Medical instrument
First Claim
1. A hydraulically actuated medical instrument, comprising:
- an elongated shaft including a proximal end and a distal end;
an end effector at the distal end of the elongated shaft; and
a handle portion at the proximal end of the elongated shaft;
a fluid flow path extending between the handle portion and the end effector through the elongated shaft;
the end effector including an extensible balloon communicating with the fluid flow path and operable upon pressurization through the fluid flow path to cause an effector action; and
a biasing member being associated with the fluid flow path to move the balloon to a retracted position upon a reduction in pressurization in the fluid flow path.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hydraulically actuated medical instrument includes an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends, a hydraulically actuated end effector at the distal end of the shaft and a fluid flow path extending through the shaft to the end effector. The end effector may be directly manually operated by way of a handle located at the proximal end of the shaft or remotely, for example, via robotic controller. Articulation joints may be provided along the shaft, between the shaft and end effector or handle, or elsewhere. The hydraulic actuation of the present invention permits multiple axis instrument articulation, miniaturization and simplified instrument fabrication.
684 Citations
58 Claims
-
1. A hydraulically actuated medical instrument, comprising:
-
an elongated shaft including a proximal end and a distal end;
an end effector at the distal end of the elongated shaft; and
a handle portion at the proximal end of the elongated shaft;
a fluid flow path extending between the handle portion and the end effector through the elongated shaft;
the end effector including an extensible balloon communicating with the fluid flow path and operable upon pressurization through the fluid flow path to cause an effector action; and
a biasing member being associated with the fluid flow path to move the balloon to a retracted position upon a reduction in pressurization in the fluid flow path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A hydraulically actuated medical instrument, comprising:
-
a handle portion;
an end effector carried by the handle portion;
the end effector including first and second hydraulic actuators, responsive to changes in hydraulic actuation pressure;
a first hydraulic fluid flow path and a second hydraulic fluid flow path communicating between the handle portion and the first and second hydraulic actuators, respectively; and
,the handle portion including a hydraulic cylinder block including first and second cylinders communicating, respectively, with the first and second flow paths, and first and second pistons slidably movable with respect to the first and second cylinders, respectively;
first and second members movably mounted and engageable, respectively, with the first and second pistons for moving the pistons relative to the cylinders from a first position to a second position to change the pressure of hydraulic fluid in the flow paths; and
first and second biasing members being movable, respectively, with the first and second pistons for returning the first and second pistons to the first position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A hydraulically actuated end effector for an endoscopic medical instrument, the end effector comprising a first hydraulic actuator responsive to changes in hydraulic actuation pressure to effect a first selected action and a second hydraulic actuator responsive to changes in hydraulic actuation pressure to effect a second selected action, said first or second hydraulic actuator comprising an extensible balloon to effect the selected action;
- and a biasing member responsive to changes in hydraulic actuation pressure to move the balloon to a retracted position.
- View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
44. A hydraulic actuation handle for a hydraulically actuated medical instrument, comprising
first and second fluid flow paths; -
first and second hydraulic pressure sources communicating with the first and second fluid flow paths, respectively, for changing the hydraulic pressure within each of the first and second flow paths, the first and second pressure sources comprising a hydraulic cylinder block including first and second cylinders communicating, respectively, with the first and second fluid flow paths and first and second pistons slidably movable with respect to the first and second cylinders, respectively;
first and second members movably mounted and engageable, respectively, with the first and second pistons for moving the pistons relative to the cylinder block from a first position to a second position to change the pressure of hydraulic fluid in the flow paths; and
first and second biasing members being movable, respectively, with the first and second pistons for returning the first and second pistons to the first position. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
-
-
58. A hydraulically actuated robotic medical instrument comprising:
-
a hydraulically actuated end effector;
an elongated shaft including a proximal end and a distal end, the end effector being carried at the distal end;
a remote hydraulic fluid pressure source;
a hydraulic fluid flow path extending from the pressure source, through the elongated shaft and to the end effector;
a remote robotic controller operatively associated with the pressure source for automatically selectively controlling the pressure source for selected actuation of the end effector in response to user command;
the hydraulic fluid pressure source comprising a hydraulic cylinder block including a cylinder communicating with the hydraulic fluid flow path and a piston slidably movable with respect to the cylinder block;
a member movably mounted and engageable with the piston for moving the piston relative to the cylinder block from a first position to a second position to change the pressure of hydraulic fluid in the flow path; and
a biasing member being movable with the piston for returning the piston to the first position.
-
Specification