Importance

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Abstract

A laparoscopic instrument is formed by a removable shaft combination portion separable from a housing. The housing portion includes a pair of handles, a quick-release button, a clutch to quickly rotate the shaft during use, and a releaser. The socket is attached to the proximal handle. The shaft combination has a center shaft, a slotted outer shaft and a shaft cover insulator. The center shaft has a pair of graspers at the distal operating end. The other end of the center shaft has an anchor point for engaging with the socket at the other end of the instrument. The socket holds the end of the center shaft and causes the shaft to reciprocate slightly in response to the surgeon closing or opening the pair of handles. The graspers close or open in response to the squeezing action by the surgeon. The socket has a quick-release button and the housing has a release to allow the entire shaft combination to be quickly removed from the rest of the instrument, and cleaned or replaced with another shaft combination. The instrument does not have to be disassembled. The clutch allows the surgeon to quickly change the angular orientation of the graspers during the operation. A thumb wheel forming part of the clutch can be easily turned to make the adjustment. The instrument has a plug for connecting to an electric cord to allow the instrument to be used in cauterization techniques. Other than the grapsers, the exposed parts of the instrument are fabricated from an non-electrical conductive material to prevent electrical shock.

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First Claim