Pneumatically powered surgical cutting and fastening instrument with a variable control of the actuating rate of firing with mechanical power assist

• US 20080029576A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Morgan, Jerome R., Timperman, Eugene L., Fugikawa, Leslie M., Shelton, Frederick E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,740,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00544 pneumatically
• 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

Abstract

A surgical instrument that includes a distal member configured to receive a pneumatically operated tool assembly therein. The instrument may also include pneumatically powered drive member configured to generate at least one actuation motion upon receipt of at least one pneumatic signal from a source of pneumatic power fluidically coupled thereto. A drive shaft assembly communicates with the pneumatically powered drive member for transmitting the actuation motions to the distally mounted pneumatically operated tool. The device further includes a power assist member that communicates with the drive shaft assembly for transmitting additional manually generated actuation motions to the drive shaft assembly.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

a handle assembly;

a distal member distally coupled to said handle assembly and configured to support a pneumatically operated tool;

a pneumatically powered drive member configured to generate at least one actuation motion upon receipt of at least one pneumatic signal from a source of pneumatic power fluidically coupled to said pneumatically powered drive member;

a drive shaft assembly communicating with said pneumatically powered drive member and the pneumatically operated tool for transmitting said at least one actuation motion to the pneumatically operated tool; and

a power assist trigger operably supported by said handle assembly and linked to said drive shaft assembly such that upon manually actuating said power assist trigger, additional actuation motion is applied to said drive shaft assembly.

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

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2 wherein said pneumatically powered motor is configured to selectively generate a firing motion that causes said drive shaft assembly to move in a first direction and a retraction motion that causes said drive shaft assembly to move in a second direction.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 2 wherein said pneumatically powered motor has an output shaft coupled to said drive shaft assembly and wherein said power assist trigger is mechanically linked to said output shaft by a linkage assembly comprising:

a first gear operably attached to said output shaft of said pneumatically powered motor;

a threaded shaft in threaded engagement with a portion of said power assist trigger such that when said power assist trigger is manually actuated, said threaded shaft is rotated; and

a second gear operably coupled to said threaded shaft and in threaded engagement with said first gear.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 wherein upon manual application of a first actuation force to said power assist trigger when said pneumatically powered motor is generating said firing motion, said linkage assembly transmits said additional firing motion to said drive shaft assembly to enhance said firing motion and upon a second actuation force to said power assist trigger, said linkage assembly retards said firing motion generated by said pneumatically powered motor.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said power assist trigger is pivotally supported by said handle assembly such that said actuation motion generated by said pneumatically powered drive member causes said power assist trigger to pivot.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said surgical instrument further comprises an activation trigger operably supported by said handle assembly for selectively controlling a flow of gas from said source of pneumatic power to said pneumatically powered drive member.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 5 wherein said activation trigger is configured to selectively control flow of gas from said source of pneumatic power to the pneumatically powered motor in proportion to an amount of manual force applied to said activation trigger.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 4 wherein said power assist trigger is pivotally supported relative to said handle assembly and wherein said activation trigger is pivotally supported relative to said handle assembly and is configured to pivotally travel with said power assist trigger.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said source of pneumatic power is supported by said handle assembly.

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;

means for operably supporting a pneumatically operated tool, said means for operably supporting being distally coupled to said handle assembly;

drive means operably supported by said handle assembly for generating at least one actuation motion upon receipt of at least one pneumatic signal from a source of pneumatic power fluidically coupled to said drive means;

means for transmitting said at least one actuation motion from the drive means to the pneumatically operated tool; and

means for manually generating and applying additional actuation motion to said means for transmitting.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12 further comprising variable flow control means for varying an application of said pneumatic signals from said source of pneumatic power to said drive means.

14. 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;

a drive system supported by said handle assembly and being configured to selectively generate at least one of a firing motion and a retraction motion;

an elongate shaft assembly coupled to said handle assembly and communicating with said closure drive to transfer said opening and closing motions and further communicating with said drive system to transfer said firing motion and said retraction motion;

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 firing mechanism operably supported within one of said elongate channel and the staple cartridge and being movable from an unactuated position to an actuated position in response to an application of said firing motion from said elongate shaft assembly and being movable from said actuated position to said unactuated position in response to another application of said retraction motion from said elongate shaft assembly and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises;

a power assist trigger movably supported by said handle assembly and linked to said elongate shaft assembly such that upon manually actuating said power assist trigger, additional firing motion is applied to said elongate shaft assembly for transfer to said firing mechanism.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14 wherein said elongate shaft assembly further comprises a drive shaft assembly communicating with said drive system and the pneumatically operated tool for transmitting said firing and retraction motions thereto and wherein said power assist trigger mechanically communicates with said drive shaft assembly for transmitting mechanically generated actuation motions thereto.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15 wherein said power assist trigger is linked to said drive shaft assembly by a linkage assembly such that upon manual application of a first actuation motion force to said power assist trigger when said drive system is generating said firing motion, said linkage assembly transmits said additional firing motion to said drive shaft assembly to enhance said firing motion and upon a second actuation force to said power assist trigger, said linkage assembly retards said firing motion generated by said drive system.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16 wherein said drive system further comprises a pneumatically powered motor having an output shaft and wherein said linkage assembly comprises:

a first gear operably attached to said output shaft of said pneumatically powered motor;

a threaded shaft in threaded engagement with a portion of said power assist trigger such that when said power assist trigger is manually actuated, said threaded shaft is rotated; and

a second gear operably coupled to said threaded shaft and in threaded engagement with said first gear.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 14 wherein said surgical instrument further comprises an activation trigger operably supported by said handle assembly for selectively controlling a flow of gas from said source of pneumatic power to said drive system.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18 wherein said activation trigger is configured to selectively control flow of gas from said source of pneumatic power to the drive system in proportion to an amount of manual force applied to said activation trigger.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 18 wherein said power assist trigger is pivotally supported relative to said handle assembly and wherein said activation trigger is pivotally supported relative to said handle assembly and is configured to pivotally travel with said power assist trigger.