Patent Publication Number: US-2022211366-A1

Title: Combination Forceps

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This disclosure pertains to the field of surgical instruments. More particularly, this disclosure pertains to surgical forceps and methods of manufacturing and using the same in surgery upon tissue. 
     Background 
     Surgical forceps are used to grasp and manipulate objects, such as tissue, surgical needles or suture threads. Among other uses, serrated forceps may be used to grasp and position tissue. Among other uses, non-serrated forceps may be used to pick up or manipulate surgical needles. Many surgical procedures require the operator to switch back and forth between stand-alone serrated and non-serrated forceps. Sequencing between two types of stand-alone forceps during an operation is time-consuming, increases the risk of contaminating the sterile forceps and the operating field, and often requires the extra hands of an assistant, which may not be possible in many situations. 
     There is, therefore; a need for combination forceps that overcome the above deficiencies of existing forceps. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosed embodiments provide for surgical instruments and methods for using and manufacturing the same. In one aspect, the instrument comprises serrated forceps and non-serrated forceps, the serrated forceps and the non-serrated forceps being at least partially connected side-by-side along the inner shanks of the serrated and the non-serrated forceps. 
     In another aspect, a method of using the surgical instrument comprises using the serrated forceps to grasp a tissue, running a surgical needle through the tissue, releasing the tissue and using the non-serrated forceps to pull the needle out through the tissue. 
     In yet another aspect, a method of manufacturing a surgical instrument comprises manufacturing serrated forceps, the serrated forceps having an inner shank and an outer shank; manufacturing a non-serrated forceps, the non-serrated forceps having an inner shank and an outer shank; and connecting the serrated and the non-serrated forceps side-by-side at least partially along the inner shanks of the serrated and the non-serrated forceps, thereby forming a central shank. 
     In another aspect, the surgical instrument may be used in a way such that pushing the outer shank of the serrated forceps toward the central shank of the instrument engages the serrated forceps of the instrument and pushing the outer shank of the non-serrated forceps toward the central shank of the instrument engages the non-serrated forceps of the instrument. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  shows a pair of serrated forceps; 
         FIG. 2  shows a pair of non-serrated forceps; 
         FIG. 3  shows a pair of serrated forceps in fully engaged position; 
         FIG. 4  shows a pair of serrated forceps in partially engaged position; 
         FIG. 5  shows a combination forceps, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  shows the combination forceps of  FIG. 5 , wherein the serrated forceps is engaged; and 
         FIG. 7  shows the combination forceps of  FIG. 5 , wherein the non-serrated forceps is engaged. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the forceps  100  comprises a pair of shanks, also referred to as prongs, arms or legs,  102  and  104 , which may be connected at a handle portion  106 . Shank  102  has distal end  108 , and shank  104  has a distal end  110 . When the shanks  102  and  104  are pressed toward each other, e.g., by a thumb and an index finger, the forceps  100  would come to a closed or engaged position. The interior surfaces of distal ends  108  and  110  may be serrated. As shown in  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment, the inner surfaces of the distal ends  108  and  110  comprise a teeth combination, such as two teeth on one side meshing with a single tooth on the opposing, that engage when the shanks  102  and  104  are pressed or moved toward each other. Other embodiments of teeth arrangements, in terms of shape, number, and layout of the teeth, are also within the scope of the disclosed embodiments. Serrated forceps may be safely used on tissue, as teeth may damage tissue less than a smooth surface (non-serrated) because a practitioner can grasp the tissue with less overall pressure. 
     Forceps  100  may be conveniently used for grasping, holding or manipulating tissue in various surgical procedures in clinical, pathology, or research settings, for example. The term tissue comprises skin tissue, muscle tissue, nerve tissue and the like. The serrated tips of the distal ends  108  and  110  of the forceps  100  help in firmly holding or grasping tissue between the shanks  102  and  104  when a practitioner attempts to move, turn, open, close, hold or evert tissue, for example. 
     In another embodiment, the forceps  100  may have other forms of tips that help grasp tissue firmly. Other forms of tips that provide a firm grasp of the tissue may be cupped, ringed, grooved, diamond dusted, curved, cross-hatched, or angled. In yet another embodiment, the tips of the forceps  100  may comprise a retracting hook which may be moved axially in and out of the forceps  100  to pinch or hold tissue. In another example, the tip of the forceps  100  may comprise a suction tube which may be used to hold tissue when vacuum is applied to the suction tube. In yet another example, the distal end of the forceps  100  may be in the form of a pliers, which may be used to clamp tissue. 
       FIG. 2  shows forceps  200  which comprises a pair of diverging shanks  202  and  204 , which may be connected at a handle portion  206 . Shank  202  has a distal end  208 , and shank  204  has a distal end  210 . In one embodiment, the inner surfaces of the distal ends  208  and  210  are non-serrated, smooth or flat, and distal ends  208  and  210  are designed to come to a tight surface contact. When the shanks  202  and  204  are pressed toward each other, e.g., by a thumb and an index finger, the forceps  200  would come to a tightly closed or engaged position, such that the distal ends  208  and  210  form an air-tight surface contact. Therefore, the serrated forceps  200  may be conveniently used to firmly and unmovably grasp hard objects, such as surgical needles, suture threads, dressings or similar objects. For example, A practitioner may use the non-serrated forceps  200  as a needle holder and unmovably grasp a surgical needle and controllably manipulate the needle, e.g., pull the needle out of a tissue without losing control, whilst holding a metal needle within the metal-to-metal contact of the distal ends  208  and  210  of the forceps  200 , while the surgical needle may be slippery due to being covered with blood, fat or the like. 
     In another example, a practitioner may use the non-serrated forceps  200  conveniently for grasping a suture thread, or other similarly thin objects used in operating on tissue, and unmovably grasp and controllably manipulate the suture thread, e.g., pull the suture thread out of a tissue without losing control, while tightly holding the suture thread within the surface-contact of the distal ends  208  and  210  of the forceps  200 , even when the surgical suture is covered with blood, fat or the like. 
       FIG. 3  show a serrated forceps  300  in a most tightly closed position. As illustrated, there is a space or gap “D”  306  between the shanks  102  and  104 , even when the tips of the shanks are tightly touching each other. The structure of the serrated forceps  300  is such that the part of the shank  102  proximal to the teeth of the serrated forceps  300  may not come tightly in touch with the proximal portion of the opposite shank  104 , thus; creating the gap “D”  306  between the shanks  102  and  104  of the forceps  300 . As such, only the thickest, largest suturing needles with enough girth allow for being grasped within the jaws of the serrated forceps  300 . In addition, grasping a metal suturing needle with the metal teeth of serrated forceps is awkward, because the suturing needle tends to slip off the sharp edges of the metal teeth. This is especially the case when the suturing needle becomes covered with blood or fat, as it inevitably does. 
     Therefore, the serrated forceps  300 , even in its most tightly closed position as shown in  FIG. 3 , is not suitable for firmly and unmovably grasping a thin object  308 , e.g., a surgical needle or suture thread, with diameter or thickness smaller than the gap “D”  306  created between the shanks  102  and  104  of the closed serrated forceps  300 . In addition, the non-flat portion of the distal end of the serrated forceps  300  is not useful for grasping metal or hard objects, thus; reducing the effective grasping area of the serrated forceps  300 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the serrated forceps  400  would be functional and suitable for grasping only objects  408  with thickness or diameter larger than the gap “D”  306  created between the shanks  102  and  104  of the closed serrated forceps  300 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     In one embodiment, a combination forceps may include at least one forceps from each of the groups of forceps  100  and  200 , which may be manufactured as one piece, or individual forceps may be assembled, connected, fused or tied together. In  FIG. 5 , according to one embodiment, a serrated forceps  100  and a non-serrated forceps  200  are positioned side-by-side and connected at a handle portion  506 . The two forceps  100  and  200  may also be connected or fused at a contact area  508  along the inner shanks  102  and  202 , thereby, forming a central shank with the serrated shank  102  on one side and the non-serrated shank  202  on the other side of the central shank. When a practitioner pushes or moves the shank  104  toward the central shank, e.g., by an index finger while anchoring another finger and a thumb on the central shank, the serrated forceps of the instrument  500  will come to the engaged position, as shown by the instrument  600  in  FIG. 6 . Therefore, in serrated forceps mode of operation, the practitioner may use the combination forceps instrument  500  to firmly grasp and manipulate tissue, as explained above in connection with  FIG. 1 . 
     Similarly, when a practitioner pushes or moves the shank  204  toward the central shank, e.g., by an index finger, while anchoring another finger and a thumb on the central shank, the non-serrated forceps of the instrument  500  will come to the closed or engaged position, as shown by the instrument  700  in  FIG. 7 . Therefore, in non-serrated mode of operation, the practitioner may use the combination forceps instrument  500  to firmly and unmovably grasp a hard object within the surface contact of the distal ends  208  and  210 , and unmovably manipulate the object, e.g., pull out a surgical needle or suture thread out of tissue, as explained above in connection with  FIG. 2 . 
     A practitioner may use the combination forceps instrument  500 , independently, to either firmly and conveniently grasp or manipulate tissue, as serrated forceps; or firmly and unmovably grasp and control movement of a surgical needle through the tissue, as non-serrated forceps; thereby eliminating the need for swapping one type of stand-alone forceps for another type of stand-alone forceps, thereby advantageously resulting in reducing the risk of contamination, eliminating extra hands for swapping one type of forceps for another type of forceps, and; thus, reducing time and energy of surgical, pathology, or research operations. 
     Other multi-forceps arrangements comprising different number of different types of forceps currently known or designed in future for similar or different applications are within the scope of the disclosed embodiments. For example, multiple forceps of varying types of forceps may be assembled in a single instrument in a linear, radial or other arrangements. Multiple-forceps instruments configured for other configurations of a practitioner&#39;s hand and fingers in relation to the operation of the instruments  500 ,  600 , and  700  are also within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments herein described are merely illustrative of the design and application of the principles of the claimed subject matter. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.