GB2412343A

GB2412343A - Surgical or scalpel blade and holder

Info

Publication number: GB2412343A
Application number: GB0406809A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Russell Khan-Sullman Sullman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-03-25
Filing date: 2004-03-25
Publication date: 2005-09-28
Also published as: GB0406809D0

Abstract

A surgical blade 24 and holder 25, where the surgical blade comprises a tip end 2, a rear end 3, a cutting edge or surface (fig 2(A), 4), a slot or keyhole 5 to allow attachment of the surgical blade 24 to a known scalpel handle and blade holder engaging means for engaging a blade holder, such as an additional aperture(s) 22 situated in the surgical blade 24 between the tip end 2 and the slot or keyhole 5. The blade holder 25 further comprises means, that incorporate features complementing the blade holder engaging means; thus enabling the blade holder 25 to grip and hold the surgical blade 24, and resist the displacing forces of the blade to handle attachment and detachment process. Further embodiments of a blade holder include; means for holding a blade portion gripped between gripping elements that form part of a scissors-like or tweezers-like blade holder.

Description

24 1 2343

THE SULLMAN SCALPEL BLADE AND BOLDER- IMPROVEMENTS IN

OR RELATING TO SCALPELS

(RUSSELL SULLMAN-22/03/04)

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to scalpels.

BACKGROUND

Scalpels are one of the most important tools that surgeons use in their everyday work The style of scalpel has remained substantially unchanged for centuries, and a common problem experienced by clinicians is that of attachment and detachment of blade from handle. Over the years many health care workers throughout the world have broken the fragile blades or cut themselves on exposed blades whilst trying to fix or remove blades from scalpel handles.

In addition there are issues of infection and cross-infection in regard to scalpel use (which are very important and relevant), and arise from contact with the blade during attachment and detachment to the scalpel handle.

It is very desirable therefore to provide an easy and safe means of fixing blades to handles before use, and to likewise offer a method of safe and easy removal and disposal of the used blade from the handle after use.

DF,SCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION The Sullman Scalpel Blade and Holder comprises two elements, the second being optional but preferable The first component being a surgical blade comprising a tip end and a rear (handle-adjacent) end, with at least one cutting surface or edge, and with a longitudinal keyhole or slot to accept the bayonet or key of the scalpel handle during attachment and use with blade holder-engagement features/devices that allows for the modified surgical blade to be attached, held and/or firmly gripped in a fixed and reproducible position, by existing instruments, or by specially designed instruments, the surgical blade-holders.

The features/device on the surgical blade that allow engagement with the blade-holder can take the form of one or more perforations, depressions that are convex on one planar side of the blade and correspondingly concave on the other planar surface (e.g. nipple or stud-like elements), curves or bends located longitudinally along the length and/or width of the blade, or increased blade surface area additional to that already found in existing styles of surgical or scalpel blades. The holderengagement features of the invention on the surgical blade may comprise one or more of the above additional features, at the same time, on the same blade.

The preferable engagement feature for the Sullman Surgical Blade is one or more perforation(s) located in the surgical blade.

The surgical blade holders are the second element of the invention, with holding/gripping components specially designed to engage with the holderengagement device(s) incorporated in the surgical blade, thereby improving the grip on the blade, allowing safe and easy manipulation, and making the mounting and detachment of the blade from the handle a safer and easier procedure.

The blade holders may be provided in a form such as a sheath (e.g. a onepiece element or a casing/sheath that can be opened and closed by a means of movement) which may be rigid or elastic, and composed of one or more component parts, or as an instrument or tool, to be used to hold and firmly grip the surgical blade in a fixed and reproducible relationship, and manipulate it safely during the blade-handle mounting and detachment procedure.

The important features ofthe surgical blade holder comprise the element(s) that engage with the locating and engagement features on the surgical scalpel blade The blade holder component exists in a relationship with the blade such that, when the holder is used to grip the blade (e.g. during the blade-handle mounting or the detachment procedure), the two exist in a fixed, static and reproducible position in relation to one another. This allows for the blade to be safely manipulated as required.

The holder-engagement device(s) on the surgical blade would preferably incorporate patterns, shapes and design that assists and allows the insertion of part of the blade holder into the perforation (separate from the aperture formed by the handle key/tang- engaging keyhole located within the blade) to further enhance the attachment of holder to blade. The surfaces on the surgical blade to be gripped by the blade holder could hkewise be patterned or shaped to further enhance grip and hold by the holder.

The surgical blade holder-engagement device comprised by a perforation may be circular, but it would then be necessary to incorporate an antirotation device into the design of the blade holder and/or the surgical blade to reduce the risk of injury and improve manipulator control of the blade during the mounting and detachment procedure.

Preferably, it is desirable to provide the perforation in a non-circular shape (e.g. as an ovoid, arrowhead' square, a plurality of circular holes, etc.) such that it also acts in a secondary capacity as an antirotational device for when the blade is being held by the blade-holder component.

A plurality of circular holes would also act as an acceptable antirotational device if the blade holder incorporated elements that inserted into more that one of them at the same time when gripping of the blade Where the blade is narrow in width (e.g. like the Swann-Morton 15 or] 5C scalpel blade) the incorporation of a perforation additional to the keyhole would weaken the blade and increases the chance of fracture, so it would be preferable to incorporate an increase in surface area of the surgical blade to accommodate the blade-holder grpping-perforation in the surgical blade. /

The blade-holder device may be provided as a device with two co-acting gripping elements in a relationship with one another that allow them to come together, such as that found in a scissor-like or tweezers-like instrument, where the members are rigidly connected and/or are detachable.

Unlike scissors or tweezers, the gripping elements are designed to incorporate features specially shaped to engage with the holderengagement device(s) found on the Sullman Surgical Blade to firmly hold and grip the blade. The gripping elements would preferably incorporate a male component on one gripping element, and a corresponding female component on the other, opposing, gripping element.

When closing the blade holder, the male element in one of the gripping elements would pass through the perforation in the blade and insert into the female element in the opposing gripping element, fixing the blade in a firm grip and in a position that is fixed and easily reproducible, sandwiched between the gripping elements when the holder is closed.

The device may be provided in a form that does not require the use of either a sheath- like or instrument like applicator, but one in which the holder function can be exercised by existing gripping or other types of tool or instrument can be used (e.g. tweezers, etc.).

The locating/holder-engaging feature in the surgical blade may be a nonperforated pressed feature (e.g. a circular depression, nipple, etc.), concave on one side and convex on the other, so that the male element of one gripping element of the blade holder engages the concavity of the nonperforated depression in the blade, whilst the convex surface of the nonperforated depression lies within the female element of the opposing second gripping element; The invention makes use of a perforation in the blade primarily for holder- engagement, the perforation(s) facilitating improved grip, stability, and position hold of the surgical blade during manipulation, reducing the risks of breakage, cross- infection and injury during the blade to handle mounting or detachment procedures.

Alternative versions of the surgical blade and holder could rely on nonperforated blades, the component providing the stability and engagement feature being not a perforation, but instead a three-dimensonal feature (e.g. features that exist in a different plane to the plane in which the axial length of the blade exists, such as one or more bends located longitudinally along the length and/or width of the blade).

Brief Description of the Drawings

By way of example embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows at (A) a perspective view of a scalpel blade according to the prior art, and at (B) an exploded perspective view of a scalpel according to the prior art; Figure 2 shows at (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) perspective views of the blade-element of the invention where the blade has a hole/perforation as the holder-engagement feature/device; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of another embodiment blade element of the invention, Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the blade element of the invention; Figure 5(A) and 5(B) shows two further embodiments of the blade element of the invention; Figure 6 shows at (A) and (B) an embodiment of the invention, Figure 7 shows a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 shows a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention wherein the blade holder is tweezers-like; Figure 9 shows a further embodiment of the invention with a rigid, single arm/member style of blade holder; Figure l O shows at (A) and (B) perspective views of another embodiment of the invention wherein the blade-holder is also tweezers-like in shape and style; Figure 11 shows at (A) a perspective view of a scissors-like blade holder, at (B) the holder positioned ready for engaging a blade, and at (C) engaging a blade whilst in the closed position; Figure 12 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, with the blade holder having an offset tweezers-like design; Figure l 3 shows at (A) an embodiment of the blade-element of the invention, with Fig. l 3(B) showing a perspective view of the blade in Fig. ] 3(A) when engaged with a cap-like blade-holder; Figure l 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the invention shown in Fig. 13 when lined up with a scalpel handle.

Detailed Description of Example(s! of the Invention Figure l(A) shows a perspective view of a current style of Surgical scalpel blade l, comprising a tip end 2 and a rear (scalpel-handle adjacent) end 3, with a cutting surface/edge 4, with an elongated keyhole (slot-like) aperture 5 in the scalpel blade, which as shown in Fig. 1(B) is designed to accept the keying element (blade attachment means) 6 on the extension limb 7 of the scalpel handle 8.

Figure 1(B) shows that when mounting the blade I onto the handle 8, the keying element 6 slides into the keyhole aperture, such that the narrow boundary of the blade's keyhole 5 slides mto and tightly along the longitudinally directed narrow slot 9 on the keying element 6.

Figure 2(A) shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention, wherein like parts of the scalpel blade shown in Fig. I (A) are numbered the same as like parts of the invention shown in Fig. 2(A), and wherein the device incorporated into the surgical blade that acts as the holderengagement devce/feature exists as two longitudinally placed circular apertures/holes 11 located between the tip end 2 of the surgical blade and the keyhole aperture 5.

Figures 2(B), 2(C), 2(D) and 2(E) show perspective views of further embodiments of the surgical blade component of the invention, wherein the blade holder-engagement device takes the form of a triangular hole/aperture 12, square hole 13, ovoid hole 10 and rounded slot 14, respectively. ( -

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention wherein the holder-engagement device is formed by an extension of the of the body of the blade curved back on itself to form a feature l 5 that acts as a three-dimensional feature that a blade holder can engage with when it is closed, as required.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention wherein the blade holder-engagement device is formed by a curved part 16 located in the length of the body of the blade. When the blade is enclosed within a blade holder that grips the blade closely, the pressure of the holder gripping and enclosing the curved element resists the displacing forces that are exerted on the blade during attachment and/or detachment.

Figure 5(A) shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention wherein the blade holder-engagement device of the invention consists of an aperture 17 contained within an extension l 8 offthe main body 19 of the surgical blade.

Where the blade is at greater risk of fracture (e.g. where it is fragile in design), the aperture is located within an extension off the main body of the blade, such that the presence ofthe holder-engagement device (i.e the aperture 17) does not weaken the blade itself whilst allowing the blade to be gripped satisfactorily.

Figure 5(B) shows a second embodiment of the invention wherein the bladeholder engagement device is a circular aperture 20 located within a semicircular planar extension 21 extending off the main body 19 of the blade.

Figure 6(A) shows a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention wherein the blade-holder engagement device in the blade 24 consists of a single circular aperture 22 located between the tip end 2 and the keyhole aperture 5 of the surgical blade 24, and a surgical blade Holder 25 embodied by two members 30 and 31 joined by a means of movement 29, and shown here in the open position.

When the surgical blade 24 is placed within the blade holder 24, the maleelement lug 26 passes through the holder-engagement device 22 located in member 30, part of said lug 26 entering female element 28, thereby holding the blade fixed between the two members 30 and 31, when the holder 25 is closed (not shown), and such that the keyhole aperture 5 is exposed on both sides by openings 27. As the keyhole 5 of the blade 24 is exposed on both sides (i.e. visible and accessible from both sides) when the holder 25 is closed, the scalpel handle can be attached from either side (i.e. both sides).

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a surgical blade 24 and blade holder 25, with a fA c shelf 34, along the upper boundary 33 of the blade, acting as the holder-engagement device, such that when the blade is positioned within the holder 25 the shelf 34 engages with and inserts into the cavity 39 located in the holder member 36, such that when the members 36 an 37 are closed together (not shown), with lugs 35 engaging holes 38 to lock the holder 25 closed, the shelf 34 resists the displacing forces exerted during attachment and detachment, with both sides of the keyhole aperture 5 being exposed, so that the key on a scalpel blade can be inserted from either planar side of the closed holder 25. MA& 34 BEAM B& pAR, A - D OR Cod.

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, with a surgical blade 40 bearing a square-shaped holder-engagement device 42, and a blade holder 41, comprising two members 45 and 46 (and a means of movement 47) in a tweezers like arrangement.

When the blade 40 is engaged and "Tipped by the holder 41 (not shown), element 43 is passed through the holder-engagement device 42 of the blade, to then further pass through the aperture 44 located at the end of the holder member 46, such that the blade 40 is gripped f rmly, and further stabilized by the location of the upper boundary 48 of the blade against the rigid edge 49.

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a blade 50 with square-shaped holder engagement device 51 designed to allow the feature 56 on the holder 52 to pass through it until blade 50 rests upon the upper surface of the handle 53 of the holder 52. The recessed areas located between 56 and the upper surface 59 on the holder 52 serve to act as blade engagement features.

During attachment of the blade 50 to the surgical handle (not shown), with the tipend of the blade pointing towards the holder handle 53, there are displacing lateral or horizontal forces (shown by arrow X) placed upon the blade, and the recess 55 serves to counteract these and hold the blade immobile by exerting counterbalancing forces on the aperture boundary 60. When the blade is detached from the handle, diplacing forces are exerted in direction Z. and the pressure placed by recess 54 on the aperture boundary 6 l counterbalances these forces Figure lO(A) shows perspective views of surgical blade 63 and tweezers-like blade holder 62, wherein the prong 65 of triangular cross-section located at one end of arm 67 is used to pass through and engage the triangular holder-engagement device 64 incorporated into the blade 63.

The prong 65 is m turn inserted through the triangular shaped hole 66 located at one end of the arm 68, so that blade 63 is sandwiched between the ends 69 and 70 of the arms 67 and 68 respectively, as shown in Fig. lO(B). Locating the upper boundary 72 ofthe blade 63 against the feature 71 further fixes the blade 63 into a fixed and immovable position. The scalpel handle 73 can then be brought into position for blade attachment.

Figure l l(A) shows a perspective view of a scssors-like blade holder; with blade engagement features 77 and 78 located at the ends of the members 75 and 76 respectively, being designed for use with blades where the holder-engagement device comprises two longitudinally arranged circular holes.

Figure 11 (B) shows non-hinge adjacent ends of the arms 75 and 76, and show that the prongs 79 in element 77 first pass through the circular holder-engagement devices 81 in the surgical blade 82, and then into the twin holes 83 located in element 78 positioned at the end of the second arm 76.

When the holder is in the closed position, the blade 82 is held firmly in a immobilising grip between elements 77 and 78, as shown in Figure 11(().

Figure l 2(A) shows yet another embodiment of the invention wherein the blade 84 incorporates two circular holes 87 acting as holder-engagement devices, and a tweezers-like blade holder 86 with blade-engaging and fixing elements 88 and 89 located at the end of arms 90 and 91 respectively. In the engagement process, the holder 86 is positioned so that the female elements 89 are placed directly beneath and in line with the holes 87 in the blade 84. The elements 88 are then inserted through 87 and into 89, so that when the holder 86 is closed, blade 84 is held immobile.

I;igure 12(B) shows the holder 86 in the closed position with blade 84 being gripped firmly, ready for insertion of key 6 of scalpel handle 92 into keyhole 5.

Figure l 3(A) shows a perspective view of a surgical blade 96 incorporating a collar 93 between the cutting edge 4 and the keyhole 5, wherein the collar 93 acts as the holder-engagement device.

Figure 13(B) shows a perspective view of the blade holder 94 engaged with the holder-engagement device 93, covering the cutting surface 4 (enclosed within the sheath/cap formed by the blade holder 94), and leaving the keyhole aperture 5 uncovered to allow attachment to a scalpel handle.

Figure 14 shows an exploded perspective view of the invention shown in Figs. 13(A) and 13(B), with handle 95 in line with blade 96 and bladeholder 94.

The blade holder can be designed to be easy to open and close more than once, whilst being easy to be kept closed or locked shut when desired, or may be provided in a fonn where it can be closed only once before being locked shut.

The Blade Holders engagement device(s) are designed and sized for use specifically for use in manipulation of the surgical blade being claimed for. Any similarity to other tools or instruments are coincidental.

The Blade engagement features found on the Blade Holder can comprise features additional to the device that engages with the blade holderengagement device, e.g. gripping surfaces shaped to fit part or all of the shape of the surgical blade, for additional stability. Whilst these additional blade engagement features on the holder are not necessary to the invention, their presence improves function. In some cases, these features alone, not including the device that engages with the holderengagement device, will be enough for satisfactory function of the invention.

Other modifications and embodiments of the invention, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art, are to be deemed within the ambit and scope of the invention, and the particular embodiment(s) hereinbefore described may be varied in construction and detail, e.g. interchanging (where appropriate or desired) different features of each, without departing from the scope of the patent monopoly hereby sought. (g

Claims

1) A Sullman Surgical Blade and Holder, comprising two components.

The Surgical Blade, featuring a tip end and a rear (handle-adjacent) end, a cutting edge or surface, a slot or keyhole to allow attachment of the blade to a scalpel handle, and one or more additional holes or perforations, separate from the aforementioned keyhole, (that act as blade bolder-engagement features/device for the instrument, tool or surgical blade holder being used to grip and manipulate the surgical blade in the blade to surgical handle attachment or detachment procedure), The Blade Holder, incorporating features specially designed to be complementary to and for engagement with the holder-engagement features found on the surgical blade being claimed for, said Holder being designed to grip and hold the blade, and to resist the displacing forces of the blade to handle attachment and detachment process, such that the blade and the holder exist in a fixed and reproducible relationship with one another when mutually engaged, a means of handling the blade holder, and optionally a means of motion between component parts of the holder; 2) A Sullman Surgical Blade as claimed in claim 1 wherein the holder- engagement features of the surgical blade may take the form of three- dimensional features such as: curves or bends in the blade, one or more pressed studs or nipples, depressions in the blade which are convex on one side and concave on the other side, or two dimensional features such as increased planar surface area, an aperture or plurality of apertures; or as notches or slots in the blade; 3) A Sullman Surgical Blade as claimed in claim 1 and 2 wherein the engagement features on the same blade are a combination of the features claimed for in claim I and 2; 4) A Blade Holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the blade-engagement features incorporate two or more grippinglholding elements, designed to be complementary to one another and to fit against each other when the holder is in the closed position and/or in the gripping position, where the gripping elements may be rigidly connected to one another (e.g. via a means of motion), and/or detachably connected to one another; 5) A Blade Holder as described in claim 1 and 4 wherein the gripping/holding elements are co-acting, mutually interacting, and exist in a relationship with one another defined and described by a means of motion (e.g. a pivot or hinge); 6) A Blade Holder as claimed in claim 1, 4 and 5 wherein the gripping elements may be incorporated into a scissors-like or tweezers-like arrangement or other member-like arrangement; 7) A Blade Holder as claimed in claim 1, 4, 5 and 6 wherein one gripping component bears a male (e.g. a lug, tooth, prong, etc.) element, whilst the second, opposing gripping component preferably bearing or containing a corresponding female element into which the male element engages when the holder is in the closed position, the two being designed to engage whilst holding the surgical blade safely and firmly between them in a fixed position when the Holder is in the closed position; 8) A Blade Holder as claimed in claim 1,4, 5, 6 and 7 wherein there may be a plurality of blade engagement features (e.g. a plurality of the male and female elements described in claim 7); 9) A Blade Holder as claimed in claim 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 wherein the gripping surfaces/parts are shaped to optimise and make easy the gripping of the surgical blade, thereby optimising the mutually fixed and reproducible relationship between blade and holder throughout the duration of engagement, and where they can be complementary to the shape of al] or part of the surgical blade; 10) A Sullman Surgical Blade as claimed in claim 1 and 3 wherein the holes or perforations acting as holder-engagement features may be circular in shape; I 1) A Sullman Surgical Blade as claimed in claim 1 and 3 wherein the holder- engagement features may be of a shape other than circular, e.g. ovoid, square, arrowhead, diamond, etc., 12)A Sulhnan Surgical Blade as claimed in claim 1 and 3 wherein the engagement features may be a combination of circular and/or non-circular holes or perforations; 13)A Sullman Surgical Blade acclaimed in claim],2, 3, 1O, 11 and 12 wherein the blade is designed for mounting/attachment to existing styles of surgical/scalpel handle; 14)A Sullman Surgical Blade as claimed in claim], 2, 3, 10, 11, and 12 wherein the blade can be provided in a form for attachment to new or future styles of surgical/scalpel handle; 15)A Sullman Surgical Blade as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 wherein the features being claimed for can be incorporated into existing styles of surgical blade; 16)A Sullman surgical Blade as claimed in claim], 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 wherein the features being claimed for can be incorporated into new styles or shapes of surgical blade; 17)A Sullman Surgical Blade as claimed in claim], 2, 3, 10, 1], 12, 13, 14, ].5 and 16 wherein the holder-engagement features exist within the planar surfaces, boundaries, and/or at the longitudinal edges of the surgical blade; 18) A Blade Holder as claimed in claim] wherein the holder exists in the form of a rigid, sheath-like structure; 19) A Blade Holder as claimed in claim 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8 the holder may be in the form of a casing or sheath that can open and close via a means of motion (e.g a hinge) to contain all or part of the Surgical Blade; 20) A Blade Holder as claimed in claim 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 wherein the gripping/holding elements of the blade holder encompass all or part of the surgical blade; 21) A Blade Holder as claimed in claim 1, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19 and 20 wherein part or all of the blade holder is disposable; 22)A Blade Holder as claimed in claim 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20 and 21 wherein all or part of the blade holder may be autoclavable and reusable; 23)A Blade Holder as claimed in claims 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 wherein the blade-engagement components of the blade holder may be detachable from the means of handling and/or other parts of the structure of the blade holder; 24) A blade Holder as claimed in claims 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 wherein one of the gripping members bears one or more male elements 1 ' 10 designed to be inserted through the holes or perforations (acting as locating, stabilizing, and holder-engaging features) incorporated into the structure of the surgical blade, the tips at least of the male element(s) resting in the corresponding female element(s) of the second, opposing, gripping member when the holder is in the bladegripping, closed position, such that the blade is fixed immovably and sandwiched between the gripping members; 25)ASullmanScalpelBladeasclaimedin claim 1,2,3, lO, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 16, and 17 wherein the blade incorporates an holder-engagement feature, additional to or instead of other holder-engagement features, forming a collar existing at an angle (preferably 90 degrees) to the longitudinal surgical blade axis, and situated between the tip end and the keyhole of the blade, which can be either be gripped by a holder or which can engage and attach to a sheath or protective cover that when placed, covers the cutting edge of the blade, whilst leaving the keyhole uncovered; 26) A Sullman Surgical Blade as claimed in claim 25 wherein the sheath or protective cover covers all or part (including the keyhole) of the surgical blade; 27) A Sullman Blade Holder as claimed m claim 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, ] 8, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 wherein part or all of the gripping surfaces of the holding members are shaped to fit snugly against the shape of part or all of the surgical blade or its boundaries; 28)A Sullman Blade Holder as claimed in claim] ,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, ] 9, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 27 wherein part of the scalpel handle may fit against the gripping or other surfaces of the holding members; 29) A Sullman Surgical Blade and Holder as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the surgical blade and/or the surgical handle are provided with means of handling and manipulation; 30) A Sullman Surgical Blade as claimed in claim 1, 2 and 3 wherein an existing tool or instrument may be used as a blade holder if compatible with the holder- engagement features incorporated into the Blade, but where a specialised, dedicated tool may also be provided as a blade holder when designed to operate with the specific holder-engagement features on the said blade; 31)A Sullman Surgical Blade as claimed in claim 1, 3, ]0, l l, 12, 13, 14, ]5, 16, 17, 25, 29 and 30 wherein the holder-engagement aperture(s)/perforation(s) /hole(s) incorporated into the surgical blade are strengthened (e.g. by thickening, creation of a collar at the aperture boundary, doubling metal layers r thickness of the blade by bending part of it back on itself, etc. ) to reduce the risk of breakage during use and manipulation; 32)A Blade Holder as claimed in claim 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28 and 29 where the longitudinal axis of the means of handling is separate and different from the longitudinal axis of the gripping elements; 33)A Sullman Surgical Blade and Holder substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.