SURGICAL INSTRUMENT INCLUDING VIEWING OPTICS AND AN ATRAUMATIC PROBE

摘要

A surgical instrument (10) incorporating visualizing optics is disclosed. The instrument (10) comprises a handle (26) supporting a rigid hollow shaft (12), an expanded tip (28) is located on the distal end (16) of the shaft (12) providing a surface that will not tear or easily penetrate tissue. A fiber-optic assembly (32), containing at least one illumination transmitting fiber (38), a plurality of image carrying fibers (36) and an objective lens (50) mounted near the distal end of the image fibers (36) runs the length of the shaft (12). The objective lens (50) is positioned relative to an opening (48) in the tip (28) allowing viewing. Light for illuminating the surgical site passes through one or more illumination fibers (38) and through the opening (48) in the tip (28) of the probe. Light reflected from the tissue at the tip (28) of the probe is focused onto the distal face of the image bundle (36) by an objective lens (50) and is then transmitted to the proximal end of the image bundle (36). Connectors (42, 44) on the proximal ends of the illumination fibers (38) and image fibers (36) facilitate their being coupled to an illumination source and a viewing device.