System and method for actuating a laparoscopic surgical instrument

• US 20050192598A1
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Inventors: Johnson, Gary M., Ahlberg, Russell E., Bak-Boychuk, Gregory I., Okihisa, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,578,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/148
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1608 the two jaw elements being linked to two elongated shaft elements moving longitudinally relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3201 Scissors for biopsy A61B10/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2934 arcuate shaped guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2936 Pins in guiding slots

Abstract

The invention is directed to a pin and slot design where the driving slots are moved from the tips to the actuation rod in one aspect of the invention. As a result, the back end of each blade or tip can be dramatically reduced in area so that during full deflection, very little or no part of the blade or tip extends beyond the outside diameter of the shaft. This ensures that nothing catches on the blades or tips during grasper use and the shrink tubing found on the scissors would not be deformed. This can be done because the area for the slots is not needed. Moreover, the usable area for the drive slots on the blade or tip of the actuation rod is maximized to the overall diameter of the outer tube or shaft which provides additional leverage to the blades or tips. In addition, the depth of each slot can be varied such that during actuation, increased tension can be put on the blades or tips throughout the cut. More specifically, the surgical instrument of the invention comprises an elongate tube extending along an axis including an actuation rod coaxially slidable within the elongate tube, a first tip including a first pin formed on a proximal end surface of the first tip, and a second tip including a second pin formed on a proximal end surface of the second tip, the second tip pivotally connected to the first tip at a common pivot pin operably connected to the elongate tube to open and close the tips in response to movement of the actuation rod. The actuation rod has a slot to accept the pins of the first and second tips, the slot has camming surfaces for the pins to slide within the slot, and the proximal ends of the tips extend minimally outside the diameter of the elongate tube during actuation of the tips.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate tube extending along an axis including an actuation rod coaxially slidable within the elongate tube;

a first tip including a first pin formed on a proximal end surface of the first tip; and

a second tip including a second pin formed on a proximal end surface of the second tip, the second tip pivotally connected to the first tip at a common pivot pin operably connected to the elongate tube to open and close the tips in response to movement of the actuation rod,

the actuation rod having a slot to accept the pins of the first and second tips, the slot having camming surfaces for the pins to slide within the slot, and the proximal ends of the tips extend minimally outside the diameter of the elongate tube during actuation of the tips.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the proximal ends of the tips do not extend outside the diameter of the elongate tube during actuation of the tips.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the actuation rod is formed by machining, stamping, overmolding, casting, or metal injection molding.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the actuation rod is a tongue actuation rod or a fork actuation rod.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein the fork actuation rod includes a through slot on each side of the rod.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the slots are curved.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the through slots are transverse to one another.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein the tongue actuation rod includes two transverse slots on opposing sides of the tongue.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the slots are curved.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 5 or claim 8, wherein at least one of the slots is an open-end slot or a closed end slot.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the slot has a depth that varies along the length of the slot.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the different depth of the slot provides different tension along the tip.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the tongue actuation rod includes means for ratcheting the tips into a desired position.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the ratcheting means includes a series of detents.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the slot includes a locking mechanism.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the pins are formed on the proximal end surfaces of the tips by press fitting, threading, welding or bonding.

17. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate tube extending along an axis including an actuation rod coaxially operable within the elongate tube;

a first tip including a first cam slot with a first camming surface; and

a second tip including a second cam slot with a second camming surface, the second tip pivotally connected to the first tip at a common pivot pin operably connected to the elongate tube to open and close the tips in response to movement of the actuation rod,

the actuation rod including a third slot to hold a floating drive pin, the floating drive pin being placed through the first and second cam slots, and the proximal ends of the tips extend minimally outside the diameter of the elongate tube during actuation of the tips.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the proximal ends of the tips do not extend outside the diameter of the elongate tube during actuation of the tips.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the third slot is a vertical slot.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the elongate tube further comprises a floating drive pin slot at the proximal portion of the tube.

21. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a shaft assembly extending along an axis including a rotatable outer shaft and a coaxial inner rod;

a first tip including a first pin formed on a proximal end surface of the first tip; and

a second tip including a second pin formed on a proximal end surface of the second tip, the second tip pivotally connected to the first tip at a common pivot pin operably connected to the shaft assembly to open and close the tips in response to movement of the outer shaft,

the outer shaft having a slot to accept the pins of the first and second tips, the slot having camming surfaces for the pins to slide within the slot, and the proximal ends of the tips extend minimally outside the diameter of the shaft assembly during actuation of the tips.

22. The surgical instrument of claim 21, wherein the proximal ends of the tips do not extend minimally outside the diameter of the shaft assembly during actuation of the tips.

23. The surgical instrument of claim 21, wherein the tips are actuated by rotating the outer shaft.

24. The surgical instrument of claim 21, wherein the outer shaft is formed of a plurality of components.

25. The surgical instrument of claim 21, wherein the slot is a through slot or a channel.

26. The surgical instrument of claim 25, wherein the slot is curved.

27. The surgical instrument of claim 21, wherein the outer shaft further comprises a second slot transverse to the first slot to accept the second of the two pins of the first and second tips.

28. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate tube extending along an axis including an actuation rod coaxially slidable within the elongate tube;

a first tip including a pin formed on a proximal end surface of the first tip; and

a second tip pivotally connected to the first tip at a common pivot pin and operably connected to the elongate tube to open and close the first tip in response to movement of the actuation rod,

the actuation rod having a slot to accept the pin, the slot having camming surfaces for the pin to slide within the slot, and the proximal end of the first tip extends minimally outside the diameter of the elongate tube during actuation of the tips

29. The surgical instrument of claim 28, wherein the proximal end of the first tip does not extend outside the diameter of the elongate tube during actuation of the tips.

30. The surgical instrument of claim 28, wherein the slot is curved.