TISSUE MANIPULATION DEVICES

• US 20100331622A2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Conlon, Sean
• Application Number:
  US12/277,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20100130817A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/106
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft

Abstract

Devices are provided for manipulating tissue during a surgical procedure. In certain embodiments, an end effector is operably coupled to the end of an elongate shaft. The end effector has at least one tissue support linkage movably coupled thereto such that upon application of a first actuation force thereto, the tissue support linkage moves laterally outward from within the end effector to enable the surgeon to manipulate/support adjacent tissue therewith. Upon application of another actuation force to the tissue support linkage, the tissue support linkage is caused to move substantially completely within the outer perimeter of the end effector to enable the end effector to be inserted through a lumen/opening or passageway. In various embodiments, the end effector may be selectively articulateable relative to the elongate shaft.

Claims

1. A surgical device, comprising:

an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

an elongate end effector operably coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft, said elongate end effector having an outer perimeter;

a distal slider member movably supported within said elongate end effector and being selectively axially movable therein in a proximal direction and a distal direction;

at least one tissue support linkage movably coupled to a portion of said end effector and said distal slider member and being selectively movable between a first position wherein said at least one tissue support linkage is substantially completely received within said outer perimeter of said elongate end effector and at least one other position wherein said at least one tissue support linkage extends laterally outward beyond said perimeter of said elongate end effector.

2. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein said distal slider member is movable between a starting position and an ending position and wherein, when said distal slider member is in said starting position, said at least one tissue support linkage is in said first position and when said distal slider member is moved from said starting position to said ending position, said at least one tissue support linkage moves to said at least one other position.

3. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein said at least one tissue support linkage comprises:

a first two bar linkage assembly pivotally coupled to said portion of said elongate end effector and said distal slider member; and

a second two bar linkage assembly pivotally coupled to another portion of said elongate end effector and said distal slider member.

4. The surgical device of claim 3 wherein said first two bar linkage assembly comprises:

a first proximal link pivotally coupled to said portion of said elongate end effector; and

a second distal link pivotally coupled to said first proximal link and said distal slider member and wherein said second two bar linkage assembly comprises;

a second proximal link pivotally coupled to said another portion of said elongate end effector; and

a second distal link pivotally coupled to said second proximal link and said distal slider member.

5. The surgical device of claim 1 further comprising an actuator member coupled to said distal slider member and protruding from said proximal end of said elongate shaft to enable actuation motions to be applied to said distal slider member to cause said at least one tissue support linkage to move between said first position and said other positions.

6. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein said end effector is movably coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft.

7. The surgical device of claim 6 wherein said end effector is pivotally coupled to said distal end of said elongate shaft by a three-bar linkage adapted to laterally articulate relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft to allow the end effector to be angularly oriented relative to the elongate shaft.

8. The surgical device of claim 6, wherein the three-bar linkage is rotatably coupled to the elongate shaft such that the three-bar linkage and the end effector coupled thereto are adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft.

9. The surgical device of claim 7, wherein the three-bar linkage comprises:

a first articulating link having a proximal end coupled to the distal end of the elongate shaft;

a second articulating link having a proximal end pivotally coupled to a distal end of the first articulating link, and a distal end coupled to the end effector; and

a third articulating link having a proximal end pivotally coupled to an articulation actuator extending through the elongate shaft, and a distal end pivotally coupled to the second articulating link.

10. The surgical device of claim 9, wherein the articulation actuator is adapted to translate along a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft to laterally articulate the second link and the end effector relative to the first link.

11. The surgical device of claim 9, wherein the articulation actuator comprises a hollow elongate tube.

12. The surgical device of claim 9, wherein the articulation actuator is rotatable relative to the elongate shaft such that rotation of the articulation actuator rotates the three-bar linkage and the end effector relative to the elongate shaft.

13. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein the elongate shaft is flexible.

14. A method for processing the surgical device of claim 1 for surgery, comprising:

obtaining the surgical device of claim 1;

sterilizing the surgical device; and

storing the surgical device in a sterile container.

15. A surgical method, comprising:

obtaining the surgical device of claim 1;

ensuring that the at least one tissue support linkage is in the first position;

inserting the end effector and elongate shaft through a body lumen to position the end effector adjacent to non-target tissue;

moving the at least one tissue support linkage to one of the at least one other positions such that the at least one tissue support linkage extends laterally outward beyond the perimeter of said elongate end effector; and

manipulating the end effector to cause the at least one tissue support linkage to support at least some of the non-target tissue.

16. The surgical method of claim 15 wherein said moving the least one tissue support linkage to one of the at least one other positions comprises moving the distal slider member in a proximal direction.

17. The surgical method of claim 16 wherein said moving the distal slider member in a proximal direction comprises applying a pulling motion to the distal slider member with an actuation member attached to the distal slider member and extending through the elongate shaft.

18. The surgical method of claim 15 wherein said ensuring comprises applying a pushing motion to the distal slider member with an actuation member attached to the distal slider member and extending through the elongate shaft.

19. The surgical method of claim 15 wherein said manipulating comprises articulating the end effector relative to the elongate shaft.

20. The surgical method of claim 15 wherein said manipulating comprise rotating the end effector relative to the elongate shaft about a longitudinal axis defined by the elongate shaft.

applying an actuation motion to the at least one tissue support linkage