in difficult to access locations, comprising:a shaft member, having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends;a blade member, operably affixed to the first end of the shaft member, extending laterally from the shaft member;the blade member having an elongated cutting edge extending substantially contiguously from the shaft member;the cutting edge of the blade member extending at a substantially oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft member;a handle member, operably affixed to the second end of the shaft member,the blade member being oriented relative to the shaft member so that the cutting edge of the blade member points substantially generally back toward the handle member, so that upon placement of the cutting edge against a surface to be cut, a pulling motion on the handler member, and in turn, a pulling motion upon the laparoscopic knife apparatus as a whole, prompts a cutting motion of the blade member relative to the surface to be cut.