Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to specula, and in particular
to specula of the eyelid retractor type for use in ocular
surgery or the like wherein the eyelids must be drawn back or
open to allow access to the eyeball.
Conventional eyelid retractors are typically characterized
by screw locking devices, knobs, and/or pointed ends. These
screw locking devices, knobs, and pointed ends tend to snag or
catch suturing material normally used in eye surgery. Such
suturing material is very fine and is thus often broken or
caught increasing the time and labor of such surgery. Even if
the suturing material is not caught, sharp and/or polnted
portions of such eye retractors present a constant threat o
5uture breakage which in turn slows surgery as doctors must be
extra careful to avoid such breakage.
The conventional eyelid retractors often utilize spring
mechanisms to bias apart the eyelids. Such spring mechanisms
often tend to produce a post-operative! effect known as ptosis or
drooping of the eyelid. Ptosis is normally the result of
~ excesslve pressure being placed on th~ eyelid muscles by tùe
~ 20 eyelid retractor, especially a spring~portion thereof, during
surgeryO Conventional spring mechanisms are believed to cause
the~ptosis since they are often~uncontrolled or when controlled~
; by a locking device, there is normally some difEiculty in
properly adjusting the associated locking device to apply just
; the: proper separative pressure.~
In addition many conventional eyel~id retractors are not
self supporting~ Such retractors often extend horiæontally from
the~eye ~nd thus require some support to sustain such A
horizontal attitucle. Even those retractors ~hich are preformed
30 to somewhat follow the contour of the face, are not adjustable
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for variances in face structure and therefore often transmit a
torque to the eyelicls, which torque is also believed to cause
ptosis.
During ocular surgery or the like, i-t i5 often necessary to
utilize extensive equipment which must be placed relatively
close to the eye and/or face area surrounding the eye. Typical
of such equipment is the Kelman Phaco Emulsification Unit used
in cataract removal. ~s conventional eye retractors often have
portions extending above the face area surrounding the eye, a
surgeon must either use alternative and sometimes less desirable
equipment or remove the eyelid retractor such that the eyelids
are then in the operative way of the surgeon.
Conventivnal eyelid retractors are typically only sliqhtly,
if at all, adjustable to the face and/or eye of the patient.
Such retractors infrequently come in varying sizes. The most
standard adjustment is in control of the spread or distance
between the eyelids, which distance is normally produced by the
urging of a hairpin, coil, or the like type of spring. The age,
;~ sex, race, and general facial structure, especially the bone
20 structure, of each patient present substantially different
features to a surgeon in every operation, which features can not
generally be conformed to hy conventional eyelid retractors.
Preferably, a different eyelid retractol should be utilized for
each patient which retractor conforms to the particular feature
of that patient.
In additlon, conventlonal eyelid retractors often have
moving parts, must ùe manufactured to fine tolerances and must
be constructed so as to retain such tolerances, all of which
tend to increase the cost of such retractors. Thus, it is
30 desirable to produce a retractor which is relatively inexpensive
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compared to conventional retractors and the.re~y reduce operating
expens:e.
~ h.erefore, the objects of the present invention are- to
provide a speculum especially suited as an eyelid retractor; to
provide such a s:peculum whi.ch is a smooth loop characterized by
lack of knobs, screws, or pointed features upon which a suture
may snag or ~reak.; to provide such.a speculum which is also
characterized ~y a~sence of a biasing spring but rather utilizes
mallea~ility of the speculum which allows adjustment thereof to
conform to the eyelids to be separated such that in conjunction
with sufficient stiffnes-s or resiliency associated therewith,
the speculum maintains the eyelids in a precise position deter- .
mined by the.operating physician; to provide such a speculum
which is self supporting and, in part:icular, is sufficiently
malleable to conform to the features of the face and be supported
th,ereby; to provide such a speculum which has a low profile in ;~
the area surrounding the eye such that various equipment may be
used during an operative procedure without interference there-
from; to provide:such a speculum which conforms to the facial
fe~atures of each individual patient; to provide such a speculum
which reduces ocuIar operating time; to provide such a speculum
which is relatively inexpensive to produce; and to provide such
a speculum which is easy to manufacture, simple to use, and
which;is particularly well~adapted for the proposed usage
thereof. : '.
According to the~present invention there is provided a '. ~
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:,~ speculum adapted for use in retracting eyelids during ocular
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operations comprising: ~a~ a closed and one-piece loop; said
loop~belng inelastically deformable by d1gital pressure exerted ' ,
thereon by a doctor: to a de~.ired shape so as to conform to facial '~
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features of a patient and thereafter hold said shape against
pressure exerted thereon by the eyelids; and (b) a pair of blades
opposingly positioned and connected with said loop; said blades
being adapted for engag;ng the eyelids; said speculum having an
eyelid retracting configuratïon wherein said loop is positioned
relative to an eye such that eyelids associated with the eye
are held apart by the blade.s.
There is also provided an eyelid retractor comprising:
(a) a one piece stainle:ss steel structural member having a
non-use configuration; (b) a pair of eyelid restraining blades
interconnected- by sa;.d structural member; (c) said structural
member being sufficiently malleable substantially along the
entire length th.ereof by digital pressure of a user to be
inelastically deformed 50 as to maintain a use configuration
normally different from said non-use configuration for position-
ing eyelids during ocular surgery; said structural member being
also sufficiently stiff to be substant:ially non-defoxmed by
pressure applied by eyelids thereto, whereby said blades may
be manually positioned to retain the eyelids in a selected
positio~.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become
apparent from the following description taken in connection with
the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of
illustration and example, certain embodiments of this inven~i.on.
An eyelid retractor is provided for biasing eyelids away
from a covering position over an eye upon which ocular surgery
or a sLmilar process is being performed. The retractor comprises
a continuous loop having no sharp or pointed edges upon which
~uture thread may snag or break. Preferably, blades or eyelid :
engaging portions on the retractor are integrated .into the loop.
The retractor is. also mallea~le to the extent that a
surgeon may shape by hand the retractor prîor to application
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thereof to a patient s.uch.tKat the.~lades are.positioned to
provide proper separati.on of th.e eyelids without placing
excessive ptosis causing pressure. th.ereon. The retractor is
also sufficiently stiff or resilient to substantially maintain
the shape into which same is positioned by the surgeon against
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the eyelids. In addition, the retractor has a handle portion
which is also malleahle such that the handle may be shaped to
conform to the facial features of a patient. The handle along
with the remainder of the retractor in this manner rests on and
is supported by the face of the patient. Also, in this manner
the retractor does not require additional support or tend to sag
during an operation which sagging would tend to create ptosis
causing torque on the eyelids. The retractor except for the
portion of the blades beneath the eyelids is face hugging
10 thereby exhibiting a low profile such that various equipment may
ke utilized in close proximity to the eye and area surrounding
the eye without removing the retractor.
Once in position on the patient, the retractor of the
present invention need not be removed until the operation is
completed. As there are no suture snagging portions of the
retractor, the surgeon can suture with less concern over such
snagging and thereby substantially reduce operating time.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and
in~lude~exemplary embodiments of the present invention and
20~illustrate various objects and features thereof.
Figure 1 is a perspective view ~f an eyelid retractor
according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the eyelid retractor.
Figure 3 is an end view of the eyelid retractor.
Figure 4 is a~slightly enlarged perspective view of the
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eyelid retractor in eye1id retracting position on the face of a
patient showin~ a pre-use shape thereof in phantom.
Figore 5 is a side elevational view of the eyelid
retractor.
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As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention
are disclosed herein; however, it is to be unders~ood that the
disclosed e~bodiments are merely exe~plary of the invention
which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific
structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be
interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims
and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the
art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any
appropriately detailed structure.
The reference numeral 1 generally designates a speculum or
eyelid retractor according to the present invention.
The retractor 1 comprises a circuitous structural member or ;
loop 2 having a relatively smooth surface and having a nose or
bridge portion 3, a pair of blade portions A and S and handle
portion 6. The bridge portion 3 is generally arcuate and
interconnects one end of each of the blade portions 4 and 5.
The handle portion 6 is generally arcuate or U-shaped and
interconnects a second end of the blade portions 4 and 5. The
handle portion 6 has legs or sides 7 and 8
The illustrated retractor 1 has a pre-use configuration as
shown in Fi~s. 1, 2, 3 and 5 wherein the bridge portion 3 and
handle portion 6 are substantially planar. The retractor 1 also
has an eyelid retracting cohfiguration, as shown in Fig. ~,
wherein the retractor 1 Is formed or bent to conform to the face
10 o the patient and, in particular, the handle portion 6 is
bent to rest on or hug the surface of the face 10 of the patient
; laterally or toward the ear on the same side of the face 10 ;~
associated with an eye 11 and pair of eyelids 12 and 13 which
are subject to surgery or other operation re~uiring that the
30 eyelids 12 and 13 be in a non-covering position, as seen in
Fig. 4, relative to the eye 11.
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The hlade portions 4 and 5 comprise an eyelid edge engaging
and restrainin~ means or members, such as illustratec~ blades 15
and 16 respectively, depending from the loop 2. Each blade 15
and 16 is attached to the loop 2 at one end thereof. From the
ends 17 and lS the blades 15 and 16 respectively bend toward one
another, then circle back in opposed relationship to one another
to second ends 21 and 22 respectively thereof. Each of the
blades 15 and 16 thus form or define a U- or V-shaped notch or
cradle which enqages one edge of an associated eyelid 12 and 13
respectively in opposed fashion when the retractor 1 is in the
eyelid retracting configuration.
Preferably, the blades 15 and 16 are integrated within the
loop 2 such that the retractor 1 is formed from one generally
endless strip or wire. The illustrated loop 2 is a single wire
25 joined at a center of the handle portion 6 by a sleeve or
connector member 26. The loop also includes slight indentations
or juts 28 and 29 on the side of each blade 15 and 16
respectively associated with the bridcle portion 3 and similiar
indentations or juts 30 and 31 on the side of each blade 15 and
20 16 respectively associated with the handle portion 6, which juts
28, 79, 30 and 31 facilitate bending or manipulation of the
retractor in the horizontal plane associated with the pre-use
configuration thereof. ~ -
The retractor is preferably constructed of material which
s sufficiently malleable;so~as to allow a surgeon or other
person adjusting the retractor 1 to manually bend or
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inelastically deform the retractor 1 with relative ease into a
i desirsd shape to conform to particular features of a patient.
In particular, the blade portions 4 and 5 are malleable so as to~
30 allow the blades 15 and 16 to be spaced and~or rotated rslstivs
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to one another so as to provide optimum position of the eyelids
of the particular patient during surgery. Also the bridge
portion 3 and handle portion ~ are suitably malleable such that
the retractor may be bent to rest on or hug the face 10 of the
patient and present a low profile relative thereto. The
retractor 1 also is characterized by bein~ sufficiently stiff or
resîlient so as to substantially maintain the shape thereof when
formed into the eyelid retracting configuration, especially as
related to pressure exertecl thereon by the eyelids 12 and 13
when the eyelids are attempting to close. This resiliency is
preferably naturally inherent in the material of construction o
the retractor 1 and not induced by a spring or the like. While
it is foreseen that many materials compatible with surgery
requirements would fit such ~lalleable yet resilient
characteristics, it has been found that 302 stainless steel wire
oE 0.0~5 inch diameter and having a tensile rating of between
80,000 and 120,000 pounds per square inch will work very
satisfactorily for this purpose.
In use, a surgeon or other suitable party normally first
sterilizes the retrac~or in the pre-use configuration of Fig.
1. When necessary, the blades 15 and 16 are rotated relative to
each other to conform to the desired angle of engage~ent with
the eyelids 12 and 13 respectively. The handle portion sides 7
and 8 are then pinched or urged toward one another by applying
pressure thereto from the thumb and forefinger until blade ends
21 and 22 will slip or pass under the eyelids 12 and 13
respectively associated therewith.
The pressure is then reversed on the handle portion sides 7
and 8 until the eyelids 12 and 13 are satisfactorily spaced or
separated such that the eye 11 is not covered thereby and such
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that the eyelicls 12 and 13 are not unnecessarily biased apart so
as to cause ptosis. Pressure is released from the sides 7 and 8
which substantially retain the position thereof when released.
The retractor 1 is then held in both hands as the brid~e portion
5 and handle portion ~ are urged or bent to conform to and rest
on the structure of the face ln, thereby tending to support and
stabilize the retractor 1. The modulus of elasticity of the
retractor 1 is such that the surgeon's manual pressure
inelastically deformed same but the lesser pressure exerted by
10 the eyelids 12 and 13 is unable to substantially deform same,
thus the eyelids 12 and 13 are retained in desired operating
positions thereof.
Upon completion of the operation, the sides 7 an(l 8 are
again urged toyether until the blades 15 and 16 are free to
readily slide past the eyelids 12 and 13 respectively after
wllich the retractor 1 is raised from the face 10. The retractor
1 may be reshaped and reused or discarded accordin~ ~o the
preference of the user.
It is noted that while the present invention has been
20 described in use as an eyelid retractor, such a retractor could
be equival-ently utilized for other similar medical purposes.
It is to be understood that while certain emboc~iments of
the present invention have been illustrated and described, it is
;~ not to be limited to the specific forms`or arrangement of parts
herein described and shown.
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