Surgical syringe holder

Abstract

The present invention provides a medical device holder for holding a surgical device, such as a surgical syringe, in a relatively fixed position. In one embodiment, the device includes a hollow elongate member having a first end, a second end, and an inner lumen extending therebetween for receiving a medical device. First and second end cap members, each having a central opening formed therein for receiving a portion of the medical device, are removably mated to the first and second ends of the elongate member. In use, the end cap members are effective to retain the medical device within the hollow elongate member. In another embodiment, a medical device holder is provided having first and second members, each member including at least one grasping member for engaging and support a medical device disposed therebetween.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A medical device holder, comprising: 
 a substantially hollow elongate member having a first, distal end, a second, proximal end, and an inner lumen extending therebetween for receiving a medical device;    at least one end cap member removably mated to at least one of the proximal and distal ends of the hollow elongate member and having a central opening formed therein having a size configured to assist in retaining at least a portion of the medical device within the inner lumen of the elongate member.    
     
     
         2 . The medical device holder of  claim 1 , further comprising a first, distal end cap member removably mated to the first, distal end of the elongate member, and a second, proximal end cap member removably mated to the second, proximal end of the elongate member.  
     
     
         3 . The medical device holder of  claim 2 , wherein the medical device is a surgical syringe and the hollow elongate member is generally cylindrical and is adapted to receive a barrel of the syringe.  
     
     
         4 . The medical device holder of  claim 3 , wherein the central opening in the first, distal end cap member has a diameter smaller than a diameter of the barrel of the syringe, and the central opening in the second, proximal end cap member has a diameter greater than a diameter of the syringe barrel.  
     
     
         5 . The medical device holder of  claim 3 , wherein the central opening in the first, distal end cap member and the central opening in the second, proximal end cap member each have substantially the same diameter, and wherein the diameter is greater than a diameter of the barrel of the syringe.  
     
     
         6 . The medical device holder of  claim 3 , further comprising a gripping member disposed between at least one of the first and second end cap members and the first and second ends of the hollow elongate member, the gripping member being effective to grip a portion of the barrel of the syringe to hinder movement of the syringe with respect to the hollow elongate member.  
     
     
         7 . The medical device holder of  claim 6 , wherein the gripping member comprises an o-ring.  
     
     
         8 . The medical device holder of  claim 2 , wherein the device further includes a mating element for removably mating the first and second end cap members to the hollow elongate member.  
     
     
         9 . The medical device holder of  claim 8 , wherein the mating element comprises at least one threaded member formed on an inner surface of the first and second end cap members, and at least one corresponding threaded member formed on an outer surface of the first and second ends of the hollow elongate member.  
     
     
         10 . The medical device holder of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second end cap members are removably mated to the hollow elongate member by an interference fit.  
     
     
         11 . The medical device holder of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second end cap members are removably mated to the hollow elongate member by a positive mechanical engagement.  
     
     
         12 . The medical device holder of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow elongate member includes a connecting element adapted to mate to a surgical supporting device.  
     
     
         13 . A medical device holding system, comprising: 
 a medical device holder having 
 a substantially hollow elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an inner lumen extending therebetween;  
 proximal and distal end cap members removably mated to the proximal and distal ends of the hollow elongate member, the distal end cap member being effective to retain a portion of a medical device within the hollow elongate member; and  
   a medical device removably disposed within the inner lumen of the hollow elongate member.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the proximal and distal end cap members each include a central opening extending therethrough for receiving a portion of the medical instrument.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the hollow elongate member has a generally cylindrical shape.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the medical device comprises a surgical syringe having a barrel disposed within the inner lumen of the hollow elongate member and through the central opening in the proximal end cap member, a needle extending from a distal end of the barrel and through the central opening in the distal end cap member, and a plunger extending from the proximal end of the barrel.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the central opening in the distal end cap member has a diameter smaller than a diameter of the syringe barrel, and wherein the central opening in the proximal end cap member has a diameter greater than a diameter of the syringe barrel.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the central opening in the distal end cap member and the central opening in the proximal end cap member each have substantially the same diameter, and wherein the diameter is greater than a diameter of the syringe barrel.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the hollow elongate member has a length extending between the proximal and distal ends that is less than a length of the barrel of the surgical syringe such that the syringe is slidably disposed and movable within the inner lumen of the hollow elongate member.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the hollow elongate member includes a connector element adapted to mate to a rigid surgical retractor arm.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one compressible member disposed between at least one of the proximal and distal end cap members and the proximal and distal ends of the hollow elongate member, the at least one compressible member being adapted to grip the barrel of the surgical syringe and hinder movement thereof within the inner lumen of the hollow elongate member.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the hollow elongate member includes a connector element adapted to mate to a flexible surgical retractor arm.  
     
     
         23 . A medical device holder, comprising: 
 a substantially hollow elongate member having a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending therebetween defined by an inner lumen wall;    a compressible gripping member disposed over at least a portion of the inner lumen wall, the gripping member being effective to effectively reduce an inner diameter of the lumen; and    is a connector element disposed on at least a portion of an outer wall of the elongate member, the connector element being effective to mate the elongate member to a support member.    
     
     
         24 . The medical device holder of  claim 23 , wherein the gripping member comprises an o-ring.  
     
     
         25 . The medical device holder of  claim 23 , wherein the gripping member comprises a compressible sleeve.  
     
     
         26 . The medical device holder of  claim 23 , wherein the gripping member is compressible between a first inner diameter when no medical device is disposed within the lumen of the elongate member, and a second, larger inner diameter when a medical device having an outer diameter greater than the first diameter is disposed within the inner lumen of the elongate member.  
     
     
         27 . A medical device holder, comprising: 
 a first member having a generally elongate extension having first and second ends, and at least one grasping member mated to the generally elongate extension;    a second member opposed to the first member and having a generally elongate extension having first and second ends, and at least one grasping member mated to the generally elongate extension; and    a mating element formed on at least one of the first and second members for pivotally mating the first member with respect to the second member such that the first and second members are pivotally movable between a first, open position and a second, closed position in which the at least one grasping member of the first and second members are adapted to engage and support a medical device.    
     
     
         28 . The medical device holder of  claim 27 , wherein the generally elongate extension of each of the first and second members include an upper grasping member mated to the first end of the elongate extension and a lower grasping member mated to the second end of the elongate extension.  
     
     
         29 . The medical device holder of  claim 27 , wherein at least one of the first and second members includes an actuating member for effecting movement of the first and second members with respect to each other.  
     
     
         30 . The medical device holder of  claim 29 , wherein the actuating member comprises opposed first and second handles mated to the first and second members, and wherein a compressive force applied to bring the first and second handles in contact with each other causes opening of the first and second members.  
     
     
         31 . The medical device holder of  claim 27 , wherein the mating element further includes a biasing element for biasing the first and second members to one of the open or closed positions.  
     
     
         32 . The medical device holder of  claim 31 , wherein the first and second members are biased to the second, closed position.  
     
     
         33 . The medical device holder of  claim 27 , wherein the device further includes a locking element effective to lock the first and second members in one of the open or closed positions.  
     
     
         34 . The medical device holder of  claim 28 , wherein each of the upper and lower grasping members of each of the first and second members comprise a generally semi-cylindrical member adapted to grasp a generally cylindrical medical device.  
     
     
         35 . The medical device holder of  claim 34 , wherein the upper and lower grasping members of each of the first and second members further include a resilient surface disposed on an inner, gripping surface of the grasping members.  
     
     
         36 . The medical device holder of  claim 34 , wherein the upper and lower grasping members of each of the first and second members further include a high friction surface disposed on an inner, gripping surface of the grasping members.  
     
     
         37 . The medical device holder of  claim 27 , wherein each generally elongate extension of the first and second members includes an outwardly extending portion having a bore disposed therethrough, and wherein the mating element comprises a pin member removably disposed through each bore in the first and second members.  
     
     
         38 . The medical device holder of  claim 37 , wherein the pin member includes a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having a diameter larger than a diameter of the bore of each of the first and second members to prevent the proximal end of the pin member from extending through each bore.  
     
     
         39 . The medical device holder of  claim 38 , wherein the distal end of the pin member is adapted to mate to a support member.  
     
     
         40 . The medical device holder of  claim 38 , wherein the distal end of the pin member includes a groove formed therein and adapted to mate with a retaining ring to prevent the pin member from being removed from the bore formed in each of the first and second members.  
     
     
         41 . The medical device of  claim 39 , wherein the distal end of the pin member includes a locking element effective to lock the first and second members in one of the open or closed positions.  
     
     
         42 . The medical device holder of  claim 41 , wherein the locking element comprises at least one thread formed on an outer surface of the distal end of the pin member, the at least one thread being configured to mate with at least one complementary thread formed on an inner surface of a bore formed in the support member.