Tissue extracting forceps for laparoscopic surgery

Claim 1

A surgical instrument for laparoscopic procedures comprising: a distal portion, an intermediate portion, and a proximal portion; the distal portion comprising first and second pivotally connected arms connected at one end to a lever means, the first and second pivotally connected arms also having unattached ends with opposing faces; the intermediate portion comprising an actuating rod having a distal end and a proximal end and a rigid tube having a distal tip and a proximal tip, the actuating rod being slidably located inside the rigid tube; the proximal portion comprising first and second handle means; the distal end of the actuating rod being connected to the lever means; the first handle means immovably connected to the rigid tube; the second handle means pivotally coupled to the proximal end of the actuating rod; the first handle means pivotally connected to the second handle means; the first and second handle means operable to remotely cause the unattached ends of the first and second pivotally connected arms to move angularly toward and away from each other into closed and opened positions; and the surgical instrument further comprising a rigid tubing extension having a distal tip and a proximal tip, the proximal tip of said rigid tubing extension being removably engaged to the distal tip of the rigid tube; and an actuating rod extension for connecting the distal end of the actuating rod to the lever means, the actuating rod extension having a proximal tip and a distal tip; the distal end of the actuating rod being removably engaged with the proximal tip of the actuating rod extension.