Patent Publication Number: US-8979869-B2

Title: Circumcision scissor

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. App. Ser. No. 61/626,438, filed Sep. 26, 2011. The disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by this reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to surgical devices and methods. More specifically, the present invention relates to surgical devices for performing circumcisions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Circumcision is the act of surgically removing foreskin from a penis. The procedure is commonly performed for medical and/or religious purposes. Some surveys find that approximately 56% of newborn boys undergo circumcision in hospitals. Surgical scissors may be used to perform the procedure. Dedicated circumcision apparatuses are well known in the art as well. Such apparatuses include, but are not limited to, the Mogen clamp and the Gomco clamp. 
     The Mogen clamp was described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,576 to Bronstein. The Mogen clamp was once one of the more preferred methods for performing a circumcision. However, the procedure based around the Mogen clamp has recently been criticized as being dangerous as it can lead to severe, irreversible injuries. Two manufacturers of the Mogen clamp were subject to multimillion dollar lawsuits as a result of partial amputation of the penis. Since then, those two manufacturers have ceased distribution of the Mogen clamps. 
     One design of the Gomco clamp was described in U.S. Pat. No. D119,180 to Goldstein. The Gomco clamp requires use of a scalpel when performing to the circumcision. There is also a risk of cutting the urethra when performing the procedure in preparation of use of the clamp. 
     Consequently, there is a need in the art for a new and improved circumcision apparatus and method. It is an object of the present invention to provide a safer apparatus and method of circumcision by providing more visibility of the penis during the procedure. It is another object of the present invention to provide a cutting system and method to create an incision in a faster and safer manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an apparatus for performing a circumcision on a penis. A circumcision scissor is disclosed herein having a blade housing made up of a plurality of blade housing portions. A circular blade is embedded in the blade housing. A user may grip the circumcision scissor by a plurality of eye ring grips. The circumcision scissor further has a plurality of legs with a leg joint along a middle portion of each of the plurality of legs. The leg joints may be straightened to extend the plurality of legs by rotating a knob to activate a connecting wire between the knob and the blade housing running along the plurality of legs. The knob is positioned at a meeting point of the plurality of eye ring grips and the plurality of legs. 
     A tube, having an anchor end, an inner cavity and an open end, runs from the knob to the circular blade. The anchor end of the tube is attached opposite of the knob. The open end is configured to receive a penile gland of a penis. The inner cavity of the tube may also have an adhesive to secure and prevent movement of the penile gland. The blade housing and the tube are constructed from a clear material, such as polycarbonate plastic, to allow an unobstructed view of the penis to ensure an accurate circumcision. 
     The present invention is also directed to a method of circumcision with the steps of inserting a penile gland of a penis into a tube, rotating a knob to extend the plurality of legs into a desired position, clamping the penis with the circular blade and creating an incision on a foreskin of the penis. The knob may be connected to the circular blade by a connecting wire running along the plurality of legs. 
     The circular blade may be embedded in a blade housing to provide for structural stability. The blade housing and the tube may be constructed from a clear material, such as polycarbonate plastic, to allow for an unobstructed view of the penis to verify proper positioning of the penis. The inner cavity of the tube may also have an adhesive to secure the penile gland. 
     The present invention is further directed to an apparatus for circumcising a penis having a blade housing, a circular blade, a plurality of eye ring grips, a plurality of legs, and a tube. The apparatus is configured to be operated similar to the above circumcision scissor by using the plurality of eye ring grips as the operable mechanical force as opposed to the knob. The circular blade is configured within the blade housing. The plurality of eye ring grips are hingedly coupled to the plurality of legs. 
     The tube is configured to protect the penile gland from severe injury by having an anchor end, an inner cavity and an open end. The tube runs from a midpoint intersection of the plurality of eye ring grips and the plurality of legs. The open end is configured to receive a penile gland of a penis. 
     While the apparatus has or will be described for the sake of grammatical fluidity with functional explanations, it is to be expressly understood that the claims, unless expressly formulated under 35 USC 112, are not to be construed as necessarily limited in any way by the construction of “means” or “steps” limitations, but are to be accorded the full scope of the meaning and equivalents of the definition provided by the claims under the judicial doctrine of equivalents, and in the case where the claims are expressly formulated under 35 USC 112 are to be accorded full statutory equivalents under 35 USC 112. The invention can be better visualized by turning now to the following drawings wherein like elements are referenced by like numerals. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a circumcision scissor; 
         FIG. 2  is an opposite side view of the circumcision scissor; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the circumcision scissor in a first state of operation, wherein a second state of operation is illustrated in dotted lines; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the circumcision scissor in a first state of operation, wherein a second state of operation is illustrated in dotted lines; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the circumcision scissor in a first state of operation highlighting an open end of a tube, a blade housing made up of blade housing portions, and a circular blade; and 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the circumcision scissor in a second state of operation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 2  are opposite side views of a circumcision scissor  10  configured to circumcise a penis and removing foreskin from the penis. The circumcision scissor  10  may be held by a user with a plurality of eye hole grips  12 . In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of eye hole grips  12  have a rounded surface on an outer aspect and a straight surface on an inner aspect. The plurality of eye hole grips  12  may alternatively be of any geometric shape, such as square, circular or rectangular without departing from the scope of the present invention. The circumcision scissor has a midpoint which is the preferred position of a knob  14 . The knob  14  is configured to extend or contract a plurality of legs  17 . The plurality of legs  17  each have a leg joint  18  to facilitate movement controlled by the knob  14 . The knob  14  may operate the plurality of legs  17  by any suitable method of mechanical construct such as by gears or a connecting wire. 
     At a base end of the plurality of legs  17 , there is a blade housing  16  configured to separate into a plurality of blade housing portions, each of which is coupled to each of the plurality of legs  17 . A circular blade  15  is embedded within the blade housing  16 , wherein the circular blade  15  is configured to make an incision in the foreskin. The blade housing  16  is preferably constructed from a clear polycarbonate plastic to allow the user to properly see where the penis is located relative to the circumcision scissor  10 . Other materials may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     The circumcision scissor  10  has a tube  20  preferably configured to extend from the midpoint and the knob  14  to the base end of the plurality of legs  17 . This preferred construction allows for stability when performing the circumcision. The tube  20  has an anchor end  21 , an inner cavity  24  and an open end  22 . The open end  22  is configured to allow the penile gland to enter the inner cavity  24 . The inner cavity  24  may have adhesive to secure and prevent movement of the penile gland during the procedure. The tube  20  is preferably constructed from a clear polycarbonate plastic to allow the user to properly see where the penis is located relative to the circumcision scissor  10 . Other materials may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     With regard to  FIG. 3 , two states of use of the circumcision scissor  10  are illustrated. A neutral state is shown in solid lines, and an operative state is shown in dotted lines. The knob  14  is turned to straighten out the plurality of legs  17  at the leg joints  18 . By straightening the plurality of legs  17 , the blade housing  16  is pushed together to couple the blade housing portions. When the blade housing  16  is complete, the circular blade  15  comes together to clamp onto the penis and to sever the foreskin. The resulting incision begins the process of circumcision. Turning the knob  14  further causes the circular blade  15  to move in a circular motion to fully create an incision around the foreskin. Thus, the foreskin may be removed from the penis.  FIG. 4  illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the knob  14  is not used to operate the plurality of legs  17 . The plurality of eye hole grips  12  would operate the plurality of legs  17  in a manner similar to that of cutting scissors or hemostats. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate a front view of the circumcision scissor  10 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a neutral state in which the blade housing  16  is recessed away from the open end  22  and the inner cavity  24  of the tube  20 .  FIG. 6  illustrates the circumcision scissor  10  after the knob  14  is turned to operate the plurality of legs  17 . The blade housing  16  and circular blade  15  preferably form circles after coupling each respective half. 
     The tube  20  has the penile gland within the inner cavity  24  during the circumcision, so the penile gland is protected from severe but accidental injury. The blade housing  16  is preferably configured in a way to create only a deep enough incision to remove the foreskin and to not create a deeper cut into the penis. 
     While circumcisions are generally performed on neonates, circumcisions may also be performed on children or adults. Accordingly, the circumcision scissor  10  may be constructed in different sizes without departing from the scope of the invention. The circumcision scissor  10  is also preferably constructed substantially of plastic to allow for disposability. By making the circumcision scissor  10  disposable, costs can be kept low per instrument while also obviating the need for sterilization of the circumcision scissor  10  between uses. 
     Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed in above even when not initially claimed in such combinations. 
     Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. 
     While the particular Circumcision Scissor as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims.