US3327702A - Biopsy knife for cutting a conical specimen - Google Patents

Description

June 27, 1967 J. J. DE MARCO BIOPSY KNIFE FOR CUTTING A CONICAL SPECIMEN FIGQ Original Filed NOV. 20, 1962 INVENTOR.

JOHN J. D2 NFIRCO Maw United States Patent 3,327.702 BIOPSY KNIFE FOR CUTTING A CUNICAL SPECIMEN John J. De Marco, 1840 S. Shore Drive, Erie, Pa. 16505 Original application Nov. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 238,977, now

Patent No. 3,256,874, dated June 21, 1966. Divided and this application Mar. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 538,187

1 Claim. (Cl. 12S2) This application is a division of patent application Ser. No. 238,977, filed Nov. 20, 1962, now patent 3,256,874.

The present invention relates to a tracheotome and, more particularly, to a biopsy knife for obtaining biopsies of the cervix of the uterus of human females.

The use of the normal straight scalpel or knife for obtaining biopsies of the cervix of the uterus has many disadvantages. Because of the location and approach to the cervix of the uterus, it is difiicult to properly position a straight scalpel to obtain a biopsy. Also, great care must be taken that the cut is not too deep, for a hemorrhage may be caused. Thus, it is a difficult task to make a biopsy cut of uniform depth of representative tissue with a straight scalpel, particularly when operating on the cervix of the uterus through the small restricted area of the vagma.

In the use of biopsy knives presently available, it is necessary for a surgeon to cut half of the conical biopsy from the cervix of the uterus and then to change the position of his body in order to move his arm to the proper position for cutting the other half of the conical biopsy. This makes it inconvenient for the surgeon and, also, since his body is in an inconvenient position, lends the possibility of his making an error in the cut.

The present invention provides a knife handle which will hold any regular knife blade at each end. It holds the blade at approximately a thirty degree angle which automatically excises a cone of the cervix as it incises. This degree of angulation makes the instrument more maneuverable than a straight handle in the restricted space of the vaginal canal.

By having a blade at an angle at each end which goes in a different direction, the entire three hundred sixty degrees of the cervix is readily incised to yield a smooth, intact conical biopsy. One end of the handle with blade will easily incise one entire half of the cervix and, by changing to the outer end, the remaining half of the cervix is likewise incised, thereby obtaining the intact, smooth conical biopsy of the cervix. The handle is easily held in the middle by the surgeon and it permits the use of either end at either time by simply alternating one end or the other.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved biopsy knife.

Another object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knife which is shaped to permit ease of insertion and manipulation in the cervix of the uterus.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knife which cuts a specimen of a definite continuous conical shape from the uterus with a minimum of movement of the operating surgeons body.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knife having a blade on each end thereof.

Still yet a further object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knife which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efiicient to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. .1 is a side view of a single edged blade according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the blade mounted on a two ended handle such as shown in 'FIGS. 5 and 6'.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view of the handle without the blade thereon;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a double ended handle having both ends similar to the end shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the handle shown in FIG. 5;

Now referring more particularly to the drawings, the embodiment of the invention incorporates the same type of knife holder on both ends of a single handle. A handle 12 has a knife receiving end indicated at 14. The principal of the embodiment of the handle shown in FIG. 5 and 6 is double ended for use with a single edged blade.

The knife receiving ends 14 are of a conventional type except that they are disposed at an improved angle to the handle 12 at approximately thirty degrees. Prior handles have held their blades at a considerably greater or a considerably lesser angle for one reason or another.

A conventional groove 18 is received in an opening or hole 26 in the blade. That is, an enlarged portion 27 of the end 14 slips through an enlarged part 22 of the opening 26 and the material of the end 14 defining the groove 18 overlies the marginal portions defining the enlarged portion 27 of the opening. A shoulder 29 then rests against the inside of the enlarged part of the openmg i The knife receiving end 14 is disposed at an angle of approximately thirty degrees to the handle 12. It has been discovered that an angle of approximately thirty degrees is a much more natural angle at which the knife may be held for a biopsy on the cervix and, therefore, a more precise operation can be performed.

The knife receiving end 14 has a shoulder 24 which rests against an end 28 of the knife 36. The knife 36 has a single sharpened edge 23 and the opposite side thereof is dull. The dull edge is generally parallel to the center line of the handle and the sharpened or cutting edge is approximately thirty degrees to the center of the handle. This angular arrangement has been discovered to facilitate the use of the knife for the purpose intended as set forth herein.

The blades each have a point as indicated in the drawings. The double ended handle shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 has a knife on each end. With this double ended knife, a surgeon may out half of the conical biopsy from the cervical canal of the uterus and then he may reverse the knife and cut the other other half of the conical biopsy without putting his body in an inconvenient and off balanced position for this operation. Therefore, the two knives on opposite ends of the biopsy knife cooperate to accomplish a unitary result in cutting a single biopsy without having the surgeon unbalance and inconvenience his position which might result in injury to the patient.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claim.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

A biopsy knife for cutting a conical shaped biopsy spec- 3 imen from the walls of the cervix comprising a handle,

a first thin blade supporting tip extending from a first end of said handle and,

a second blade supporting tip attached to a second end of said handle, 1

a first thin blade removably attached to said first blade supporting tip for cutting one-half of a biopsy specimen,

a second thin blade removably attached to said second blade supporting tip for cutting a second half of a biopsy specimen,

said blades having cutting edges,

said cutting edges being disposed on opposite sides of said handle from each other when blades are mounted on the handle,

said blades each being disposed in a separate plane from the other,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 401,421 4/1889 Dus 30299 931,612 8/1909 Huttmann 30-299 2,471,088 5/ 1949 Ayre 128-404 2,898,906 8/1959 Sieger 128-2 3,013,553 12/1961 Averbach 1282 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

W. E. KAMM, Assistant Examiner.

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