Patent for Retractable Protection on Surgical Cutting Tools
Summary
The USPTO has granted a patent (US12582435B2) to Medtronic PS Medical, Inc. for a surgical cutting device featuring retractable protection and/or sensing capabilities. The patent covers a design that allows a shield to extend beyond the cutting tool for enhanced safety during surgical procedures.
What changed
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued patent US12582435B2, granting exclusive rights to Medtronic PS Medical, Inc. for a novel retractable protection system for powered surgical cutting devices. The invention includes a retractable shield that can be extended beyond the distal tip of the cutting tool, enhancing safety by preventing accidental contact. Some embodiments also incorporate sensors on the shield to provide feedback to a control system.
This patent grant signifies a new intellectual property protection for a specific medical device technology. While not a regulatory rule imposing obligations on other entities, it establishes a legal barrier for competitors seeking to implement similar retractable protection mechanisms in surgical cutting tools. Manufacturers and healthcare providers utilizing or developing such devices should be aware of this patent to avoid potential infringement issues.
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Mar 27, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Retractable protection and/or sensing features for powered surgical cutting devices and systems
Grant US12582435B2 Kind: B2 Mar 24, 2026
Assignee
Medtronic PS Medical, Inc.
Inventors
Michael Vu, Aayush Malla, Milton F. Barnes, John W. Kulas, Sophie A. Pervere
Abstract
A surgical cutting device includes a handle, a shaft assembly extending distally from the handle, a cutting tool extending through the shaft assembly, and a retractable shield. The retractable shield and/or the cutting tool is movable relative to the other between a retracted position, wherein a distal tip of the cutting tool extends through and distally beyond a ring (or other opening) of the retractable shield, and one or more extended positions, wherein the ring (or other portion) of the retractable shield extends distally beyond the distal tip of the cutting tool. In aspects, a sensor is disposed on a distal face of the retractable shield. In aspects, a surgical system including the surgical cutting device includes control circuitry configured to receive sensed data from the sensor and to provide an output based thereon.
CPC Classifications
A61B 17/3211 A61B 17/326 A61B 17/3209 A61B 17/3494 A61B 17/3496 A61B 17/32002 A61B 17/320016 A61B 2017/320052 A61B 2090/08021 A61B 17/1633 A61B 17/1695
Filing Date
2023-04-28
Application No.
18140895
Claims
19
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