Abstract:
The Ergonomic Surgical Instrument Handle described herein is designed to efficiently grasp, maneuver and clamp tissues, objects and vessels within the surgical site. Surgical Instruments with the improved handle are ergonomically designed to be in line with the surgeon&#39;s wrist and hand as they relate to the surgical site. This novel design makes it easier to maneuver the instrument within the surgical site without awkward angles to the wrist and hand which reduces muscle fatigue and cramping.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/468,104, filed Mar. 28, 2011, said application being relied upon and incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to handles for surgical instruments. In particular, this invention relates to an improved handle for hand held surgical instruments used in the surgical setting and healthcare industry. The surgical instruments herein described have at least one articulating member and the ability to lock the instrument as well as open and close the tips of the instrument. 
         [0004]    2. Background Art 
         [0005]    Surgery is a learned skill requiring many years of training to develop an understanding of surgical procedures, disease processes and healing that far exceed the basic medical principles. The surgeon must develop hand-to-eye coordination and acquire skills utilizing a variety of highly specialized surgical instruments. The surgical instruments and tools are an extension of the surgeon&#39;s hand. The surgeon&#39;s ability to perform the surgical procedures with instruments and tools designed to benefit skill is paramount to the successful outcome for the patient. To enhance the surgical performance to better serve the patient means developing instrument handles which are responsive, sensitive and ergonomically designed to benefit the natural motions of the human hand. 
         [0006]    The handles of currently available surgical instruments (forceps, hemostats, clamps, needle drivers, etc.) are usually configured with loops or rings for the surgeon to place their fingers through. Because the standard grip used in surgical procedure and taught to surgeons is the palm grip (placing the surgical instrument within the surgeon&#39;s hand and grasping one handle with the distal phalanges and using the base or tip of the thumb to open and close the instrument) the loops on the handle are more a nuisance than a help. The loops also limit the surgeon to using only the palm grip since the loops get in the way of other surgical grips like the pencil grip. In their training surgeons are taught not to use the loops of the surgical instruments because of the blood, tissue and bodily floods on the surgical glove can cause the fingers to get stuck in the loops and tear tissue if the surgeon pulls the hand away without understanding they are stuck in the loops of the instrument. 
         [0007]    The loops (or rings) on the handle of current surgical instruments also require more space and thus clutter up the surgical site. This clutter decreases the visual space the surgeon has for viewing the surgical site. The size of the loops also causes problems with manipulating, clamping or grasping tissue or objects in a small, tight space. An example is when a surgeon is suturing with a surgical needle driver using a palm grip. The surgeon must rotate the surgical needle driver to throw a stitch and suture the layer of tissue closed. Because of the size of the loops, the area the surgeon must work in is significantly large or the surgical needle driver will catch on tissue or not be able to turn at all. 
         [0008]    The present invention satisfies the need in the art for a more sensitive, useful and ergonomic handle by providing a surgical instrument handle that is designed to work with the surgical grips taught to surgeons. The surgical instrument handle herein described is a natural gripping mechanism and motion that exists between the wrist and hand of the surgeon. The present invention additionally provides a means for locking the handle in a variety of closed positions. The invention satisfies the need for a surgical handle that is simpler to manufacture and assemble than the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention provides a surgical instrument with an improved instrument handle consisting of a cylinder and grooved surface for better gripping. The instrument is designed to be held in a palm grip, pencil grip or modified grip positions; all of which are natural gripping relationships between the surgeon&#39;s wrist and hand. 
         [0010]    The cylinder (or barrel shaped) handle of the surgical instrument along with the grooved grip of the invention provides great versatility in gripping positions and gripping power. In a palm grip, one handle is stabilized by wrapping the distal phalanges around the cylinder and using the base or tip of the thumb to manipulate the other handle open or closed. In a pencil grip type of position, the instrument handle is stabilized by the base of the second phalange and held between the third and fourth phalanges while manipulating the instrument open and closed with the tip of the thumb and second phalange. The ergonomic design permits the surgeon to transfer between grips and positioning of the instrument in direct relationship from the wrist and hand to the surgical tool with precision, ease and delicacy. 
         [0011]    The invention further provides an ergonomic grooved grip along the length of the cylinder on the handle for superior grip and traction of the surgeon&#39;s hand and phalanges. Furthermore, the instrument may be rotatable through a variety of grips. The instrument may be equipped with a means for locking the handle in a variety of closed positions. 
         [0012]    Additionally, the cylindrical handle of the invention is designed for easy manufacture and assembly. These and other features of the present invention will become apparent in light of the specification as a whole. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a plan view in the closed position of a surgical instrument (ie, surgical forceps) according to the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the surgical instrument in the open position; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of three surgical instruments demonstrating the position of the surgical handle in relation to the other as well as the variable length of the handle; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is an exemplary representation of the surgical instrument within the surgical hand using a palm grip to hold and manipulate the instrument closed and opened, respectively; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is an exemplary representation of the surgical instrument within the surgical hand using a pencil grip to hold and manipulate the instrument. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of closed surgical instrument with adjustable joints at the base of the handle. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the surgical handle that is hollow for storage of medicine, suture needle and thread, etc. with a screw cap for opening and closing the storage area. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of removable grips; 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a plan view of a grip with the ability to extend its length; 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is an illustrative representation of a prior art surgical instrument handle. 
       
    
    
       [0024]    The following description will be set forth in connection with a preferred embodiment, however, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the claimed invention to the embodiments described. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    For a general understanding of the disclosed embodiments, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals have been used throughout to designate identical elements. In describing the embodiments, the following term(s) have been used in the description. The term “surgical instrument” or “instrument” is intended to encompass not only those surgical instruments intended for the grasping and manipulation of tissue, objects or vessels within the surgical site or wound, but to similarly constructed instruments suitable for grasping other surgical implements, suture needles and the like (ie surgical forceps, hemostats, needle drivers, clamps and retractors). 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is depicted a surgical instrument with the surgical handle herein described to overcome the aforementioned problems of fatigue, cramping, unusual pressure points and awkward angles of the surgeon&#39;s hand and wrist in relation to the surgical site or wound. It will be appreciated that such a handle would find practical application with surgical instruments in which the surgeon uses a palm grip, pencil grip or other grip in which the loops of conventional surgical handles are not used. Depicted in  FIG. 1  is a surgical instrument such as a surgical forceps  20 . It can be seen that the instrument comprises a pair of shanks  22  and  24 , which are hinged or pivotally connected to each other at a joint  26 . Each of the shanks  22  and  24 , are formed of a similar shape, but are somewhat different so the shanks do not interfere with one another during use. 
         [0027]    Continuing with  FIG. 1 , the instrument is divided into three sections, the lower or first end of each shank, there are opposing surfaces that form a jaw or blade surface  28  therebetween. Although not depicted in particular detail, it will be appreciated that the jaw, and the associated opposing surfaces, may be of various shapes and configurations. Although the embodiments depicted in  FIG. 1 , illustrate planar opposing surfaces, other shapes are contemplated and included within the scope of this disclosure. It will be appreciated that for the purposes of holding, grasping or manipulating a tissue, object, implant or suture needle, the surfaces should be mating surfaces (meaning the jaws should close to grasp, hold or manipulate without interference). The midsection of the pair of shanks  22  and  24  allows for force applied to the surgical handle  32  and  34  to flex the shanks for locking and unlocking of the ratchet lock  36 . The midsection of the pair of shanks can be thicker in diameter to make the shanks a less flexible instrument and vary in length for different instruments. On the opposite end of each shank  22  and  24 , is a barrel shaped handle with a knurled or striated finish for gripping. The barrel shape handle  32  and  34  at the upper end of the pair of shanks  22  and  24  facilitate the manipulation of the instrument without using the finger or thumb. Such a configuration provides greater strength and less fatigue when using the surgical instrument for surgical procedures. Illustrated is the distance between the pair of handles V 1  and the length of the barrel shaped handle V 2 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown the instrument of  FIG. 1 , in an open configuration. The jaws are opened to receive tissue or implants for holding, grasping or manipulating or the like therein. The upper section of each shank has associated therewith a locking mechanism  36 . As depicted in  FIG. 1 , mechanism  36  is a ratchet mechanism, wherein each shank includes a tab  42  extending therefrom, where at least one side has a series of angled grooves or cuts  44 , and the grooves may be suitably mated with grooves on a tab of the opposing shank to lock the shanks. 
         [0029]    Such mechanisms are well known to those familiar with surgical instruments. Although a ratchet is shown in the figures, it will be appreciated that other mechanisms may be employed to bias, hold or lock the instrument  20  in a generally closed position—where the opposing surfaces at the opposite ends of the shanks are urged to contact on another (example to hold a tissue therebetween). There are alternative configurations considered but again such mechanisms are known for use in medical instruments as well as other hand-operated tools. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the distance between the pair of handles V 1  is determined by closing and locking the instrument to the last ratchet. This distance V 1 , can be made narrower or wider depending on the surgical instrument and the surgeon&#39;s preference of grip. For a surgeon who prefers the palm grip for said instrument, the handle would have a wider distance between the pair of handles for leverage as seen in  FIG. 3B&amp;C . For a surgeon who prefers a pencil grip, the distance between the pair of handles V 1  would be narrower as seen in  FIG. 3A . For surgeons with different size hands, the length of the handle V 2  can be made longer ( FIG. 3C ) or shorter ( FIG. 3A&amp;B ) depending on the preference of the surgeon. 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the surgical instrument is held within the surgical hand in a palm grip. The base or tip of the thumb is placed against the handle  32  to manipulate the instrument open and closed. The distal phalanges ( 2  thru  5 ) are used to stabilize the instrument by wrapping around the other handle  34  as seen in  FIG. 4A . As the thumb is extended, the handle  32  moves away from the handle  34  to open the instrument as seen in  FIG. 4B . 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a pencil grip is demonstrated as the surgical hand holds the handle  32  between the tip of the second phalange and the tip of the thumb. The other handle  34  is held in the crux of the base of the thumb and second phalange or against the first metacarpal joint of the second phalange to stabilize the instrument. The third phalange is placed in the groove below the handle  34  while the fourth phalange is placed on the opposite side of the groove to stabilize the instrument further. 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , which is an alternative configuration where the pair of handles is designed to have a joint mechanism  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58  so the distance between the pair of handles V 1  can be set by the surgeon or surgical staff to accommodate the surgeon&#39;s preference. The adjustable joints  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58  are designed to be unlocked with a turn of a lever which allows the joint to rotate making the handles  32  and  34  move closer or further apart. Once the distance and angle of the handles  32  and  34  is set the surgeon can lock the handle in place by turning the lever back to its starting position. 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the pair of handles  32  and  34  is made with a hollow center  66 . A screw top  62  and  64  is used to open and close the handle where items can be stored (ie suture needle and thread or medicinal items as needed). 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIG. 8 , the pair of handles  32  and  34  of the surgical instrument are posts with grooved slots  76  for placing a single use gel grip  72  and  74  over the metal posts. The surgical nurse or staff can place the sterilized gel grips on the instrument at the beginning of the surgery and remove them when the surgery is completed for waste. The center of the gel grips is a hard plastic with ridges that fit into the slots of the surgical post so the gel grips doesn&#39;t turn or slip when in use. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 9 , the pair of handles  32  and  34  has a turning, thread mechanism  82  in the middle which allows the surgeon to rotate the handle against the instrument. As the handle is rotated, the length of the handle can be longer or shorter depending on the direction of rotation thus allowing the surgeon to set the length of the handle to their preference. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , this is prior art demonstrating the loops or rings that have been replaced on surgical instruments.