Patent ID: 8177793

Claim:
A surgical staple remover apparatus, comprising: a first elongated element having a handle on one end and a downward facing protrusion on the other end; a second elongated element having a handle on one end and an upwards sloped planar element on the other end, wherein the first and second elongated elements are pivotally connected such that moving the handles into close proximity results in moving the protrusion and planar element into close proximity and such that moving the handles apart results in separating the protrusion and planar element; a cutout located at a midpoint of a tip of the upwards sloped planar element, such that moving the handles into close proximity results in moving the protrusion into the cutout of the planar element, wherein placing the planar element under a surgical staple and moving the handles into close proximity, results in the protrusion pressing against a crown of the surgical staple, thereby deforming the surgical staple so as to remove it; a housing running a length of the second elongated element, beginning substantially at the upwards sloped planar element and including an opening facing the planar element; and a spring loaded element located within the housing and having a hook on a distal end, wherein when the handles are separated, the spring loaded element is laterally compressed and extends out of the housing so as to grip a removed surgical staple, and wherein when the handles are moved into close proximity, the spring loaded element is at rest and contracts into the housing with the removed surgical staple.