A surgical retractor according to the invention comprises a straight shaft, a blade and means for pivotally connecting the blade to the shaft with the blade oriented perpendicularly to the shaft and being free to turn about an axis perpendicular to the shaft. The retractor may further comprise means for telescopically adjusting the length of the shaft and releasably fixing the shaft at the adjusted length. A sole may be formed on the free extremity of the blade most remote from the pivotal conne...

A surgical instrument tray which may be used for protectively holding surgical instruments during sterilization and storing thereof as well as for so holding the instruments for ready accessibility thereto during an operation, the tray embodying a plurality of compartments which may be programmed as to size and location for holding complete sets of instruments therein in the order of use of the individual instruments during a particular type of surgical procedure, with the compartments embodied ...

A supportive wrapping for a surgical support or orthopedic cast is produced by providing a bandage material which is impregnated or coated with a molten polyurethane polymer that is crystallizable in a predetermined, delayed time period at room temperatures or at temperatures tolerable to human skin and permitting the polyurethane polymer to crystallize on the bandage material to form a strong, supportive, self adhered wrapping while standing at or cooling to room temperature.

Surgical apparatus to ligature sectioned blood vessels automatically comprising a tubular body provided with two angularly offset longitudinal grooves, a tubular spindle fitted within the body and adapted to carry two or more suture-holding cartridges, one end of the spindle being adapted for connection to a vacuum source, and a spring on the spindle to urge the cartridges to the opposite end of the spindle, the cartridges include two relatively rotatable members which have studs adapted to be g...

Anastomosis of hollow viscera is effected interlumenally by a surgical stapler. The stapler includes an ovoid-shaped staple head and an ovoid-shaped anvil which are mounted on the distal ends of an open ring support structure, the major part of which extends between the head and the anvil externally of the viscera. The staple head includes an ovoid-shaped tensor ring, an ovoid-shaped cutting blade and double ovoid-shaped rows of staple drivers. Closing of the instrument's handle grips moves the ...

A surgical clip, particularly adapted to produce necrosis in Fallopian tube tissue, consists of jaws hinged adjacent one end and a U-shaped spring which holds the jaws open in one position and exerts a closing pressure on the jaws in another position. When the spring is in the jaws closing position, the bridge portion thereof in conjunction with side flanges carried by one of the jaws provides a smoothly contoured hinge end thereby reducing to a minimum zones for the entrapment of tissue which m...

The invention relates to surgical instruments having particular application to the field of gynecology. The disclosure includes an inflatable packing and continuous suction device suitable for use following hysterectomy procedures to assist in normal draining while maintaining the bowel in properly elevated condition. There is also disclosed an improved trocar shield useful in performing various procedures. Both embodiments are characterized in the provision of a relatively rigid hollow tube ele...

A surgical aid for retaining displaced material in a surgical site in its displaced position. The aid consists of a wire core of aluminum or aluminum alloy or stainless steel and a covering of a suitable elastomer, such as dimethyl polysiloxane polymer, organo-metallically bonded or otherwise contiguous thereto. The aid is malleable, non-toxic and compatible with cell metabolism. It can be clamped to a retractor frame fixed relative to a surgical site and has major advantages over the use of spo...

A drape for use in surgical procedures including a sterile sheet, a generally diamond-shaped opening in the sheet, and a slot extending from a corner of the opening to an edge of the sheet. The sheet is constructed of a disposable non-woven cellulosic material and the opening and the slot have folded edges formed by reversely folded portions of the material. A reinforcing sheet having a matching diamond-shaped opening and a matching slot can be secured to the main sheet in superimposed relation....

A surgical retractor of the invention comprises a shaft, an arm connected to one end of the shaft and a blade connected to the arm. The shaft and the arm lie in the same plane. The blade has a portion extending perpendicularly to the aforementioned plane. The axis of a portion of the shaft including the other end thereof is perpendicular to and laterally offset from the aforementioned portion of the blade. The last mentioned end of the shaft is substantially spaced from the plane of the aforemen...