Grasper with surgical sealant dispenser

• US 20090143816A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Weaver, Thomas A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Boyden, Edward S., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Application Number:
  US11/998,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20090143816A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/214
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00491 Surgical glue applicators surgical adhesives A61L24/00; two-component delivery syringes A61M5/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2812 with a single pivotal connection A61B17/29 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00495 for two-component glue

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a medical device comprising a dispenser adapted to dispense a tissue sealant or one or more precursor compounds, the dispenser being operably coupled to a grasper. Furthermore, the medical device comprises a dispenser adapted to dispense a tissue sealant or one or more precursor compounds thereof, the dispenser being operably coupled to a surgical cutter. Additionally or alternatively the medical device can include an actuation mechanism, whereby the dispenser dispenses the tissue sealant or one or more precursor compounds at a surgical cutting site or in a proximity thereof.

Claims

1. A medical device, comprising:

a dispenser adapted to dispense a tissue sealant or one or more precursor compounds, the dispenser being operably coupled to a grasper, wherein the grasper is configured to grasp a biological tissue having at least one surgical incision.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the grasper is flexually deformable and contains at least one shape-transforming material.

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the grasper is flexually deformable and contains at least one shape memory alloy.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the grasper is flexually deformable and contains at least one mechanically reconfigurable material.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant is formed through at least one reaction that includes one or more of the one or more precursor compounds.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the grasper includes at least one grasping jaw or grasping finger.

7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant is formed through at least one reaction that includes the one or more precursor compounds.

8. The medical device of claim 7, wherein the at least one reaction includes a photoreaction, a chemical reaction, a photochemical reaction, a thermally-driven reaction, a catalysis, or an enzymatic reaction.

9. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser dispenses sufficient amounts of the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds to effectuate wound healing.

10. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes one or more pipettes that dispense the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

11. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes one or more small-sized outlet ports that dispense the tissue sealant or one or more precursor compounds.

12. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes one or more microchips containing the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

13. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes one or more arrays of microchips containing more than one type of tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

14. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes one or more arrays of pipettes that dispense more than one type of tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

15. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser dispenses the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds in a manner that blocks or seals or adheres to the at least one surgical incision.

16. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser is configured to dispense the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds in a manner whereby the at least one surgical incision is covered with the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

17. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds include at least one of antibacterial agents, anti-infection agents, angiogenic factors, growth factors, blood coagulants, antimicrobial agents, pharmaceuticals, drugs or compounds.

18. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds reduce scar formation in body tissue.

19. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds include at least one of an acrylic acid-derivative.

20. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds include at least one of a gel, a cream, a liquid, a fluid, a semi-solid or solid.

21. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds include at least one of a hydrogel, an alginate, a zymogen, a glutaraldehyde-treated protein, a cross-linked protein, a cross-linked carbohydrate or a cross-linked fatty acid derivative.

22. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds include a volume-expanding substance.

23. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the at least one surgical incision contains at least one surgical staple or at least one surgical fastener.

24. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the at least one surgical incision contains at least one tie, string or wire.

25. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor that regulates the dispensing of an amount of the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds that are dispensed by the dispenser.