Surgical device for performing emergency cricothyrotomies and tracheotomies

Claim 1

In a surgical instrument comprising: a pair of upper and lower handle portions, each of said handle portions having an elongated handle at one end and an extension portion at the other end, each of said extension portions having a generally semi-circular opening therethrough on one side thereof, said handle portions being independent of each other and adapted to abut against each other so that said handles extend in a direction substantially parallel to each other but spaced therefrom with said extension portions abutting against each other such that said semi-circular openings abut against each other with said openings forming a generally circular opening; each of said handle portions having a flange intermediate said handle and said extension portion, each of said flanges having an opening therethrough, said last-mentioned openings being adapted to coincide with each other to form a single opening through said flanges when said handle portions are abutted against each other as heretofore stated; a key member removably mounted in said single opening, said key member and said openings in said flanges having key means therein keying said key member within said single opening so that said key member can quickly and easily lock said handle portions together or be removable therefrom to release said handle portions from engagement with each other; and a straight needle half secured to each extension portion extending downwardly from said semi-circular opening, each of said needle halves having an inner groove terminating at their terminal ends in sharp edges, each of said grooves being aligned with its respective semi-circular opening so that, when said handle portions abut against each other as heretofor stated, said needle halves form a generally circular channel communicating at one end with the exterior of said extension portions and at the other end with said sharp edges, a semi-circular boss on each of said extension portions above said semi-circular openings therethrough and coinciding therewith, said semi-circular bosses being adapted to form a circular boss when said handle portions are in an abutting position as heretofore stated, a stylet having a straight needle at one end and a hollow tubular member at the other end holding said needle, said tubular member having an upper flange at one end and a lower flange at the other end, and a collar having an upper opening therein for receiving said upper stylet flange therethrough and a lower opening, said lower stylet flange being receivable within the lower opening of said collar and retained within said collar with said upper stylet flange extending out of the upper opening in said collar and the lower stylet flange extending out of the lower opening in said collar, said lower opening of said collar receiving said circular boss therein with said needle extending downwardly between said needle halves and said tubular member between said upper and lower flanges disposed between, and retained within, said semi-circular openings, said needle extending below the terminal ends of said needle halves when said stylet is retained between said extension portions, said needle terminating in a sharp end having a bulged portion abutting against the terminal ends of said needle halves so that fluid cannot flow between said sharp end and said terminal ends, said needle halves having cooperating means thereon adjacent said terminal ends preventing fluid flow through said needle halves when said needle is removed from between said needle halves, said cooperating means including one of said needle halves having a concave portion therein between said extension portion and said terminal end adjacent said terminal end and the other of said needle halves having a convex portion therein between said extension portion and said terminal end adjacent said terminal end, said convex portion mating with said concave portion to seal off fluid flow.