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US0O5425355A
United States Patent [19] [ii] Patent Number: 5,425,355
Kulick [45] Date of Patent: Jim. 20,1995
[54] ENERGY DISCHARGING SURGICAL PROBE AND SURGICAL PROCESS HAVING DISTAL ENERGY APPLICATION WITHOUT CONCOMITANT PROXIMAL MOVEMENT
[75] Inventor: Michael I. Kulick, San Francisco, Calif.
[73] Assignee: Laserscope, San Jose, Calif.
[21] Appl. No.: 646,948
[22] Filed: Jan. 28,1991
[51] Int. CI.* A61B1/00
[52] U.S. Q 128/4; 604/22;
606/13; 606/14; 606/15; 606/16; 606/17 [58] Field of Search 606/7, 10, 13-17,
606/170-171; 128/395, 397-398, 4, 749, 750-754; 604/96, 27, 22
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,249,533 2/1981 Komiya 128/345
4,313,431 2/1982 Frank 606/14
4,564,180 1/1986 Agee .
4,834,729 5/1989 Sjostrom .
4,842,578 6/1989 Johnson et al. .
4,962,770 10/1990 Agee et al 606/170
4,963,147 10/1990 Agee .
5,041,108 8/1991 Fox et al 606/15
5,092,873 3/1992 Simpson etal 606/170
5,217,434 6/1993 Khoury 606/7
5,246,436 9/1993 Rowe 606/13
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
2639237 5/1990 France 606/15
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
3M Health Care Brochure, dated Oct. 1989, "Agee
Inside Job Carpal Ligament Release System".
Sandzen, AFP, Nov. 1981, "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome".
Smith, Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. Sep. 1977, "Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome".
MacDonald, Journal of Hand Surgery, undated, portion
of article on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Yamaguchi, et al., Minnesota Medicine, Jan. 1965,
"Carpal Tunnel Syndrome".
Primary Examiner—Randall L. Green
Assistant Examiner—P. Zuttarelli
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Banner, Birch, McKie &
Beckett
[57] ABSTRACT
This invention relates to a surgical instrument. Specifically, a surgical instrument is disclosed which dispenses incising, transecting, or tissue treating energy to a body site or part undergoing an operation or treatment where energy is discharged from a conduit to effect the treatment. The disclosed instrument is inserted to an operative site that effectively rules out proximal manipulation of the instrument. Therefore, proximal insertion with subsequent distal manipulation excluding proximal sideto-side or up and down manipulation is disclosed. The disclosure further includes a deployable shield and is ideal for operative engagement to surgical sites on the body such as the carpal tunnel, tarsal tunnel, the wrist, temporomandibular joint, or scar tissue capsules forming around implants of the breast.
26 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
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