SURGICAL CHISEL ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USE
Embodiments of the surgical chisel assembly comprise a wedge shaped surgical chisel designed to eliminate the square shape and sharp corners from a forward edge of a chisel. One embodiment of the chisel assembly comprises a chisel body and a grip. The chisel body comprises a wedge-shaped blade portion and a handle portion. In one embodiment, the handle portion is substantially flat about two generally parallel principal surfaces and is generally shaped to be able to be comfortably held by a surgeon in their hand. The blade portion of the chisel comprises a forward edge created by a blunting of the angle of intersection of the forward edge surfaces and a curving of the forward edge along the width of the forward edge.
1 . A surgical chisel assembly comprising:
a chisel body having a wedge-shaped blade portion and a handle portion;
the blade portion having a curved and blunted forward edge; and
the handle portion having a plurality of notches whereby the chisel assembly can be frictionally engaged by a user.
2 . The surgical chisel assembly of claim 1 wherein the blade portion comprises two principal surfaces angularly offset by an angle of about 1 to 25 degrees.
3 . The surgical chisel assembly of claim 1 wherein the curved forward edge comprises a rounded forward edge surface connecting two principal surfaces of the blade portion.
4 . The surgical chisel assembly of claim 1 wherein the curved forward edge comprises two forward edge surfaces angularly offset by an angle of about 10 to 100 degrees and a forward edge tip surface connecting the two forward edge surfaces.
5 . The surgical chisel assembly of claim 1 wherein:
the curved forward edge has a width and outside corners; and
the outside corners are curved at a radius of less than about ¼ of the width.
6 . The surgical chisel assembly of claim 1 wherein the handle portion further comprises one or more grip portions connected to the handle portion of the chisel body.
7 . The surgical chisel assembly of claim 1 wherein:
the body portion is a rigid metal; and
the grip is a plastic textured material.
8 . The surgical chisel assembly of claim 1 wherein the chisel body further comprises a handle guard portion whereby the chisel assembly can be subjected to a retrograde force by applying a force to the handle guard portion.
9 . The surgical chisel assembly of claim 2 wherein:
the curved forward edge comprises two forward edge surfaces angularly offset by an angle of about 10 to 100 degrees and a forward edge tip surface connecting the two forward edge surfaces;
the curved forward edge has a width and outside corners;
the outside corners are curved at a radius of less than about ¼ of the width;
the handle portion further comprises one or more grip portions connected to the handle portion of the chisel body;
the body portion is a rigid metal;
the grip is a plastic textured material; and
the chisel body further comprises a handle guard portion whereby the chisel assembly can be subjected to a retrograde force by applying a force to the handle guard portion.
10 . A surgical chisel assembly kit comprising:
a chisel body having a wedge-shaped blade portion and a handle portion;
the blade portion having a rounded and blunted forward edge; and
the handle portion having a plurality of notches whereby the chisel assembly can be frictionally engaged by a user.
11 . The surgical chisel assembly kit according to claim 10 wherein:
the chisel body comprises a first chisel body having a blade portion with a width of about 1 inch; and
the kit further comprises a second chisel body having a blade portion with a width of about 0.5 inches.
12 . The surgical chisel assembly kit according to claim 11 further comprising a third chisel body having a blade portion having a width of about 1.5 inches.
13 . A method of wedging open a bone, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a surgical chisel assembly having two principal surfaces;
cutting across a portion of a proximal side of the bone; and
applying a force to the chisel assembly whereby a blunted forward edge of the chisel assembly fractures the bone and the two principal surfaces engage and wedges open the proximal side of the bone.
14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising a step of securing the bone in a healing position.
15 . The method of claim 13 wherein the bone further comprises a distal side and the step of applying a force to the chisel assembly further comprises penetrating a layer of hard cortical bone on the bone proximal and distal side but not penetrating a layer of periosteum on the distal side of the bone.
16 . The method of claim 13 wherein the blunted forward edge does not cut the layer of periosteum on the distal side of the bone or a layer of one or more tissues around the bone.