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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8118738 | Vaginal speculum including collapsible and expandable frame A vaginal speculum includes a frame and a first handle assembly pivotally mounted to the frame. The frame defines an opening between a first blade that is attachable to the frame and a second blade that is attachable to the frame opposite of the first blade, and a h... | 02/21/2012 |
| 7374534 | Retractor and method for percutaneous tissue retraction and surgery A retractor for percutaneous surgery in a patient which includes an elongate retractor tube composed of circumferentially arranged elongate independent tube segments with proximal ends of the tube segments respectively hinged to a unitary collar whereby the distal e... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7371212 | Vaginal speculum The invention relates to a vaginal speculum comprising two spoon blades, which are intended for insertion into the vagina, and which are elongated and are located along side and opposite one another;—are mutually hinging in a clamped plane and through the longitud... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7311663 | Multi-positionable vaginal speculum with removable blades A speculum provides visual access to a body cavity, and such instrument is used by physicians for vaginal examination. The speculum comprises a handle having a frontal portion and a rear portion slidingly secured to the frontal portion. A blade angle positioner is p... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7217240 | Heart stabilizer A heart stabilizer that may include a wrist which couples an end effector to a first linkage. The end effector and wrist may be inserted through an incision in the chest of a patient to assist in performing a minimally invasive coronary procedure. The wrist provides... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7144368 | Guided retractor and methods of use The present invention provides methods and apparatus in which a surgical retractor comprises a plurality of mechanically coupled tissue retaining walls that are guided into position along one or more guides previously implanted into the patient. The walls are prefer... | 12/05/2006 |
| 6994669 | Apparatus and method for cardiac surgery The invention provides a stabilizer having a foot to stabilize a patient's heart. The stabilizer has a first foot which is larger than a second foot. The first foot has lateral surfaces which are used to retract other parts of the heart while contact surfaces stabil... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6817972 | Heart stabilizer A heart stabilizer that may include a wrist which couples an end effector to a first linkage. The end effector and wrist may be inserted through an incision in the chest of a patient to assist in performing a minimally invasive coronary procedure. The wrist provides... | 11/16/2004 |
| 6740031 | Speculum A speculum (18) including a combined first speculum blade and handle portion (20), a combined second speculum blade and link portion (62), a speculum handle portion and a plurality of combined ribs and links (76). Each of the combined rib... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6569091 | Disconnectable vaginal speculum with removeable blades A vaginal speculum consists of two pivotally interconnected disconnectable parts. Each part slidingly supports a movable blade moveable in the longitudinal direction of the speculum. In addition to longitudinal movement, one of the blades can be moved cir... | 05/27/2003 |
| 6527710 | Speculum A speculum (18) including a combined first speculum blade and handle portion (20), a combined second speculum blade and link portion (62), a speculum handle portion and a plurality of combined ribs and links (76). Each of the combined ribs and links (76) ... | 03/04/2003 |
| 6394950 | Surgical instrument A surgical instrument having an upper and a lower blade member, each of the members having a main generally elongated blade portion, each of the members having spaced upstanding lateral sidewalls, the upper blade member being vertically, movable with resp... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6379299 | Vaginal speculum with adjustable blades A vaginal speculum consisting of two blades pivotally interconnected through a fork-like member so that the blades can be expanded and fixed in an expanded state in order to dilate the vagina for observing the condition of the vagina cavity. The device is... | 04/30/2002 |
| 6152874 | Adjustable multi-purpose coronary stabilizing retractor An apparatus for stabilizing a predetermined area on a heart of a patient to enable a surgical procedure, the apparatus comprising a bifurcated member having two elongated prongs which can be adjustable as to width and an elongated handle segment attached... | 11/28/2000 |
| 6048308 | Vaginal speculum An improved single use vaginal speculum with lateral retracting bills is disclosed. Each of the lateral retracting bills is supported on an axially rotatable shaft mounted to a side of the yoke of the lift mechanism which raises the lower bill assembly aw... | 04/11/2000 |
| 5997474 | Vaginal specula A vaginal speculum has two hinged arms forming jaws at one end, and handles at the opposite end. A locking bar of a soft plastics material is pivotally mounted at one end on one of the handles, its other end projecting through an aperture in the other han... | 12/07/1999 |
| 5954632 | Endoscope in particular a mediastinoscope An endoscope, in particular a mediastinoscope, in which the handle and the optics guided therein form an inseparable unit and which includes a first and second spatula-like part which can be separated from one another in the longitudinal direction. An adj... | 09/21/1999 |
| 5916151 | Apparatus for dilating a body cavity Apparatus for dilating a body cavity comprising at least two elongate elements positioned in generally side-by-side relationship. The elongate elements are movable laterally with respect to each other between a contracted condition wherein first end secti... | 06/29/1999 |
| 5893831 | Retractor blade locking mechanism An improved retractor blade mounting system for use in surgical instrument retractors. In one embodiment the system includes a mounting clip attached to a retractor blade that engages a longitudinal groove in the retractor arm. To assure a positive tight ... | 04/13/1999 |
| 5846193 | Midcab retractor An improved surgical retractor of the type that comprises a rack and pinion for moving an arm mount which supports the pinion and is moved when the pinion is turned, a hinge connecting the mount to an arm and a blade mount and a fixed arm mounted on the o... | 12/08/1998 |
| 5817127 | Combined dilator-urethrotome A combined mechanical dilator-urethrotome comprising a radially-expandable probe (12) consisting of two rods (16 and 18) of a semicircular cross-section which form a complete circle in a closed state of the probe. One of the rods (16) has a core (32) rigi... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5776054 | Apparatus for retracting tissue A retractor for placement proximate an incision for holding back the edges of the incision, the retractor comprising a pair of substantially elongate retractor portions having outer substantially irregular edges formed along substantially the entire lengt... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5616117 | Self locking surgical retractor A medical retractor having a support shaft on which is threaded a retractor arm drive that supports a retractor arm. The retractor arm drive includes a worm with threads that engage peripheral gear teeth of a worm gear; and the worm gear is threaded onto ... | 04/01/1997 |
| 5545122 | Inflatable speculum A speculum comprises a pair of elongated blades having elongated hollow bills therein. Each bill is at least partly covered by a flexible expandable bladder. One or more ports communicate between the interior of each bill and the interior of the bladder. ... | 08/13/1996 |
| 5509893 | Speculum A speculum having a dilator for insertion into a body cavity of a patient and an opening mechanism for opening the dilator to dilate the body cavity. The dilator has at least two dilator blade members which are pivotal. The opening mechanism consists of a... | 04/23/1996 |
| 5318013 | Surgical clamping assembly and associated method A surgical device including a frame member having a distal end and a proximal end and a pair of clamping mechanisms movably mounted to the frame member at the distal end thereof for exerting respective clamping forces on spaced organic tissues of a patien... | 06/07/1994 |
| 5318010 | Medical instrument An instrument for vaginal inspection or exploration consists of separate speculum and depressor components, each molded from plastic material. The handles of the components are adapted to be releasably interfitted in a dovetail manner to form a unitary ha... | 06/07/1994 |
| 5231973 | Vaginal speculum A vaginal speculum is disclosed in which a ratcheted linear motion of a thumb pad is translated into a complicated linear, rotational and retractive motion of the speculum paddles to provide anatomically correct motions for dilation of the vagina and the ... | 08/03/1993 |
| 5179938 | Apparatus for endoscopic examination of body cavity using chemiluminescent light source The present invention is an apparatus for performing medical examinations in body cavities, and a method of performing such examinations. The apparatus has a chemiluminescent light source having particular wavelength characteristics made up of blue and gr... | 01/19/1993 |
| 5088472 | Retractor The invention is a sternal retractor comprising a pair of arms with sternum engaging blades thereon and a curved cross bar on which said arms are disposed such that in use the retractor can open the bottom of the sternum more than the top of the sternum t... | 02/18/1992 |
| 5067477 | Low wear bearing for a surgical retractor A low wear bearing system for a surgical retractor including usually four bearings recessed in the retractor housing, each bearing having a generally rectangular projection extending into a corresponding slot in the rack of the rack and pinion type retrac... | 11/26/1991 |
| 5052372 | Vaginal speculum having a unique single control A speculum for vaginal examination incorporates pin-and-slot connections between the upper and lower blades to enable individual or simultaneous adjustment of speculum aperture and blade angulation by simple application of thumb pressure on the upper blad... | 10/01/1991 |
| 5018507 | One-piece disposable speculum A one-piece disposable speculum is provided having first and second blades which are interconnected at both the distal ends and proximal ends thereof. The bars which interconnect the distal ends of the blades are pivotally connected to each of the blades ... | 05/28/1991 |
| 4966130 | One-piece disposable speculum A disposable speculum made of a unitary molded plastic construction. Upon folding, a pair of elongated members form opposing jaws or blades which are pivotally attached to a central ring. A handle portion is formed on an end of the lower blade and can be ... | 10/30/1990 |
| 4924857 | Surgical retractor A retractor for vaginal surgery having a pair of retractor blades centrally supported in a rectangualr frame formed by a pair of support bars to which the retractor blades are fixed, extending therefrom perpendicular to the plane of the frame. Adjustment ... | 05/15/1990 |
| 4807600 | Speculum protector A disposable cover of a novel type is provided for each of the blades of a vaginal speculum to prevent cross contamination of patients examined by the same instrument but also to allow for improved surgical visibility.... | 02/28/1989 |
| 4766887 | Disposable vaginal speculum A two-piece vaginal speculum has upper and lower blade members pivotally connected to each other by a slot and pin arrangement for relative pivotal and spatial adjustment of the blade members. Slots are formed in the sides of the upper blade member, and t... | 08/30/1988 |
| 4765311 | Wound retractor A wound retractor comprises a split tube made up of two halves, holders of the tube halves, a mechanism for spreading the tube halves apart, incorporating a retainer for locking the tube halves in position. The holder of one tube half is shaped as a plate... | 08/23/1988 |
| 4686966 | Disposable duckbill speculum This invention is a kind of disposable gynecologic apparatus, that is, a duckbill speculum, for examining the vagina. This duckbill speculum comprises a lower bill section, an upper bill section, a support column and a pair of adjustment pieces which cont... | 08/18/1987 |
| 4619248 | Light attachment for speculum This invention provides a lighting source for use with a speculum. The source includes a casing having a hoop and a main portion, and a light emitter coupled to the hoop at a location diametrically opposite the main portion. An electrical energy source is... | 10/28/1986 |
