Imaging System For A Surgical Device

• US 20090182193A1
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Power Medical Interventions, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Whitman, Michael P., Malinouskas, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 8,771,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00073 with externally grooved shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00101 the distal tip features being detachable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00131 Accessories for endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00133 Drive units for endoscopic tools inserted through or with the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00174 characterised by the viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00179 for off-axis viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/313 for introducing through surgical openings, e.g. laparoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 : Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

A surgical device includes a jaw portion and a shaft portion that is pivotably coupled to the jaw portion. The shaft portion defines an interior space having first and second openings on respective radially-opposite sides of the shaft portion. A camera assembly is coupled to the shaft portion and is moveable between a first position, in which the camera assembly is positioned within the interior space of the shaft portion, and, for example, second and third positions, in which the camera assembly extends through a respective one of the first and second radially-opposite openings of the shaft portion. In this manner, the camera assembly may be positionable on, and may provide imaging data of, either side of the surgical device, irrespective of which lateral side the jaw portion is articulated relative to the shaft portion.

Claims

1. A surgical device, comprising:

a jaw portion;

a shaft portion pivotably coupled to the jaw portion, wherein the shaft portion defines an interior space having at least one opening on a side of the shaft portion; and

a camera assembly coupled to the shaft portion and moveable between a first position, in which the camera assembly is positioned within the interior space of the shaft portion, and a second position, in which the camera assembly extends through the at least one opening of the shaft portion.

2. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening includes first and second openings on respective radially-opposite sides of the shaft portion.

3. The surgical device of claim 2, wherein the camera assembly is moveable so as to extend through a respective one of the first and second radially-opposite openings of the shaft portion.

4. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein the camera assembly includes at least one camera and at least one light source.

5. The surgical device of claim 3, wherein the jaw portion defines a first longitudinal axis, the shaft portion defines a second longitudinal axis, and the jaw portion is pivotable relative to the shaft portion about a first pivot axis that is perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal axes.

6. The surgical device of claim 5, wherein the camera assembly is pivotably coupled to the shaft portion about a second pivot axis that is parallel to the first pivot axis.

7. The surgical device of claim 5, wherein the jaw portion is articulatable to either one of laterally-opposite sides of the shaft portion.

8. The surgical device of claim 7, wherein the camera assembly is moveable so as to extend through a respective one of the first and second openings of the shaft portion that is located on the same lateral side as the lateral side to which the jaw portion is articulated.

9. The surgical device of claim 8, wherein the shaft portion includes a drive mechanism that operates to cause the camera assembly to automatically extend through the respective one of the first and second openings of the shaft portion that is located on the same lateral side as the lateral side to which the jaw portion is articulated.

10. The surgical device of claim 9, wherein a single drive mechanism is adapted to cause the camera assembly to automatically extend through the respective one of the first and second openings of the shaft portion and to articulate the jaw portion relative to the shaft portion.

11. The surgical device of claim 8, wherein the camera assembly is at least partially manually moveable by an operator so as to extend through a respective one of the first and second openings of the shaft portion.

12. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein the camera assembly includes a camera housing and a support arm.

13. The surgical device of claim 12, wherein the support arm is coupled at a first location to the shaft portion and at a second location to the camera housing.

14. The surgical device of claim 13, wherein the support arm is pivotable relative to the shaft portion about a pivot axis that is parallel to an axis about which the jaw portion is pivotable relative to the shaft portion.

15. The surgical device of claim 13, wherein the camera housing is pivotable relative to the support arm about a pivot axis that is parallel to an axis about which the jaw portion is pivotable relative to the shaft portion.

16. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein the camera assembly includes a camera and two light sources.

17. The surgical device of claim 16, wherein each of the two light sources is located on a respective side of the camera.

18. A method of operating a surgical device including a jaw portion, a shaft portion pivotably coupled to the jaw portion, and a camera assembly coupled to the shaft portion, wherein the shaft portion defines an interior space having at least one opening on a side of the shaft portion, comprising:

inserting the surgical device into a surgical site with the camera assembly in a first position, in which the camera assembly is positioned within the interior space of the shaft portion; and

moving the camera assembly to a second position, in which the camera assembly extends through the opening of the shaft portion.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one opening includes first and second openings on respective radially-opposite sides of the shaft portion, and wherein the method further comprises moving the camera assembly so as to extend through a respective one of the first and second radially-opposite openings of the shaft portion.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising upon moving the camera assembly so as to extend through a respective one of the first and second radially-opposite openings of the shaft portion, pivoting the camera assembly so as to be oriented towards the jaw portion.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the camera assembly includes at least one camera and at least one light source.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the jaw portion defines a first longitudinal axis, the shaft portion defines a second longitudinal axis, and wherein the method further comprises the step of pivoting the jaw portion relative to the shaft portion about a first pivot axis that is perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal axes.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising pivoting the camera assembly coupled to the shaft portion about a second pivot axis that is parallel to the first pivot axis.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising articulating the jaw portion to either one of laterally-opposite sides of the shaft portion.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising moving the camera assembly so as to extend through a respective one of the first and second openings of the shaft portion that is located on the same lateral side as the lateral side to which the jaw portion is articulated.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising operating a drive mechanism of the shaft portion so as to cause the camera assembly to automatically extend through the respective one of the first and second openings of the shaft portion that is located on the same lateral side as the lateral side to which the jaw portion is articulated.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the operating step includes employing a single drive mechanism to cause the camera assembly to automatically extend through the respective one of the first and second openings of the shaft portion and to articulate the jaw portion relative to the shaft portion.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising at least partially manually moving the camera assembly so as to extend through a respective one of the first and second openings of the shaft portion.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the camera assembly includes a camera housing and a support arm.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising coupling the support arm at a first location to the shaft portion and at a second location to the camera housing.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising pivoting the support arm relative to the shaft portion about a pivot axis that is parallel to an axis about which the jaw portion is pivotable relative to the shaft portion.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising pivoting the camera housing relative to the support arm about a pivot axis that is parallel to an axis about which the jaw portion is pivotable relative to the shaft portion.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein the camera assembly includes a camera and two light sources.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising locating each one of the two light sources on a respective lateral side of the camera.