Tendon stripper

Abstract

The invention includes a tendon stripper comprising: (a) a frame, including a cautery, that is adapted to separate surrounding tissue along a length of a tendon; (b) a handle mounted to the frame that is adapted to reposition the frame with respect to the tendon; and (c) an actuator in communication with the cautery and operative to activate the cautery, where activation of the cautery is adapted to sever the tendon. The invention also includes a method of stripping a tendon comprising: (a) exposing a tendon; (b) aligning a tendon stripper guide with respect to a first location to the tendon; (c) repositioning the tendon stripper guide along the tendon from the first location of the tendon to a second location of the tendon, where the act of repositioning of the tendon stripper guide is operative to separate surrounding tissue from the tendon between the first location and the second location; (d) activating a cautery to sever the tendon approximate the second location; and (e) cutting the tendon at a location other than the second location to provide a tendon segment.

1 . A tendon stripper comprising: 
 a frame, including a cautery, that is adapted to separate surrounding tissue along a length of a tendon;    a handle mounted to the frame that is adapted to reposition the frame with respect to the tendon; and    an actuator in communication with the cautery and operative to activate the cautery, where activation of the cautery is adapted to sever the tendon.    
     
     
         2 . The tendon stripper of  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a distal guide adapted to at least partially circumscribe at least a portion of the tendon, where the distal guide is adapted to guide the frame along the length of the tendon.  
     
     
         3 . The tendon stripper of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the cautery includes an electrical cautery wire;    the frame includes a housing along which the electrical cautery wire extends, the electrical cautery wire is adapted to be longitudinally repositionable along a length of the housing; and    the electrical cautery wire is mounted to the distal guide to at least partially circumscribe a portion of the tendon in a pre-severance position.    
     
     
         4 . The tendon stripper of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the electrical cautery wire is mounted to the actuator; and    the actuator is operative to reposition the electrical cautery wire between the pre-severance position and a post-severance position, the repositioning of the electrical cautery wire between the positions includes repositioning the electrical cautery wire along the length of the housing.    
     
     
         5 . The tendon stripper of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the distal guide is arcuately shaped; and    a distal end of the distal guide is tapered.    
     
     
         6 . The tendon stripper of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the distal guide includes a cylindrical portion;    an aspect of the cylindrical portion is repositionable between an open position and a closed position, where the cylindrical portion circumscribes the tendon in the closed position; and    the cylindrical portion includes a latch operative to maintain the cylindrical portion in the closed position when engaged, and operative to allow the cylindrical portion to be positioned in the open position when disengaged.    
     
     
         7 . The tendon stripper of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the electrical cautery wire is mounted to the cylindrical portion;    the electrical cautery wire at least partially circumferentially lines a portion of an interior wall of the cylindrical portion in a U-shaped pre-severance position; and    the electrical cautery wire is displaced from the U-shaped pre-severance position to a more taught post-severance position in order to sever the tendon.    
     
     
         8 . The tendon stripper of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the handle includes a cavity adapted to house a portable power source; and    the handle includes electrical leads adapted to be in electrical communication with the portable power source and the cautery.    
     
     
         9 . The tendon stripper of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the actuator is repositionably mounted to the handle;    the cautery includes an electrical cautery wire; and    the actuator is mounted to the electrical cautery wire so that movement of the actuator from a first position to a second position is operative to reposition the electrical cautery wire from a pre-severance position with respect to the tendon to a post-severance position with respect to the tendon.