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Prototype "Medtronic
Forceps"
Russell W. Bagley, M.D., USA, 1956-1957
During surgery, doctors often need to stop bleeding. This can be done by applying a pulse of radio-frequency energy to the bleeding vessel, which will cauterize and coagulate it. An electrosurgical unit (such as the well-known Bovie) provides the energy. The Bovie was normally controlled with a foot switch, and the surgeon would have to coordinate hand and foot to apply the energy. The "Medtronic Forceps" were developed by Dr. Bagley so that the control was in the forceps itself. We have the first prototype (by Bagley) and the second prototype (by 3M). Both are in rather poor condition: Medtronic engineers took them apart as they were developing their own production version. We also have the finished Medtronic product, among the collection bequeathed us by Dr. C. Walton Lillehei. |
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