Tissue release instrument

Abstract

There is provided a surgical instrument for releasing soft tissue from fibrous tissue comprising: a body having a distal end configured to be inserted into an incision formed in the soft tissue and a handle end opposite to the distal end for gripping by a user; a hook member located at the distal end of the body to extend laterally from the body; and a blade pivotally mounted adjacent an opening of the hook member at a proximal end so as to be movable between an open position where opening of the hook member can freely receive fibrous tissue therethrough and a closed position where the blade is positioned across the opening of the hook member; wherein, the body is firstly inserted into the soft tissue and advanced such that the opening of the hook member is open to receive fibrous tissue therein for testing, and upon the test determining that the fibrous tissue requires release, the blade is activated to move from the open position to the closed position thereby performing a cutting action that passes through the fibrous tissue located within the hook member to cut and release the soft tissue therefrom.

Description

[0001] TISSUE RELEASE INSTRUMENT

[0002] RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2024901167, filed on 24 April 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] FIELD OF INVENTION

[0005] The present invention relates generally to a surgical instrument for use in surgical procedures, and in particular, to a surgical instrument for performing a cutting action to release soft tissue from fibrous tissue.

[0006] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In the human body, fibrous septae connect the dermis to the underlying fascia. The fascia is a band of thin, fibrous connective tissue that provides support to every structure of the human body, including organs, muscles and bones. Fascia comprises collagen and is generally made up of multiple layers that has sufficient strength and flexibility to support muscles as they contract and stretch.

[0008] Skin conditions, such as cellulite, are a result fibrous tissue that connects the dermis to the fascia thickening and pulling the skin downwards towards the fascia, creating the skin dimpling effect of cellulite. One way of addressing cellulite conditions is to sever the fibrous septae to allow the skin’s surface to smooth out to minimise the visual effect of cellulite. The fibrous septae can also be an issue during many surgical procedures as the fibrous septae can make it difficult to close a wound. In such instances, the fibrous tissue must be cut to free the wound edges in order to pull the wound together and close it with a suture.

[0009] Irrespective of the application, there is a need to provide an instrument that can be used to release soft tissue from any underlying fibrous tissue or septae preventing the soft tissue from being appropriately manipulated in a desired manner. Such an instrument must be easy to use and control to perform the incisions in a manner which is safe and minimally invasive.

[0010] The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

[0011] STATEMENT OF INVENTION

[0012] The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and / or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0013] Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided a surgical instrument for releasing soft tissue from fibrous tissue comprising: a body having a distal end configured to be inserted into an incision formed in the soft tissue and a handle end opposite to the distal end for gripping by a user; a hook member located at the distal end of the body to extend laterally from the body; and a blade pivotally mounted adjacent an opening of the hook member at a proximal end so as to be movable between an open position where opening of the hook member can freely receive fibrous tissue therethrough and a closed position where the blade is positioned across the opening of the hook member; wherein, the body is firstly inserted into the soft tissue and advanced such that the opening of the hook member is open to receive fibrous tissue therein for testing, and upon the test determining that the fibrous tissue requires release, the blade is activated to move from the open position to the closed position thereby performing a cutting action that passes through the fibrous tissue located within the hook member to cut and release the soft tissue therefrom.

[0014] The blade may have a distal end that travels within a groove provided in an inner surface of the hook member when the blade is moved between the open position and the closed position.

[0015] The blade may be activated to move between the open position and the closed position by one or more activation members provided on the handle end of the body.

[0016] The one or more activation members may comprise a trigger member mounted on the handle end of the body.

[0017] Accordingly, in another aspect of the invention there is provided a surgical instrument for releasing soft tissue from fibrous tissue comprising: a body having a distal end configured to be inserted into an incision formed in the soft tissue and a handle end opposite to the distal end for gripping by a user; a hook member mounted with respect to the distal end of the body to extend laterally from the body; and a blade mounted within the hook member so as to be movable between an extended position where the blade extends at least partially beyond a surface of the hook member and a retracted position where the blade is located within the hook member so as not to extend beyond a surface of the hook member; wherein, the body is firstly inserted into the soft tissue and advanced such that the hook member is able to locate fibrous tissue and test the fibrous tissue, and upon the test determining that the fibrous tissue requires action, the blade is activated to move to the extended position such that the hook member cuts the fibrous tissue to release the soft tissue therefrom.

[0018] In one embodiment, the hook member is movably mounted with respect to the distal end of the body to move between an extended position where the hook member extends laterally from the body and a retracted position where the hook member is substantially contained within the body. The hook member may be substantially contained within a recess formed in the body adjacent the distal end thereof. The hook member may be activated to move between the extended position and the retracted position by one or more activation members provided on the handle end of the body.

[0019] The activation members may comprise a pair of buttons, one of the pair of buttons configured to activate the hook member to move from the retracted position to the extended position and the other of the pair of buttons configured to activate the hook member to move from the extended position to the retracted position.

[0020] The hook member may comprise one or more springs to move between the extended position and the retracted position.

[0021] In another embodiment, the hook member is fixedly mounted with respect to the distal end of the body.

[0022] The blade may be mounted within a channel formed in the hook member and may be movable along said channel to move between the extended position and the retracted position. The blade may be activated to move between the extended position and the retracted position by activation of one or more activation members provided on the handle end of the body. The activation members may comprise one or more buttons selectable by a user of the instrument to control the blade.

[0023] The body may be formed from a rigid plastic material.

[0024] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which:

[0026] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a surgical instrument in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Fig. 2 is a plan view of the surgical instrument of Fig. 1;

[0028] Fig. 3 is a side view of the surgical instrument of Fig. 1;

[0029] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the surgical instrument of Fig. 1 with the hook member in a state of extension;

[0030] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the surgical instrument of Fig. 1 with the hook member in a state of retraction;

[0031] Fig. 6 is an end view of the surgical instrument of an alternative embodiment of the present invention with the hook member fixed with respect to the body;

[0032] Fig. 7 is an end view of the surgical instrument of Fig. 6 with the blade in an activated state for cutting;

[0033] Fig. 8 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of a surgical instrument in accordance with the present invention

[0034] Fig. 9 is an expanded view of the end of the instrument of Fig. 8 showing the instrument in an open position for receiving and testing a strand of fibrous tissue; and

[0035] Fig. 10 is an expanded view of the end of the instrument of Fig. 8 showing the instrument in a closed position for cutting the strand of fibrous tissue.

[0036] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

[0038] The device of the present invention will be described below in relation to a disposable tissue release instrument for use in procedures for releasing soft tissue from fibrous tissue for a variety of applications. However, it will be appreciated that the instrument of the present invention may take a variety of forms and configurations and may be re-usable as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

[0039] Referring to Fig. 1, the instrument 10 of the present invention is depicted in accordance with one embodiment. The instrument 10 generally comprises a body 12 having a handle end 13 and a distal end 15 opposed to the handle end 13. The body 12 has an elongated form and is made from a stiff plastic material, suitable for surgical applications, and the length of the body 12 may vary depending on the site for performing the procedure and preferences of the professional performing the procedure. In a preferred embodiment, the length of the body 12 may be between around 30 - 35 cm. As is shown more clearly in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the handle end 13 of the body 12 is narrower than the distal end 15 with the body 12 tapering from the distal end 15 toward the handle end 13; however, other configurations are also envisaged.

[0040] The handle end 13 of the body 12 is configured to be gripped by a hand of a user such that the distal end 15 can be guided through an incision formed in a patient’s skin. The distal end 15 has a rounded configuration to facilitate ease of insertion into the body of the patient to minimise trauma and damage to the surgical site.

[0041] The handle end 13 of the body 12 has two buttons 14 and 16 formed on a surface thereof. The number of buttons provided on the handle end 13 of the body 12 may vary, and purpose of the buttons 14, 16 will be discussed in more detail below. The buttons are positioned such that they can be simply activated by the user as they perform the procedure without changing grip or orientation of the instrument 10.

[0042] As is shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, the distal end 15 of the body 12 has a hook member 18 provided thereon. The hook member 18 is in the form of a curved body that is arranged to extend laterally from the body 12 in the manner as depicted in Fig. 4 and Fig. 6. In one embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1 - 5, the hook member 18 is recessed within the body 12 such that when in the non-activated state as shown in Fig. 1, the hook member 18 does not project beyond the surface of the body 12 and retains a smooth surface that can readily slide within the incision for insertion into the patient’s body. In another embodiment, as depicted in Fig. 6, the hook member 18 is fixed to the body 12 to extend in a lateral position, as shown.

[0043] In the embodiment whereby the hook member 18 is extendable / retractable from the body 12, as is more clearly shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the hook member 18 may be spring loaded within a recess 19 formed in the body 12 such that upon activation of button 16 the hook member 18 is caused to extend away from the body 12 in the direction of arrow A (Fig. 4). As is shown in Fig. 5, upon activation of button 14 or 16, the hook member 18 may be caused to retract back into the body 12 in the direction of arrow B.

[0044] Irrespective of whether the hook member 18 is extendible / retractable from the body 12 or fixed with respect to the body 12, the inner surface of the hook member 18, namely the surface of the hook member 18 that faces toward the handle end 13 of the body 12, has a retractable blade 20 provided therein. The retractable blade 20 is shown in Fig. 7 and when activated by the user, the blade 20 extends above the inner surface of the hook member as shown. Fig. 6 depicts the hook member 18 without the blade 20 activated and in this position the blade is contained within the hook member 18 so as not to project beyond the inner surface thereof. To activate the blade 20 such that it is in the extended position shown in Fig. 7, one of the buttons 14 16 may be configured to engage the blade 20, or a separate button (not shown) may be provided.

[0045] The blade 20 may be located within a groove (not shown) formed in the inner surface of the hook member 18 such that to activate the blade 20, the blade 20 is caused to slide along the groove and up along the curved end of the hook member so that the blade 20 is positioned above the inner surface thereof, as shown in Fig. 7. In this regard, a button 14, 16 may be activated to provide the pushing motion to the blade 20, and the blade 20 may be biased to move back into the retracted position upon release of the button and the pushing motion. It will be envisaged that other means for engaging the blade 20 to move between the extended and non-extended position are also possible as will be evident to those skilled in the art.

[0046] An alternative embodiment of the instrument of the present invention is depicted in Fig. 8 as reference 30. In this embodiment, the instrument 30 has a handle 32 to be gripped by the user of the instrument and the handle 32 has a trigger 34 for activating the device in a manner as will be described in more detail below.

[0047] At an and of the instrument 30, opposite to the handle 32, is provided an open hook member 35. The open hook member 35 is in the form of a curved end having an opening 36 formed on one side thereof. The opening 36 is sufficient to permit fibrous tissue to enter the hook member 35 such that it can be captured within the open hook member 35.

[0048] A blade 38 is mounted to the hook member 35 at one end of the opening 36, namely the end of the opening 36 that is located closer to the handle 32. The blade 38 is pivotally mounted to the hook member at this pivot point 37 such that it can pivot between the open position as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 and the closed position as shown in Fig. 10. In the closed position, as shown in Fig, 10, the blade 38 extends across the opening 36. As the blade 38 moves between the open position to the closed position, the free end of the blade 38, namely the end opposite to the pivot point 37, travels within a groove or slot (not shown) formed in an inner surface of the upper end of the hook member 35, such that the hook member traverses the open space of the hook member as it moves from the open to the closed position, and any tissue present within the hook member 35 will be contacted by the sharp edge of the blade 38 as it moves between the open and closed positions and severed. The outer edge of the blade 38 is honed to form a cutting edge. In the embodiment as depicted, the blade 38 is substantially straight with the cutting edge forming the leading edge as the blase 38 moved from the open to the closed position. In another embodiment the blade 38 may be curved or otherwise bent to form a sweeping cutting action during the closing motion.

[0049] To use the instrument, the trigger 34 is activated by the user of the instrument 30 to cause the blade 38 to move between the open and closed position. The trigger 34 may be connected to the blade 38 at one side of the pivot point 37 by way of a connector link (not shown) which applies a pulling motion to the blade 38 that causes the blade 30 to move from the open to the closed position thereby performing the cutting action as it traverses the open portion of the hook member 35. By activating the trigger 34 in an opposite direction the connector link may apply a pushing force to the blade 38 to cause the blade 38 to return to the open position. Alternatively, the blade 38 may be biased into an open position by way of a spring means or the like, and upon release of the trigger 34, the blade 38 will return to the open position. However, it will be appreciated that other activation means other than a trigger, such as a press button or the like, may be employed to activate the blade 38, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Similarly, a motor or similar mechanism may be mounted within the stem of the instrument to control the motion of the blade 38, as desired.

[0050] Referring to Fig. 9, the instrument 30 is depicted as being in the open position and a fibrous tissue is collected therein, as depicted by reference numeral 5. In this position the fibrous material 5 can be tested by the user of the instrument, in a manner to be described below, to determine whether the fibrous material is a target material of concern for cutting. This testing procedure may be conducted by the user by moving the instrument 30 in the direction of the arrows depicted to apply a pulling force on the fibrous material by the hook member 35. If the fibrous material 5 is determined to be the target fibrous material, the user of the instrument may initiate a cutting action by depressing the trigger 34 to cause the blade 38 to move from the open position (Fig. 9) to the closed position (Fig. 10). By initiating this action, the blade 38 performs a sweeping cutting action that cuts across the fibrous tissue located in the hook member 35, thereby severing the fibrous material in a manner as will be discussed in more detail below. The blade 38 can then be returned to the open position (Fig. 9) for further use. It will be appreciated that the free end of the blade 38 travels within a groove or space formed in the inner wall of the hook member as it moves between the open and closed position and as such, the blade 38 is retained within the hook member 35 at all times, minimising any inadvertent damage to the surrounding tissue.

[0051] The device of the present invention provides a simple and effective tool for use by a medical practitioner to identify and locate fibrous material responsible for causing conditions like cellulite, and to sever the connection of the fibrous material to the dermis. This is achieved by using the instrument 10, 30 in the following manner.

[0052] Firstly, a small incision is first made in the skin of the patient and the distal end of the instrument 10, 30 is inserted into the incision. The distal end is initially advanced into the soft tissue to determine the extent of the area of the soft tissue that needs releasing from the surrounding fibrous tissue.

[0053] As discussed above in relation to the instrument 10, the hook member 18 may be fixed in an extended position or the practitioner may press the button 16 on the instrument 10 to release the hook member 18 such that the hook member extends from the body 12 in the manner as depicted in Fig. 4.

[0054] The practitioner is then able to use the hook member 18 to identify fibrous strands present in the soft tissue and by moving the hook member 18 such that it is located behind the fibrous strands, the practitioner is able to apply a pulling force on the fibrous strands to determine if they will in turn, pull on the adjacent skin structure. If the practitioner notices that by pulling on the fibrous material there is no corresponding movement of the adjacent skin, the practitioner can make the assessment that the fibrous material is not of concern and can then move the instrument to locate and test other fibrous stands in the surrounding tissue using the hook member 18 of the instrument 10.

[0055] However, if the practitioner does identify that by pulling on the fibrous strands with the hook member 18, the adjacent skin tissue is also pulled, the practitioner is able to confirm that the fibrous tissue is of concern. The practitioner can then activate the blade 20 such that it extends from the hook member 18. The practitioner is then able to pull the blade 20 through the fibrous strands and cut the fibrous strands from connection with the adjacent soft tissue. The blade 20 can then be released to enable the hook member 18 to be used to test other fibrous strands present in the surrounding tissue to be tested, and where appropriate, the blade 20 can be activated to cut those fibrous strands as required. This would then be repeated until the soft tissue is released from the contact with the adjacent fibrous tissue or septae.

[0056] In the embodiment of the instrument 30, the hook member 35 is maintained in the open position for insertion via the incision. The practitioner is then able to use the open hook member 35 to identify fibrous strands present in the soft tissue in the manner as discussed below. This is achieved by moving the hook member 35 such that fibrous strands of material are captured through the opening 36 of the hook member 35 such that the practitioner is able to apply a pulling force on the fibrous strands to determine if they pull on the adjacent skin structure. If the practitioner notices that by pulling on the fibrous material there is no corresponding movement of the adjacent skin, the practitioner can then assess that the tested fibrous strand of material are not of concern and then move the instrument to release the fibrous strands from the opening 36 of the hook member 35 to locate and test other fibrous stands in the surrounding tissue by collecting them in hook member 35 of the instrument 30 and applying a testing force to them.

[0057] However, if the practitioner does identify that by pulling on the fibrous strands with the hook member 35, the adjacent skin tissue is also pulled, the practitioner is able to confirm that the fibrous tissue is of concern. The practitioner can then activate the blade 38 to move from the open position to the closed position within the hook member 35. This sweeping motion of the blade 38 as it traverses within the hook member 35 causes the blade 38 to pass through the fibrous strands and cuts and releases the fibrous strands from connection with the adjacent soft tissue. The blade 38 can then be returned to the open position to enable the hook member 35 of the instrument to be further used to test and identify other fibrous strands present in the surrounding tissue that require release. This would then be repeated until the soft tissue is released from the contact with the adjacent fibrous tissue or septae as required.

[0058] In a preferred form, the instrument 10, 30 is disposable such that the instrument can be discarded following use. It will be appreciated that the instrument 10, 30 may alternatively be made from material that can be sterilised following use in an autoclave or similar sterilisation device, such that the device may be reused.

[0059] The instrument of the present invention provides a simple and effective surgical device that can be used in a keyhole surgical situation to provide a simple and effective means of releasing soft tissue from adherent contact with fibrous tissue or septae. The device can be simply positioned and used to locate and test any fibrous tissue connecting the dermis to the fascia and which may be pulling the skin downwards towards the fascia, creating the skin dimpling effect of cellulite or causing any other medical condition. Upon location and detection of such fibrous tissue, the blade can be activated to cut the fibrous tissue. Such a device minimises trauma to the patient and ensures that the soft tissue can be released from the associated fibrous tissue for a variety of different applications.

[0060] Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

[0061] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A surgical instrument for releasing soft tissue from fibrous tissue comprising: a body having a distal end configured to be inserted into an incision formed in the soft tissue and a handle end opposite to the distal end for gripping by a user; a hook member located at the distal end of the body to extend laterally from the body; and a blade pivotally mounted adjacent an opening of the hook member at a proximal end so as to be movable between an open position where opening of the hook member can freely receive fibrous tissue therethrough and a closed position where the blade is positioned across the opening of the hook member; wherein, the body is firstly inserted into the soft tissue and advanced such that the opening of the hook member is open to receive fibrous tissue therein for testing, and upon the test determining that the fibrous tissue requires release, the blade is activated to move from the open position to the closed position thereby performing a cutting action that passes through the fibrous tissue located within the hook member to cut and release the soft tissue therefrom.

2. A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the blade has a distal end that travels within a groove provided in an inner surface of the hook member when the blade is moved between the open position and the closed position.

3. A surgical instrument according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the blade is activated to move between the open position and the closed position by one or more activation members provided on the handle end of the body.

4. A surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the one or more activation members comprise a trigger member mounted on the handle end of the body.

5. A surgical instrument for releasing soft tissue from fibrous tissue comprising:a body having a distal end configured to be inserted into an incision formed in the soft tissue and a handle end opposite to the distal end for gripping by a user; a hook member mounted with respect to the distal end of the body to extend laterally from the body; and a blade mounted within the hook member so as to be movable between an extended position where the blade extends at least partially beyond a surface of the hook member and a retracted position where the blade is located within the hook member so as not to extend beyond a surface of the hook member; wherein, the body is firstly inserted into the soft tissue and advanced such that the hook member is able to locate fibrous tissue and test the fibrous tissue, and upon the test determining that the fibrous tissue requires action, the blade is activated to move to the extended position such that the hook member cuts the fibrous tissue to release the soft tissue therefrom.

6. A surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the hook member is movably mounted with respect to the distal end of the body to move between an extended position where the hook member extends laterally from the body and a retracted position where the hook member is substantially contained within the body.

7. A surgical instrument according to claim 6, wherein the hook member is substantially contained within a recess formed in the body adjacent the distal end thereof.

8. A surgical instrument according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the hook member is activated to move between the extended position and the retracted position by one or more activation members provided on the handle end of the body.

9. A surgical instrument according to claim 8, wherein the activation members comprise a pair of buttons, one of the pair of buttons configured to activate the hook member to move from the retracted position to the extended position and the other of the pair of buttons configured to activate the hook member to move from the extended position to the retracted position.

10. A surgical instrument according to any one of claims 6 - 9, wherein the hook member comprises one or more springs to move between the extended position and the retracted position.

11. A surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the hook member is fixedly mounted with respect to the distal end of the body.

12. A surgical instrument according to claim 6 or claim 11, wherein the blade is mounted within a channel formed in the hook member and is movable along said channel to move between the extended position and the retracted position.

13. A surgical instrument according to claim 12, wherein the blade is activated to move between the extended position and the retracted position by activation of one or more activation members provided on the handle end of the body.

14. A surgical instrument according to claim 13, wherein the activation members comprise one or more buttons selectable by a user of the instrument to control the blade.

15. A surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the body is formed from a rigid plastic.

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