Surgical cutting and fastening instrument with distally mounted pneumatically powered rotary drive member

• US 20080029575A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Morgan, Jerome R., Timperman, Eugene L., Fugikawa, Leslie M., Shelton, Frederick E.
• Application Number:
  US11/497,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20080029575A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• 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 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00548 Gas cartridges therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2902 characterized by features of the actuating rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2925 Pistol grips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/037 with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 Indication means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 Preventing re-use
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0545 Tools

Abstract

A surgical instrument that includes a distal member configured to receive a pneumatically operated tool assembly therein. The instrument may also include an elongate shaft assembly that has a distal end portion that is coupled to the distal member and a proximal end portion. A pneumatically powered rotary drive member may be supported by the distal end portion of the elongate shaft assembly and may be configured to apply at least two rotary actuation motions to the pneumatically operated tool assembly upon receipt of at least one pneumatic drive signal from a source of pneumatic power. The pneumatically powered drive member may comprise a pneumatically powered motor. In various embodiments, the distal end portion of the elongate shaft member may articulate relative to the proximal end portion thereof and/or the distal end portion of the elongate shaft assembly may be detachable from the proximal end portion.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a distal member configured to receive a pneumatically operated tool assembly;

an elongate shaft assembly having a distal end portion associated with said distal member and a proximal end portion; and

a pneumatically powered rotary drive member supported by said distal end portion of said elongate shaft assembly and fluidically coupled to a source of pneumatic power, said rotary drive member configured to selectively apply at least two rotary actuation motions to the pneumatically operated tool assembly supported by said distal member upon receipt of at least one pneumatic drive signal from the source of pneumatic power.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said rotary drive member comprises a pneumatically powered motor.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said rotary drive member is configured to apply a rotary firing motion to the pneumatically operated tool assembly supported in said distal member upon receipt of a flow of gas from said source of pneumatic power and a rotary retraction motion to the pneumatically operated tool assembly supported in said distal member upon receipt of another flow of gas from the source of pneumatic power.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said distal end portion of said elongate shaft assembly is pivotally coupled to said proximal end portion by an articulation joint.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 wherein said articulation joint is mechanically actuated.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 4 wherein said articulation joint is pneumatically actuated.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said distal end portion of said elongate shaft assembly is selectively detachable from said proximal end portion of said elongate shaft assembly.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein one of said distal end portion and said proximal end portion of said elongate shaft assembly has a selectively pivotable articulation joint therein and wherein said distal end portion is selectively detachable from said proximal end portion of said elongate shaft assembly.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a handle assembly; and

an actuator mechanism supported by said handle assembly and operably communicating with said source of pneumatic power and said rotary drive member, said actuator mechanism configured to selectively control application of said pneumatic signals from said source of said pneumatic power to said rotary drive member.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9 wherein said actuator mechanism comprises:

a variable flow control member in fluid communication with said source of pneumatic power and said rotary drive member; and

an activation trigger operably supported by said handle assembly and operably coupled to said variable flow control member for selective operation thereof.

11. A method for processing an instrument for surgery, said method comprising:

obtaining said surgical instrument of claim 1;

sterilizing said surgical instrument; and

storing said instrument in a sterile container.

12. A surgical instrument comprising:

a handle assembly;

a closure drive supported by said handle assembly and configured to generate a closing motion and an opening motion;

an actuator mechanism supported by said handle assembly, said actuator mechanism communicating with a source of pneumatic power to selectively produce at least one pneumatic actuation signal;

an elongate shaft assembly coupled to said handle assembly and communicating with said closure drive to transfer said opening and closing motions and said at least one pneumatic actuation signal;

a pneumatically powered rotary drive member operably supported by a distal end of said elongate shaft assembly and being responsive to said at least one pneumatic actuation signal and configured to generate a rotary firing motion and a rotary retraction motion; and

an end effector coupled to said elongate shaft assembly, said end effector comprising;

an elongate channel sized to receive a staple cartridge therein;

an anvil pivotally coupled to said elongate channel and being pivotally responsive to said open and closing motions from said elongate shaft assembly; and

a cutting and severing member operably supported within said elongate channel and being responsive to said firing and retraction motions from said rotary drive member.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12 wherein said rotary drive member comprises a pneumatically powered motor.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 12 wherein said distal end portion of said elongate shaft assembly is pivotally coupled to said proximal end portion of said elongate shaft assembly by an articulation joint assembly.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14 wherein said articulation joint assembly is mechanically actuated.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 14 wherein said articulation joint assembly is pneumatically actuated.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 12 wherein said distal end portion of said elongate shaft assembly is selectively detachable from said proximal end portion of said elongate shaft assembly to enable a new distal end portion having a new end effector attached thereto to be attached to the proximal end portion of the elongate shaft assembly.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 12 wherein said source of pneumatic power is located external to said handle assembly.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 18 wherein said source of pneumatic power is supported by said handle assembly.

19. A surgical instrument comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate shaft assembly having a proximal end portion operably coupled to said handle assembly, said elongate shaft portion further having a distal end portion;

means for operably supporting a pneumatically operated tool assembly coupled to said elongate shaft assembly; and

means for generating at least one rotary actuation force for application to the pneumatically operated tool supported by said means for operably supporting in response to at least one pneumatic drive signal from a source of pneumatic power fluidically coupled to said means for generating, said means for generating supported by said distal end of said elongate shaft assembly.