Precision knife for micro-surgery - has transparent gem-stone blade illuminated from within by laser channelled by optical fibre in handle

摘要

Gem stones such as diamond, sapphire, etc. are ideal for use as blades for the knives used in microsurgery. The present knife overcomes the major disadvantages of such blades in that the outline of the blade is made visible by lighting it from within. - A light beam from a laser (5) is channelled through the centre of the handle (3) by an optical fibre (4) which ends near the rear edge of the blade (1). A lens (2) is used to spread the beam, so that it illuminates the whole of the blade. An alternative version of the knife has a depth of cut adjustment near the blade tip. The adjustment has a scale illuminated by the light within the blade. (11pp Dwg.No.1/5)