Finger mounting for surgical instruments particularly useful in open and endoscopic surgery

Abstract

A finger mounting for a surgical instrument includes a sleeve dimensioned to be received on the outer end of a finger of a user. The sleeve has an open proximal end for application to the outer end of the user's finger, an open distal end for exposing the outer tip of the user's finger when mounted thereon, and an inner diameter which decreases from the proximal end to the distal end for facilitating the application of the sleeve to the user's finger. The sleeve is formed of an elastic material and with a longitudinal split along its length to permit its diameter to be increased in order to accommodate fingers of different thicknesses. The longitudinal split is defined by two opposed edges having interengaging ribs and recesses of a length in the circumferential direction to accommodate a wide range of finger thicknesses without pinching The sleeve is also integrally formed at one side with a socket for receiving a surgical instrument, such as retractor or probe having a shank received within the socket, or a pair of forceps having one arm received in the socket.

1 . A finger mounting for a surgical instrument, comprising:
 a sleeve dimensioned to be received on the outer end of a finger of a user;   said sleeve having an open proximal end for application to the outer end of the user's finger, an open distal end for exposing the outer tip of the user's finger when mounted thereon, and an inner diameter which decreases from said proximal end to said distal end for facilitating the application of the sleeve to the user's finger;   said sleeve being formed of an elastic material and with a longitudinal split along its length to permit its diameter to be increased in order to accommodate fingers of different thicknesses.   
   
   
       2 . The finger mounting according to  claim 1 , wherein said longitudinal split is defined by two opposed edges having interengaging ribs and recesses of a length in the circumferential direction to accommodate a wide range of fingers thicknesses without pinching. 
   
   
       3 . The finger mounting according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of said sleeve is formed with circumferentially-extending ribs to firmly grip the user's finger when the sleeve is applied thereto. 
   
   
       4 . The finger mounting according to  claim 1 , wherein said sleeve is made of an elastic plastic material. 
   
   
       5 . The finger mounting according to  claim 1 , wherein said sleeve is integrally formed at one side with a socket for receiving a surgical instrument. 
   
   
       6 . The finger mounting according to  claim 5 , wherein said socket includes a retainer element engageable with a retainer element on the surgical instrument for releasably retaining the surgical instrument within said socket. 
   
   
       7 . The finger mounting according to  claim 6 , wherein one of said retainer elements is a projection releasably engageable with an elastic tongue constituting the other retainer element. 
   
   
       8 . The finger mounting according to  claim 5 , wherein said sleeve in integrally formed at one side also with a pair of arms displaceable towards and away from each other to closed and open positions, respectively, for grasping and releasing objects. 
   
   
       9 . The finger mounting according to  claim 8 , wherein said pair of arms are spring-urged to a closed position but are manually displaceable to an open position. 
   
   
       10 . The finger mounting according to  claim 9 , further comprising a cam element located between the pair of arms and manually depressible to cam the two arms apart to their open positions. 
   
   
       11 . The finger mounting according to  claim 1 , wherein said sleeve is further formed with a hole therethrough for the attachment of a suture strand. 
   
   
       12 . A finger-mountable surgical instrument, including a finger mounting in accordance with  claim 5 , and a surgical instrument received in said socket formed in one side of said sleeve. 
   
   
       13 . The finger-mountable surgical instrument according to  claim 12 , wherein said surgical instrument is a retractor having a shank received in said socket. 
   
   
       14 . The finger-mountable surgical instrument according to  claim 12 , wherein said surgical instrument is a probe having a shank received in said socket. 
   
   
       15 . The finger-mountable surgical instrument according to  claim 12 , wherein said surgical instrument is a forceps having pair of arms, one of said arms being received in said socket, and the other of said arms being spaced away from said one arm but manually displaceable towards said one arm to a closed position with respect thereto for grasping an object. 
   
   
       16 . A finger-mountable surgical instrument, comprising:
 a sleeve dimensioned to be received on the outer end of a finger of a user;   and a pair of arms integrally formed at one side of said sleeve which arms are displaceable towards and away from each other to closed and open positions, respectively, for grasping and releasing objects.   
   
   
       17 . A finger-mountable surgical instrument according to  claim 16 , wherein said pair of arms are spring-urged to a closed position, but are manually displaceable to an open position by a cam element located between said pair of arms and is manually depressible to cam the two arms apart to their open positions. 
   
   
       18 . A finger-mountable surgical instrument, comprising:
 a sleeve dimensioned to be received in the outer end of a finger of a user, said sleeve being formed at one side with a socket;   and a surgical instrument received in said socket.   
   
   
       19 . The finger-mountable surgical instrument according to  claim 18 , wherein said surgical instrument is a retractor or probe having a shank received within said socket. 
   
   
       20 . The finger-mountable surgical instrument according to  claim 18 , wherein said surgical instrument is a forceps having a pair of arms, one of which is received in said socket, and the other of which is manually displaceable to closed and open positions with respect to said one arm for grasping and releasing objects.