Granted Patent B2

US 12,471,944 · App. 18/651,733 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Inventor: Ira Lown (Austin, TX)

Assignee: EDGE INSTRUMENTS, LLC

A61B17/320036

Abstract

Claims (101)

1 . An apparatus comprising:

a first shaft including a first shaft proximal end, a first shaft distal end, and a first shaft long axis extending through the first shaft proximal and distal ends, wherein the first shaft distal end comprises a raised edge that extends away from the first shaft long axis;

a handle coupled to the first shaft proximal end;

a second shaft included within the first shaft;

an aperture included within a sidewall of the first shaft; and

a blade coupled to the second shaft, the blade to project outwards, away from the first shaft long axis, when at least a portion of the blade is moved distally by the second shaft;

wherein: (a) the raised edge includes proximal and distal walls, (b) the proximal wall of the raised edge is distal to the handle and proximal to the distal wall of the raised edge, and (c) the proximal wall of the raised edge is configured to contact tissue when the raised edge contacts the tissue and the handle is moved proximally;

wherein: (a) the raised edge includes a first lateral edge portion, a second lateral edge portion, and a middle edge portion coupling the first and second lateral edge portions to each other; and (b) the first and second lateral edge portions are both proximal to the middle edge portion.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

at least one of the first lateral edge portion, the second lateral edge portion, or the middle edge portion includes a top exposed surface that projects at an acute angle with respect to the first shaft long axis;

the acute angle is greater than 20 degrees; and

the acute angle and an obtuse angle are supplementary angles with one another; and

the obtuse angle is proximal to the acute angle.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

the acute angle is less than 40 degrees; and

the first shaft includes an interior chamber that includes the second shaft.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

the raised edge includes a pointed tip formed by the proximal and distal walls of the raised edge;

the pointed tip is at least partially defined by a junction between the proximal and distal walls of the raised edge;

an additional axis traverses the pointed tip and bisects a distance between the proximal and distal walls of the raised edge;

the additional axis projects at an additional acute angle with respect to the first shaft long axis;

the additional acute angle is greater than the acute angle;

the additional acute angle and an additional obtuse angle are supplementary angles with one another; and

the additional obtuse angle is proximal to the additional acute angle.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the first lateral edge portion extends a first radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the first radial distance being a maximum distance the first lateral edge portion extends from the first shaft long axis;

the second lateral edge portion extends a second radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the second radial distance being a maximum distance the second lateral edge portion extends from the first shaft long axis;

the middle edge portion extends a third radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the third radial distance being a maximum distance the middle edge portion extends from the first shaft long axis;

the first, second, and third radial distances are orthogonal to the first shaft long axis; and

the third radial distance is greater than the first radial distance and the third radial distance is greater than the second radial distance.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

an outer surface of the sidewall of the first shaft is a fourth radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the fourth radial distance being a maximum distance the outer surface of the sidewall of the first shaft extends from the first shaft long axis;

the blade, when fully deployed, extends a fifth radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the fifth radial distance being a maximum distance the fully deployed blade extends from the first shaft long axis;

the fourth and fifth radial distances are orthogonal to the first shaft long axis; and

the third radial distance is greater than the fourth radial distance and the third radial distance is less than the fifth radial distance.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the raised edge includes a maximum thickness between the proximal and distal walls of the raised edge;

the maximum thickness, which is parallel to the first shaft long axis, is less than 0.03 inches; and

the aperture directly interfaces at least one of the proximal or distal walls of the raised edge.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the raised edge is curvilinear.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the raised edge includes a maximum thickness between the proximal and distal walls of the raised edge;

the maximum thickness, which is parallel to the first shaft long axis, is less than 0.03 inches;

the aperture directly interfaces at least one of the proximal or distal walls of the raised edge; and

an axis parallel to the first shaft long axis intersects the raised edge but does not intersect the first shaft.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

an outer surface of the sidewall of the first shaft is a first radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the first radial distance being a maximum distance the outer surface of the sidewall of the first shaft extends from the first shaft long axis;

the middle edge portion includes a location with a second radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the second radial distance being a maximum distance the middle edge portion extends from the first shaft long axis;

the blade, when fully deployed, extends a third radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the third radial distance being a maximum distance the blade extends from the first shaft long axis when the blade is fully deployed;

the first, second, and third radial distances are orthogonal to the first shaft long axis;

the second radial distance is greater than the first radial distance and less than the third radial distance.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein proximal-most locations of the first and second lateral edge portions contact the first shaft proximal to where a proximal-most location of the middle edge portion contacts the first shaft.

12 . An apparatus comprising:

a first shaft including a first shaft proximal end, a first shaft distal end, and a first shaft long axis, wherein the first shaft distal end comprises a raised edge that extends away from the first shaft long axis;

a second shaft included within the first shaft;

a blade coupled to the second shaft;

wherein (a) the raised edge includes a first lateral edge portion, a second lateral edge portion, and a middle edge portion that couples the first and second lateral edge portions to each other; and (b) the first and second lateral edge portions are both proximal to the middle edge portion;

wherein (a) the raised edge includes a thickness between first and second walls of the raised edge; (b) the thickness is parallel to the first shaft long axis; (c) the first wall of the raised edge is between the first shaft proximal end and the second wall of the raised edge; and (d) the first wall of the raised edge is arranged to contact tissue when the raised edge contacts the tissue and the first shaft proximal end is moved proximally.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:

the first lateral edge portion extends a first radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the first radial distance being a maximum distance the first lateral edge portion extends from the first shaft long axis;

the second lateral edge portion extends a second radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the second radial distance being a maximum distance the second lateral edge portion extends from the first shaft long axis;

the middle edge portion extends a third radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the third radial distance being a maximum distance the middle edge portion extends from the first shaft long axis;

an outer surface of a sidewall of the first shaft is a fourth radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the fourth radial distance being a maximum distance the outer surface of the sidewall of the first shaft extends from the first shaft long axis;

the blade, when fully deployed, extends a fifth radial distance from the first shaft long axis, the fifth radial distance being a maximum distance the blade extends from the first shaft long axis when the blade is fully deployed;

the first, second, third, fourth and fifth radial distances are orthogonal to the first shaft long axis;

the third radial distance is greater than each of the first, second, and fourth radial distances; and

the third radial distance is less than the fifth radial distance.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:

the thickness is less than 0.03 inches;

at least one of the first lateral edge portion, the second lateral edge portion, or the middle edge portion includes a top exposed surface that projects at an acute angle that is greater than 20 degrees with respect to the first shaft long axis;

the acute angle and an obtuse angle are supplementary angles with one another; and

the obtuse angle is proximal to the acute angle.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:

the raised edge includes a pointed tip formed by a junction of the first and second walls of the raised edge;

an additional axis traverses the pointed tip and bisects a distance between the first and second walls of the raised edge;

the additional axis projects at an additional acute angle with respect to the first shaft long axis;

the additional acute angle is greater than 20 degrees;

the additional acute angle and an additional obtuse angle are supplementary angles with one another; and

the additional obtuse angle is proximal to the additional acute angle.

16 . The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first shaft distal end includes an arcuate surface that is curvilinear in first and second planes that are orthogonal to each other.

17 . A method comprising:

creating an incision within a patient;

inserting, through the incision, an apparatus comprising: (a) a first shaft including a first shaft proximal end, a first shaft distal end, and a first shaft long axis, wherein the first shaft distal end comprises a raised edge; (b) a second shaft included within the first shaft; and (c) a blade coupled to a distal end of the second shaft;

wherein: (a) an axis parallel to the first shaft long axis intersects the raised edge but does not intersect the first shaft, (b) the raised edge includes a first lateral edge portion, a second lateral edge portion, and a middle edge portion between the first and second lateral edge portions; and (c) the first and second lateral edge portions are both proximal to the middle edge portion;

wherein: (a) the raised edge includes a thickness between first and second sidewalls of the raised edge; (b) the thickness is parallel to the first shaft long axis; (c) the first sidewall is between the first shaft proximal end and the second sidewall; and (d) the first sidewall is arranged to contact tissue when the raised edge contacts the tissue and the first shaft proximal end is moved proximally;

dragging the raised edge along a ligament;

in response to dragging the raised edge along a ligament, deploying the blade outwards away from the first shaft and towards the ligament; and

cutting the ligament with the blade.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein:

the thickness is less than 0.03 inches;

at least one of the first lateral edge portion, the second lateral edge portion, or the middle edge portion includes a top exposed surface that projects at an acute angle that is greater than 20 degrees with respect to the first shaft long axis;

the acute angle and an obtuse angle are supplementary angles with one another; and

the obtuse angle is proximal to the acute angle.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein:

the raised edge includes a pointed tip formed by a junction of the first and second sidewalls of the raised edge;

an additional axis traverses the pointed tip and bisects a distance between the first and second sidewalls of the raised edge;

the additional axis projects at an additional acute angle with respect to the first shaft long axis;

the additional acute angle is greater than 20 degrees;

the additional acute angle and an additional obtuse angle are supplementary angles with one another; and

the additional obtuse angle is proximal to the additional acute angle.

20 . The method of claim 17 wherein the first shaft distal end includes an arcuate surface that is curvilinear in first and second planes that are orthogonal to each other.

Continuity (5)

References Cited (98)