Magnetic surgical/oral retractor

Abstract

A magnetic oral retractor assembly for distending the cheek of a patient undergoing an oral dental/surgical procedure comprises a gripper element mounted to a support structure external of the patient's oral cavity and an intraoral retractor device for contacting the inner surface of the patient's cheek. The gripper element and the retractor device each include a magnetic member, at least one magnetic member being a magnet and the other being either another magnet or a non-magnetized magnetically permeable member. The magnetic members are positioned on the gripper element and the retractor device for magnetically coupling the gripper element to the retractor device through the patient's cheek. The invention has application in surgical procedures to secure patient tissue magnetically in place during surgical procedures or to distend an opening in a patient's body wall during an open surgical procedure.

1 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly for distending the cheek of a patient undergoing an oral dental/surgical procedure, the apparatus comprising: 
 a gripper element mounted to a support structure external of the patient's oral cavity;    an intraoral retractor device for contacting the inner surface of the patient's cheek;    wherein said gripper element and said retractor device each include a magnetic member, at least one of said magnetic members comprising a first magnet, and the other of said magnetic members comprising a second magnet or a non-magnetized magnetically permeable member, said magnetic members being positioned on said gripper element and said retractor device for magnetically coupling said gripper element to said retractor device through the patient's cheek.    
   
   
       2 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein said gripper element includes a movable mounting arm having said gripper element at a distal end thereof, with a proximal end of said mounting arm being attached to said support structure.  
   
   
       3 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 2 , wherein said gripper element magnetic member is a magnet and said retractor device magnetic member is a non-magnetized magnetically permeable element.  
   
   
       4 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 2 , further comprising a lip holder including a lip clamp for grasping the patient's lip, said clamp being mounted at a distal end of an adjustable arm with a proximal end attached to said support structure.  
   
   
       5 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 at least two said gripper elements, each of which is mounted on a distal end of a separate mounting arm, said mounting arms having their proximal ends adapted to be removably attached to said support structure for use with opposite sides of the patient's oral cavity; and    at least four said lip holders, each of which is mounted at the distal end of a separate said adjustable arm with said proximal end thereof adapted to be removably attached to said support structure, wherein pairs of said lip holders are disposed for use with an associated said gripper element to hold the upper and lower lips on opposite sides of the patient's oral cavity.    
   
   
       6 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 5 , wherein said support structure includes a headrest of a dental chair.  
   
   
       7 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 6 , wherein said support structure includes a bracket with connectors for removably mounting said proximal ends of said mounting arms and said adjustable arms.  
   
   
       8 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 7 , wherein said bracket comprises a left-hand component for mounting at least one said mounting arm and two said adjustable arms and a right-hand component for mounting at least one said mounting arm and two said adjustable arms.  
   
   
       9 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 7 , wherein said bracket is removably mounted to said headrest.  
   
   
       10 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein said gripper element magnetic member is an electromagnet.  
   
   
       11 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein said intraoral retractor device comprises at least one of a magnetically permeable material coated with a compliant biocompatible material and a compliant hollow member having magneto-rheological material therein.  
   
   
       12 . A magnetic oral retractor assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein said intraoral retractor device includes lighting elements for illuminating an area within the patient's oral cavity.  
   
   
       13 . A magnetic surgical retractor assembly for securing a tissue of a patient undergoing a medical procedure, the assembly comprising: 
 a gripper element; and    a retractor device for engaging a portion of the tissue;    wherein said gripper element and said retractor device each include a magnetic member, at least one of said magnetic members comprising a first magnet, and the other of said magnetic members comprising a second magnet or a non-magnetized magnetically permeable member, said magnetic members being positioned on said gripper element and said retractor device for magnetically coupling said gripper element to said retractor device to enable said gripper element to exert a force on said retractor device to manipulate the tissue.    
   
   
       14 . A magnetic surgical retractor assembly as in  claim 13 , wherein said retractor device is adapted for placement within a lumen of a hollow organ or a space within a tissue so that said gripper element interacts magnetically with said retractor device through a wall of the organ or a tissue interface.  
   
   
       15 . A magnetic surgical retractor assembly as in  claim 14 , wherein only one of said magnetic members is a magnet.  
   
   
       16 . A magnetic surgical retractor as in  claim 13 , wherein said gripper element and said retractor device are adapted to interact magnetically with each other across a tissue boundary within the body cavity.  
   
   
       17 . A magnetic surgical retractor device as in  claim 13 , wherein said gripper element includes structure for extending through a body wall of the patient for securing the organ or tissue within the body cavity at a location spaced from the body wall.  
   
   
       18 . A magnetic surgical retractor assembly as in  claim 13 , wherein said gripper element magnetic member and said retractor device are adapted to interact magnetically through a body wall of the patient.  
   
   
       19 . A magnetic surgical retractor assembly as in  claim 13 , wherein said retractor device comprises at least one of a magnetically permeable material coated with a compliant biocompatible material and a compliant hollow member having magneto-rheological material therein.  
   
   
       20 . A magnetic surgical retractor assembly as in  claim 13 , wherein said retractor device is a compliant surgical implement.  
   
   
       21 . A magnetic surgical retractor assembly as in  claim 20 , wherein said compliant surgical implement includes at least one of a magnet and magnetically permeable material.  
   
   
       22 . A magnetic surgical retractor assembly as in  claim 13 , wherein said retractor device includes lighting elements for illuminating an area of the patient.