Flexible shaft extender and method of using same

• US 20060089628A1
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Whitman, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,947,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1626 Control means; Display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1631 Special drive shafts, e.g. flexible shafts A61B17/1642, A61B17/164 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320032 Details of the rotating or oscillating shaft, e.g. using a flexible shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 1/10 Means for transmitting linear movement in a flexible sheathing, e.g. "Bowden-mechanisms" guiding-sheathings F16C1/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2042 and hand operator

Abstract

An extender for use in an electro-mechanical surgical system that includes a surgical attachment that may be detachably coupled to an electro-mechanical driver device via a flexible shaft. The extender is a substantially rigid extender that includes a proximal end that may be detachably coupled to a distal end of the flexible shaft. The extender also includes a distal end that may be detachably coupled to the surgical attachment. The extender also includes at least one rotatable drive shaft configured to engage and be secured with a respective rotatable drive shaft of the flexible shaft such that rotation of the respective rotatable drive shaft of the flexible shaft by the electro-mechanical driver device causes the at least one rotatable drive shaft of the extender to rotate, thereby rotating a complementary connector of the surgical attachment so as to operate the surgical attachment. The extender may include a memory unit and a data cable that transfers data from the memory unit to an electro-mechanical driver device. Additionally or alternatively, the extender may include a data cable that transfers data from a memory unit in the surgical attachment to the electro-mechanical driver device. Advantageously, the extender is autoclavable.

Claims

1. In an electro-mechanical surgical system including a surgical attachment detachably coupleable to an electro-mechanical driver device via a flexible shaft, a substantially rigid extender comprising:

a proximal end configured to be detachably coupled to a distal end of the flexible shaft;

a distal end configured to be detachably coupled to the surgical attachment;

at least one rotatable drive shaft configured to engage and be secured with a respective rotatable drive shaft of the flexible shaft such that rotation of the respective rotatable drive shaft of the flexible shaft by the electro-mechanical driver device causes the at least one rotatable drive shaft of the extender to rotate, thereby rotating a complementary connector of the surgical attachment so as to operate the surgical attachment.

2. The extender of claim 1, wherein the extender is autoclavable.

3. The extender of claim 1, wherein the extender further comprises a memory unit.

4. The extender of claim 3, wherein the memory unit is configured to store one or more of serial number data, an attachment type identifier data and a usage data.

5. The extender of claim 4, wherein one or more of the serial number data and the ID data is configured as read-only data.

6. The extender of claim 5, wherein the serial number data is data uniquely identifying the extender.

7. The extender of claim 5, wherein the ID data is data identifying the type of the extender.

8. The extender of claim 5, wherein the usage data represents a number of times the extender has been used.

9. The extender of claim 3, wherein the extender further comprises a data cable configured to transfer data between the memory unit and the electro-mechanical driver device.

10. The extender of claim 1, wherein the extender further comprises a data cable configured to transfer data between a memory unit located in the surgical attachment and the electro-mechanical driver device.

11. A method for performing a surgical procedure, the method comprising the steps of:

detachably coupling a proximal end of an extender to a flexible shaft, the flexible shaft being coupled to an electro-mechanical driver device, the extender being substantially rigid;

detachably coupling a distal end of the extender to a surgical attachment such that at least one rotatable drive shaft engages and is secured with a respective rotatable drive shaft of the flexible shaft;

rotating the respective rotatable drive shaft of the flexible shaft by the electro-mechanical driver device so as to cause the at least one rotatable drive shaft of the extender to rotate; and

rotating, by the at least one rotatable drive shaft of the extender, a complementary connector of the surgical attachment so as to operate the surgical attachment.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of storing in a memory unit of the extender one or more of serial number data, an attachment type identifier data and a usage data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of configuring one or more of the serial number data and the ID data as read-only data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the serial number data is data uniquely identifying the extender.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the ID data is data identifying the type of the extender.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the usage data represents a number of times the extender has been used.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of transferring, via a data cable located within the extender, data between the memory unit and the electro-mechanical driver device.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of storing in a memory unit of the surgical attachment one or more of serial number data, an attachment type identifier data and a usage data.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of transferring, via a data cable located within the extender, data between the memory unit and the electro-mechanical driver device.