Self-contained sterilizable surgical system

• US 20040111012A1
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Whitman, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,696,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/179
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00009 of image signals during a use of endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00032 internally powered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00128 mechanical, e.g. for tubes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00135 Oversleeves mounted on the endoscope prior to insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0057 Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/121 provided with means for cleaning post-use

Abstract

A self-contained surgical, e.g., endoscope, system. The surgical, e.g., endoscope, system may include a sterilizable shaft having a light source and/or an image capture device mounted at the distal end of the shaft or connected to the distal end of the shaft by fiber optics. The light source is a light emitting diode or an array of light emitting diodes, and may have its own power source located at the distal end of the shaft. The shaft includes a working channel, an irrigation/aspiration channel, and an electric cable. The shaft is coupled at its proximal end to a control module having a video processor and an integrally-mounted display screen for displaying image data from the image capture device. The control module may also include an irrigation/aspiration system, a control unit, and a controller. The control module is coupled to a power module. The power module includes steering motors connected to steering cables in the shaft. In addition, the power module includes drive motors and a power source.

Claims

1. A surgical system comprising:

a shaft having a distal end;

an image capture device configured to receive image data from the distal end of the shaft;

a light source configured to provide light at the distal end of the shaft, wherein the light source is a light-emitting diode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the shaft is configured as an endoscope.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the shaft is flexible.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is an array of light-emitting diodes.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source and the image capture device are mounted at the distal end of the shaft.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the light source, the image capture device and the shaft are, as a unit, at least one of sterilizable and autoclavable.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the image capture device is one of a camera and a CCD.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power source for providing power to the light source, the power source located at the distal end of the shaft.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the shaft is sterilizable.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the shaft is autoclavable.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control module coupled to a proximal end of the shaft.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control module is detachably coupled to the proximal end of the shaft.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the control module is sterilizable.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the control module is autoclavable.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the control module includes a video processor.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the shaft includes a data transfer cable, and wherein the image data received by the image capture device is transmitted via the data transfer cable to the video processor.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a wireless arrangement configured to transfer image data received by the image capture device to the video processor.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising a display screen.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the display screen is integrally mounted to the control module.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the shaft includes an irrigation/aspiration channel, and wherein the control module includes an irrigation/aspiration system for conveying fluid through the irrigation/aspiration channel of the shaft.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the shaft includes steering cables for steering at least a portion of the shaft, and wherein the power module includes steering motors connected to the steering cables.

22. The system of claim 11, wherein the shaft includes a working channel for permitting the passage of tools through the shaft.

23. The system of claim 11, wherein the control module includes a control unit for enabling a user to control the surgical system.

24. The system of claim 11, wherein the control module includes a controller for automatically controlling the surgical system.

25. The system of claim 11, further comprising a power module coupled to the control module, the power module configured to provide power to components housed in at least one of the control module and the shaft.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein, when the power module is configured to provide power to components housed in the shaft, the shaft includes a power transfer cable.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the power module includes at least one of drive motors and a power source.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured as one of a proctoscope and an anoscope.

29. A surgical system comprising:

a shaft having a distal end, wherein the shaft is sterilizable;

an image capture device configured to receive image data from the distal end of the shaft; and

a light source configured to provide light at the distal end of the shaft.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the shaft is autoclavable.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the shaft is configured as an endoscope.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the shaft is flexible.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the light source is a light-emitting diode.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the light source is an array of light-emitting diodes.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the light source and the image capture device are mounted at the distal end of the shaft.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the light source, the image capture device and the shaft are, as a unit, at least one of sterilizable and autoclavable.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein the image capture device is one of a camera and a CCD.

38. The system of claim 29, further comprising a power source for providing power to the light source, the power source located at the distal end of the shaft.

39. The system of claim 29, further comprising a control module coupled to a proximal end of the shaft.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the control module is detachably coupled to the proximal end of the shaft.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the control module is sterilizable.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the control module is autoclavable.

43. The system of claim 29, wherein the control module includes a video processor.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the shaft includes a data transfer cable, and wherein the image data received by the image capture device is transmitted via the data transfer cable to the video processor.

45. The system of claim 44, further comprising a display screen.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the display screen is integrally mounted to the control module.

47. The system of claim 39, wherein the shaft includes an irrigation/aspiration channel, and wherein the control module includes an irrigation/aspiration system for conveying fluid through the irrigation/aspiration channel of the shaft.

48. The system of claim 39, wherein the shaft includes steering cables for steering at least a portion of the shaft, and wherein the power module includes steering motors connected to the steering cables.

49. The system of claim 39, wherein the shaft includes a working channel for permitting the passage of tools through the shaft.

50. The system of claim 39, wherein the control module includes a control unit for enabling a user to control the surgical system.

51. The system of claim 39, wherein the control module includes a controller for automatically controlling the surgical system.

52. The system of claim 39, further comprising a power module coupled to the control module, the power module configured to provide power to components housed in at least one of the control module and the shaft.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein, when the power module is configured to provide power to components housed in the shaft, the shaft includes a power transfer cable.

54. The system of claim 52, wherein the power module includes at least one of drive motors and a power source.

55. The system of claim 29, wherein the system is configured as one of a proctoscope and an anoscope.

56. A surgical system comprising:

a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end,

an image capture device configured to receive image data from the distal end of the shaft;

a light source configured to provide light at the distal end of the shaft;

a control module coupled to the proximal end of the shaft;

a power module coupled to the control module, the power module configured to drive at least one drivable component housed in at least one of the shaft, the control module and the power module; and

at least one power source integrally housed in at least one of the shaft, the control module and the power module.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the shaft is configured as an endoscope.

58. The system of claim 56, wherein the shaft is flexible.

59. The system of claim 56, wherein the shaft is sterilizable.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the shaft is autoclavable.

61. The system of claim 56, wherein the control module is sterilizable.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the control module is autoclavable.

63. The system of claim 56, wherein the light source and the image capture device are mounted at the distal end of the shaft, and wherein the light source, the image capture device and the shaft are sterilizable as a unit.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the light source and the image capture device are mounted at the distal end of the shaft, and wherein the light source, the image capture device and the shaft are autoclavable as a unit.

65. The system of claim 56, wherein the light source is a light-emitting diode.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the light source is an array of light emitting diodes.

67. The system of claim 56, further comprising a second power source for providing power to the light source, the light source and the second power source located at the distal end of the shaft.

68. The system of claim 56, wherein the control module is detachably coupled to the proximal end of the shaft.

69. The system of claim 56, wherein the control module includes a video processor.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the shaft includes a data transfer cable, and wherein the image data received by the image capture device is transmitted via the data transfer cable to the video processor.

71. The system of claim 56, further comprising a display screen.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein the display screen is integrally mounted to the control module.

73. The system of claim 56, wherein the shaft includes an irrigation/aspiration channel, and wherein the control module includes an irrigation/aspiration system for conveying fluid through the irrigation/aspiration channel of the shaft.

74. The system of claim 56, wherein the power module includes a pump connected to irrigation/aspiration system for at least one of introducing or removing fluid via the irrigation/aspiration channel.

75. The system of claim 56, wherein the shaft includes steering cables for steering at least a portion of the shaft, and wherein the power module includes steering motors connected to the steering cables.

76. The system of claim 56, wherein the shaft includes a working channel for permitting the passage of tools through the shaft.

77. The system of claim 56, wherein the control module includes a control unit for enabling a user to control the surgical system.

78. The system of claim 56, wherein the control module includes a controller for automatically controlling the surgical system.

79. The system of claim 56, wherein the shaft includes a power transfer cable.

80. The system of claim 56, wherein the surgical system is configured as a hand-held device.

81. The system of claim 56, wherein the power module includes at least one of drive motors and a power source.

82. The system of claim 56, wherein the system is configured as one of a proctoscope and an anoscope.