Repeated use trocar-needle insertion instrument and loading tool

• US 20050033235A1
• Filed: 07/15/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WaisMed Ltd.
• Original Assignee: WaisMed Ltd.
• Inventors: Flint, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,135,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3472 for bones, e.g. intraosseus injections
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3476 Powered trocars, e.g. electrosurgical cutting, lasers, powered knives
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0801 Prevention of accidental cutting or pricking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 Needle inserters

Abstract

A single shot trocar-needle insertion instrument is configured for repeated use. The repeated use trocar-needle insertion gun (RUTI) operates in association with a loading tool, which for reloading, is coupled with the RUTI via a loading opening. The loading tool reloads the RUTI without requiring disassembly of the shooting mechanism. The loading opening is provided either ready open, or closed but openable in situ, where the insertion of the trocar-needle is administered. It is possible to implement a RUTI by entering a loading opening in an existing single shot trocar-needle insertion instrument (SSTI). After reloading the RUTI by help of the loading tool, a catch is operated, and, after mounting a trocar-needle and a front portion, the RUTI is returned to operative condition.

Claims

1. A repeated use trocar-needle insertion gun (RUTI) operating in association with a loading tool, comprising:

at the RUTI;

a needle portion configured for gripping a trocar-needle before insertion into a bone, and for release of the trocar-needle upon insertion into the bone,

a front portion for adjusting insertion-depth of the trocar-needle into the bone, and for protecting the trocar-needle prior to release,

a rear portion having a shooting mechanism operative for shooting the trocar-needle, and

a catch adapted for retaining the shooting mechanism, and for releasing the shooting mechanism when triggered for shooting, and the front portion being releasably coupled to the rear portion, which comprises;

a housing having a housing inside, a housing outside and a housing bottom,

at least one spring disposed inside the housing and residing in a first compressed condition associated with a loaded state of the RUTI before shooting the trocar-needle, and in a second released condition associated with a spent state of the RUTI after shooting the trocar-needle,

at least one loading opening accommodated in the bottom of the housing to provide access therethrough, from the outside to the inside, for coupling the loading tool with the at least one spring, and

at the loading tool;

a loading tool configuration adapted for coupling with and operative for reloading the RUTI in situ from the spent state to the loaded state via the at least one loading opening.

2. The RUTI and the loading tool, according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one loading opening obviates the need for disassembly of the rear portion of the RUTI when using the loading tool to reload the RUTI from the spent state to the loaded state.

3. The RUTI and the loading tool, according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one loading opening in the RUTI has one single bore, and

the loading tool is operable to reload the RUTI via the one single bore.

4. The RUTI and the loading tool, according to claim 1, wherein:

at the RUTI;

an SSTI (single shot trocar-needle insertion instrument) has an SSTI housing, an SSTI inside, an SSTI outside, and an SSTI bottom, and

at least one loading opening is accommodated in the SSTI bottom, whereby a RUTI is implemented by entering one single modification to an SSTI.

5. The RUTI and the loading tool, according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one loading opening has either one of two configurations comprising;

a ready-made open loading opening, and

an openable closed loading opening accommodated for intentional opening in situ.

6. The RUTI and the loading tool, according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one open loading opening indicates that the RUTI is configured for more than one single use.

7. The RUTI and the loading tool, according to claim 5, wherein:

the at least one intentionally opened closed loading opening is indicative of prior use of the RUTI.

8. The RUTI and the loading tool according to claim 1, wherein:

when reloaded from the spent state to the loaded state the RUTI becomes operative for at least one repeated trocar-needle insertion use after grippingly mounting a trocar-needle and after coupling the front portion to the rear portion.

9. The RUTI and the loading tool according to claim 1, wherein:

when reloaded with the loading tool, the RUTI is operative with either one of both a previously used trocar-needle and a new unused trocar-needle.

10. The RUTI and the loading tool according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one spring in the RUTI has a proximal end disposed closer to the front portion in alignment with a distal end distanced away from the front portion, and

the loading tool has at least one compression force application element configured for passage from the outside to the inside of the housing of the RUTI via the at least one loading opening and for application of compressive force to, and in alignment with the proximal end and the distal end of the at least one spring, for return of the at least one spring from released condition to compressed condition when the loading tool is coupled to and operated on the RUTI,

whereby the RUTI is returned from the spent state to the loaded state.

11. The RUTI and the loading tool according to claim 1, wherein:

at the RUTI;

the catch is operable for releasably retaining the at least one spring in compressed condition, and

when the RUTI is reloaded and the at least one spring is returned to compressed condition, the catch is operable for releasing the shooting mechanism.

12. The RUTI and the loading tool according to claim 1, wherein:

at the RUTI;

the at least one spring has a proximal end disposed closer to the front portion, and a distal end distanced away from the front portion, and at the loading tool;

a front tool portion configured for operation in coupling support with the proximal end of the at least one spring, and a back tool portion having an element configured for penetration from the outside to the inside of the RUTI via the at least one loading opening in support of the distal end of the at least one spring, the loading tool being configured for application of compressive force to the front tool portion and to the back tool portion, to return the at least one spring from released condition to compressed condition.

13. The RUTI and the loading tool according to claim 1, wherein:

at the RUTI;

the at least one spring has a proximal end disposed closer to the front portion, and a distal end distanced away from the front portion, and at the loading tool;

a distal support and a proximal support adapted for coupling with respectively, the distal end and the proximal end of the at least one spring, and

a loading mechanism configured for application of mutually compressive forces and of relative motion to at least one of the distal and the proximal support, for return of the at least one spring from released condition to compressed condition, and permitting operation of the catch to releasably retain the at least one spring in compressed condition.

14. The RUTI and the loading tool according to claim 12, wherein:

the loading tool has a distal portion and a proximal portion disposed in mutual alignment, and also aligned with, respectively, the distal end and the proximal end of the at least one spring of the RUTI when coupled thereto, the proximal portion being coupled with the proximal end and the distal portion penetrating via the at least one loading opening for coupling with the distal end, wherein when operated, the loading tool forces translation of at least either one of both the distal portion and the proximal portion to compress the at least one spring.

15. The RUTI and the loading tool according to claim 12, wherein:

the loading tool has at least one actuator configured for reloading the RUTI and allowing operation of the catch when compressed condition of the at least one spring is reached, and

the at least one actuator is selected, alone and in combination, from the group consisting of manual, pneumatic, hydraulic, electric and magnetic actuators.

16. The RUTI and the loading tool according to claim 12, wherein:

the loading tool has at least one actuator configured for operation of the loading tool and allowing operation of the catch when the compressed condition is reached, and

the at least one actuator is selected, alone and in combination, from the group consisting of manual, pneumatic, hydraulic, electric and magnetic actuators.