Medical Instrument for Insertion into a Body Region of a Subject

Abstract

In one embodiment, the invention includes a medical instrument for insertion into a subject including an elongate body which includes a proximal end and a distal end, a broad face, a narrow face, a lateral side and a counter-lateral side, said faces and sides defining a trapezoid shape along the length of the elongate body. The broad and narrow faces are generally parallel to one another and the lateral and counter-lateral sides each connect between the broad and narrow faces. The distal end of the instrument includes a cutting edge and is provided for insertion into the subject, wherein an incision made in a target area of the subject results in a linear penetration in the target area. An aperture may be disposed at or near the distal end of the medical instrument.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical instrument for insertion into a subject, comprising an elongate body comprising a proximal end and a distal end, a broad face, a narrow face, a lateral side and a counter-lateral side, wherein said distal end is provided for insertion into the subject, wherein said broad and narrow faces are parallel to one another, and wherein said lateral and counter-lateral sides each connect between the broad face and narrow face, wherein a channel is disposed between the broad face, narrow face, lateral side and counter-lateral side of the medical instrument. 
     
     
         2 . The medical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral and counter-lateral sides are not parallel to one another, such that said broad face, narrow face, lateral side and counter-lateral side together form a trapezoid shape there between. 
     
     
         3 . The medical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the medical instrument is a surgical blade, a trocar, an epidural needle, or a spinal needle. 
     
     
         4 . The medical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said instrument is associated with a catheter device, a syringe, a suction device, a stylet and/or a meter. 
     
     
         5 . The medical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the channel is configured to receive one or more medical components, said medical components comprising a medication, a flat wire, a lead, a surgical instrument, and/or a microchip. 
     
     
         6 . The medical instrument of  claim 5 , wherein the channel extends from an aperture on the broad face, narrow face, lateral side or counter-lateral side of the instrument to the proximal end of the instrument. 
     
     
         7 . The medical instrument of  claim 5 , wherein the medical instrument is configured to introduce the medical components into and/or remove the medical components from the subject. 
     
     
         8 . The medical instrument of  claim 1  wherein the distal end comprises a blade portion configured to incise a target area of the subject to permit entry of the medical instrument into the target area. 
     
     
         9 . The medical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the channel extends from the distal end to the proximal end of the medical instrument. 
     
     
         10 . The medical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of at least one of the broad and narrow faces comprise a cutting edge. 
     
     
         11 . The medical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of one of the broad and narrow faces comprises a rounded edge shape, and the distal end of the other of the broad and narrow faces comprises a complimentary rounded edge shape. 
     
     
         12 . The medical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the height to width ratio of a cross-section of the elongate body ranges from 1:2 to 1:15. 
     
     
         13 . The medical instrument of  claim 12 , wherein the height to width ratio of a cross-section of the elongate body comprises 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 1:6, 1:7, 1:8, 1:9, 1:10, 1:11, 1:12, 1:13, 1:14, or 1:15. 
     
     
         14 . A medical instrument for insertion into a body of a subject, said instrument comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a broad face, a narrow face, a lateral side and a counter-lateral side, each of the broad and narrow faces comprising a first end and a second end, said broad and narrow faces are parallel to one another and said broad face comprises a greater width than said narrow face, and a cutting edge at the distal end of the broad or narrow face, wherein the lateral and counter-lateral sides are disposed between the broad and narrow faces, such that one of said lateral and counter-lateral sides connects the first end of the broad face to the first end of the narrow face and the other of the lateral and counter-lateral sides connects the second end of the broad face to the second end of the narrow face to form a trapezoidal shape between the broad face, narrow face, lateral side and counter-lateral side, wherein said lateral and counter-lateral sides are not parallel to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The medical instrument of  claim 14 , wherein the distal end of one of the broad and narrow faces comprises a rounded edge shape, and the distal end of the other of the broad and narrow faces comprises a complimentary rounded edge shape, wherein the distal end of one of the broad and narrow faces extends distally from the distal end of the other of the broad and narrow face, and wherein the distally extending broad or narrow face comprises a cutting edge. 
     
     
         16 . The medical instrument of  claim 14 , wherein the broad and narrow faces, and lateral and counter-lateral sides connect to form a channel through the medical instrument from a proximal end of the instrument to the distal end of the instrument, said channel configured to receive one or more medical components, said medical components comprising a medication, a fluid, a tissue, a flat wire, a lead, a surgical instrument, and/or a microchip. 
     
     
         17 . The medical instrument of  claim 16 , further comprising an aperture in the broad face, narrow face, lateral side and/or counter-lateral side, wherein the channel connects between the aperture and the channel of the instrument, aperture is configured to receive one or more medical components, said one or more medical components comprising a medication, a flat wire, a lead, a surgical instrument, and/or a microchip. 
     
     
         18 . The medical instrument of  claim 17 , wherein the aperture is disposed at the distal end of the instrument. 
     
     
         19 . A method for making a quick-healing incision in a target area of a body region of a subject, said method comprising:
 inserting a medical instrument into the target area to create an incision, said medical instrument including a distal end comprising a cutting edge, two parallel portions, and two non-parallel portions connecting between said parallel portions so as to form a trapezoidal shaped channel through the medical instrument, wherein upon insertion of the medical instrument into the target area, a linear incision is made;   removing the medical instrument from the target area leaving a linear incision in the target area of the subject.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a stylet is present in the channel during the inserting step. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the stylet is removed from the medical instrument after the inserting step.