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Tendon stripperRelated Patent Categories: Surgery, Instruments, Forceps, Tubular Member StripperTendon stripper description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070288055, Tendon stripper. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn..sctn. 120, 121 to, and is a divisional of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/121,747 filed on May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. ______. RELATED ART [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention is directed to orthopedic surgical devices and associated methods of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) and, more specifically, to tendon strippers and associated methods of harvesting tendons for use with MIS. [0004] 2. Brief Discussion of Related Art [0005] The human body can frequently be impaired through dysfunction of an extremity commonly caused by loss of tendon or ligament function. Although repair of the ligament or tendon can be accomplished if the injury is recognized early, delayed treatment of these types of injuries or conditions may require a tendon transfer. [0006] Tendon transfer utilizes the power and function of a normal tendon by surgically moving the tendon to another area of the body to substitute or supplement the function of an injured or diseased tendon. The surgical procedure involved with tendon transfer includes exposing both the diseased tendon and the normal tendon, as well as re-routing the origin or insertion of both tendons. A large incision is utilized with this technique to facilitate accurate placement of the transferred tendon. The tendon, once exposed, is transected under clear view of the surgeon and thereafter implanted in the desired location. Implantation may include anchoring the tendon to bone to mimic a new function, or include suturing and weaving the harvested tendon to the diseased tendon to supplement its strength. [0007] The complications associated with conventional tendon transfer include the rather large surgical incision and resulting exposure. Scarring will frequently occur after surgery in a proportionate amount to the size and length of the incision and exposure. This scarring has been known to limit the function of the newly transferred tendon by adhering to the newly transferred tendon to its surrounding structure. [0008] An exemplary tendon transfer may involve a torn tendon in the foot. The posterior tibial tendon is a critical tendon structure on the medial (inner border) side of the ankle. The ankle and foot will deviate in an outward direction as the posterior tibial posterior tibial tendon fails to function properly, thereby causing a progressive flatfoot deformity. If the posterior tibial tendon is near failure, the appropriate surgical intervention involves harvesting a neighboring tendon (flexor digitorum longus) and transferring the harvested tendon to the navicular bone to reestablish the normal function of the posterior tibial tendon. Harvesting the flexor digitorum longus tendon (as well as any other harvested tendon) generally requires extensive surgical dissection into the depths of the foot. The most common complication associated with this surgery is not the failure of the transferred tendon, but rather the pain and swelling associated with surgery around the critical veins and nerves in the foot. Thus, there is a need in the relevant art for surgical equipment and associated techniques for reducing the complications associated with tendon harvesting. INTRODUCTION TO THE INVENTION [0009] The present invention is directed to orthopedic surgical devices and associated methods of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) and, more specifically, to tendon strippers and associated methods of harvesting tendons for use with MIS. [0010] It is a first aspect of the present invention to provide a tendon stripper comprising: (a) a frame, including a cautery, that is adapted to separate surrounding tissue along a length of a tendon; (b) a handle mounted to the frame that is adapted to reposition the frame with respect to the tendon; and (c) an actuator in communication with the cautery and operative to activate the cautery, where activation of the cautery is adapted to sever the tendon. [0011] In a more detailed embodiment of the first aspect, the frame includes a distal guide adapted to at least partially circumscribe at least a portion of the tendon, where the distal guide is adapted to guide the frame along the length of the tendon. In yet another more detailed embodiment, the cautery includes an electrical cautery wire, the frame includes a housing along which the electrical cautery wire extends, the electrical cautery wire is longitudinally repositionable along a length of the housing, and the electrical cautery wire is mounted to the distal guide to at least partially circumscribe a portion of the tendon in a pre-severance position. In a further detailed embodiment, the electrical cautery wire is mounted to the actuator, and the actuator is operative to reposition the electrical cautery wire between the pre-severance position and a post-severance position, where the repositioning of the electrical cautery wire between the positions includes repositioning the electrical cautery wire along the length of the housing. In still a further detailed embodiment, the distal guide is arcuately shaped, and a distal end of the distal guide is tapered. In a more detailed embodiment, the distal guide includes a cylindrical portion, an aspect of the cylindrical portion is repositionable between an open position and a closed position, where the cylindrical portion circumscribes the tendon in the closed position and the cylindrical portion includes a latch operative to maintain the cylindrical portion in the closed position when engaged and is operative to allow the cylindrical portion to be positioned in the open position when disengaged. [0012] In yet another more detailed embodiment of the first aspect, the electrical cautery wire is mounted to the cylindrical portion, the electrical cautery wire at least partially circumferentially lines a portion of an interior wall of the cylindrical portion in a U-shaped pre-severance position, and the electrical cautery wire is displaced from the U-shaped pre-severance position to a more taught post-severance position in order to sever the tendon. In still another more detailed embodiment, the handle includes a cavity adapted to house a portable power source, and the handle includes electrical leads adapted to be in electrical communication with the portable power source and the cautery. In a further detailed embodiment, the actuator is repositionably mounted to the handle, the cautery includes an electrical cautery wire, and the actuator is mounted to the electrical cautery wire so that movement of the actuator from a first position to a second position is operative to reposition the electrical cautery wire from a pre-severance position with respect to the tendon to a post-severance position with respect to the tendon. [0013] It is a second aspect of the present invention to provide a method of stripping a tendon comprising: (a) exposing a tendon; (b) aligning a tendon stripper guide with respect to a first location to the tendon; (c) repositioning the tendon stripper guide along the tendon from the first location of the tendon to a second location of the tendon, where the act of repositioning of the tendon stripper guide is operative to separate surrounding tissue from the tendon between the first location and the second location; (d) activating a cautery to sever the tendon approximate the second location; and (e) cutting the tendon at a location other than the second location to provide a tendon segment. [0014] In a more detailed embodiment of the second aspect, the act of aligning the tendon stripper guide includes opening the tendon stripper guide to allow insertion of the tendon and thereafter closing the tendon stripper guide to circumscribe the tendon to inhibit egress of the tendon in a radial direction. In yet another more detailed embodiment, the act of aligning the tendon stripper guide includes aligning the tendon stripper guide with respect to a tendon connected to bodily tissue at each end. In a further detailed embodiment, the act of aligning the tendon stripper guide includes providing a direct line of sight to the first location, and the act of repositioning the tendon stripper guide along the tendon includes discontinuing the direct line of sight prior to reaching the second location. In still a further detailed embodiment, the act of aligning the tendon stripper guide includes providing a direct line of sight to the first location, and the act of repositioning the tendon stripper guide along the tendon includes discontinuing the direct line of sight prior to reaching the second location. In a more detailed embodiment, the act of activating the cautery includes repositioning an actuator to provide electrical communication with a power source to energize the cautery. [0015] In yet another more detailed embodiment of the second aspect, the cautery includes an electrical wire cautery, the electrical wire cautery is operatively coupled to the actuator, and the act of repositioning the actuator is operative to reposition the electrical wire cautery from a pre-severance position to a post-severance position. In still another more detailed embodiment, the cautery is mounted to an interior surface of the tendon stripper guide that at least partially circumscribes the tendon, and the tendon stripper guide is operative to inhibit destruction of the surrounding tissue when the cautery is activated. [0016] It is a third aspect of the present invention to provide a method of stripping a tendon comprising: (a) exposing a tendon; (b) aligning a tendon stripper guide with respect to a first location to the tendon; (c) repositioning the tendon stripper guide along the tendon from the first location of the tendon to a second location of the tendon, where the act of repositioning of the tendon stripper guide is operative to separate surrounding tissue from the tendon between the first location and the second location; (d) tensioning a cutting wire to sever the tendon approximate the second location; and (e) cutting the tendon at a location other than the second location to provide a tendon segment. [0017] The aforementioned aspects should not be considered a completely inclusive summary of the present invention. Reference is had to the Detailed Description for a more accurate and inclusive understanding of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1 is an overhead view of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [0019] FIG. 2 is a left side perspective view of the first exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, shown with a cut-away view of the exemplary handle; [0020] FIG. 3 is a frontal elevated perspective view of the first exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1; Continue reading about Tendon stripper... Full patent description for Tendon stripper Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Tendon stripper patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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