Surgical scalpel

摘要

A surgical scalpel (10) includes an elongate handle (50) that has a proximal end, a open distal end and sidewalls that define an upwardly open cavity with a bottom with an open void therein. The sidewalls each have an elongate channel therein. The scalpel (10) of the invention includes a cartridge that is removably retained within the cavity. The cartridge includes a shield (70). The cartridge has a blade holder (20) with a proximal end and a distal end mounted within the shield (70) for slidable movement between a proximal and a distal position. There is a latch (32) on the blade holder (20) for engaging the handle (50) and the shield (70) to retain releasably the blade holder (20) in the distal position and the proximal position. The scalpel (10) has a blade (12) fixedly attached to the blade holder (20) so that when the blade holder (20) is in the distal position, the blade (12) projects distally from the handle (50). When the blade holder (20) is in the proximal position, the blade (12) is within the shield (70) and the handle (50) and thus substantially protected from inadvertent exposure. <IMAGE>