Surgical stapling instrument having an electroactive polymer actuated medical substance dispenser
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a handle operably configured to produce a firing motion;
an elongate shaft attached to the handle;
an end effector distally attached to the elongate shaft and comprising opposing jaws for clamping tissue;
a firing member comprising a firing bar received for reciprocating longitudinal motion in the elongate shaft to transfer the firing motion, a cutting surface distally attached to the firing bar to sever the clamped tissue in the end effector, and a fluid passage defined longitudinally in the firing bar to the cutting surface;
control circuitry operably configured to respond to a firing condition to generate a dispensing signal; and
an electrical fluid dispenser in communication with the fluid passage and responsive to the dispensing signal to dispense a medical substance along the fluid passage to the cutting surface.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical stapling and severing instrument enables minimally invasive surgical procedures by having upper and lower jaws (i.e., anvil and staple channel) that are positioned with an elongate shaft and handle through a surgical opening, and in particular through a cannula of a trocar. A pair of fluid bladders (lift bags) are positioned in the staple channel beneath a proximally projecting lever tray so that transfer of fluid from the handle causes closing and clamping of the anvil. The bi-directional fluid control may be mechanically produced at the handle or by activating an electroactive polymer actuator. Once firing is sensed, an EAP plunger in a medical substance syringe inserted into the elongate shaft is activated to dispense a medical substance (e.g., anesthetics, adhesives, cauterizing substances, antibiotics, etc.) and is guided along a firing bar to a cutting surface of an E-beam placing the substance on tissue as severed.
620 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a handle operably configured to produce a firing motion;
an elongate shaft attached to the handle;
an end effector distally attached to the elongate shaft and comprising opposing jaws for clamping tissue;
a firing member comprising a firing bar received for reciprocating longitudinal motion in the elongate shaft to transfer the firing motion, a cutting surface distally attached to the firing bar to sever the clamped tissue in the end effector, and a fluid passage defined longitudinally in the firing bar to the cutting surface;
control circuitry operably configured to respond to a firing condition to generate a dispensing signal; and
an electrical fluid dispenser in communication with the fluid passage and responsive to the dispensing signal to dispense a medical substance along the fluid passage to the cutting surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a handle operably configured to produce a firing motion;
an elongate shaft attached to the handle;
an end effector distally attached to the elongate shaft;
a fluid passage to the end effector;
a syringe cylinder comprising an internal volume filled with a medical substance, a dispensing opening communicating with the fluid passage, and an electroactive polymer plunger operatively configured to expand when activated into the internal volume to dispense the medical substance through the dispensing opening;
control circuitry operably configured to generate a dispensing signal to the electoractive polymer plunger to command dispensing. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a handle operably configured to produce a firing motion;
an elongate shaft attached to the handle;
an end effector distally attached to the elongate shaft and comprised of opposing jaws for clamping tissue;
a firing member comprising a firing bar received for reciprocating longitudinal motion in the elongate shaft to transfer the firing motion, a cutting surface distally attached to the firing bar to sever the clamped tissue in the end effector, and a fluid passage defined longitudinally in the firing bar to the cutting surface;
a staple cartridge received in one of the opposing jaws responsive to the firing member to drive and form staples through the clamped tissue;
control circuitry operably configured to respond to a firing condition related to distal movement of the firing member to generate a dispensing signal; and
an electrical fluid dispenser in communication with the fluid passage and responsive to the dispensing signal to dispense a medical substance along the fluid passage to the cutting surface. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification