Surgical Apparatus and Method for Performing Minimally Invasive Surgery

• US 20110028959A1
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Paul Chasan
• Original Assignee: Paul Chasan
• Inventors: Chasan, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/512,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20110028959A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00595 Cauterization

Abstract

An apparatus for performing minimally invasive surgery, for example, percutaneous minimally invasive capsulotomy surgery. The apparatus includes a shaft, a blunt tip, a flange, an energy conductor and an active surgical element, which may be a cutting or heating element. The shaft has a first end and a second end and is generally stiff with a degree of flexure; the shaft may be curved along at least a substantial part of its length to facilitate navigating the blunt tip within a patient'"'"'s body. The blunt tip is at the second end of the shaft and may be larger in diameter than the shaft and with a recessed area along a surface of the blunt tip. The flange is located at the second end of the shaft and is configured to receive a device that delivers energy, which may be in the form of heat, laser light, radio-frequency, or electricity. The energy conductor is disposed along the length of the shaft from the second end of the shaft to the recess, the energy conductor configured to conduct the energy. The active surgical element, whether it be a cutting or heating element, is located within the recessed area of the blunt tip and coupled to the energy conductor and is configured to make incisions in response to receiving the energy. Also disclosed are methods for performing various surgical procedures using the surgical apparatus, including percutaneous minimally invasive capsulotomy surgery.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing minimally invasive surgery, comprising:

a) a shaft having a first end and a second end, the shaft being generally stiff with a degree of flexure;

b) a blunt tip at the second end of the shaft, the blunt tip being larger in diameter than the shaft and having a cutting surface and a non-cutting surface, the blunt tip having a recessed area at least substantially along the cutting surface;

c) a flange located at the second end of the shaft, the flange configured to receive a device that delivers an energy;

d) an energy conductor disposed along the length of the shaft from the second end of the shaft to at least proximate the recessed area, the energy conductor configured to conduct the energy; and

e) a surgical cutting element located at least substantially within the recessed area of the blunt tip and coupled to the energy conductor, the surgical cutting element configured to make incisions in response to receiving the energy from the energy conductor.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the shaft is curved along at least a substantial part of the length of the shaft from the first end to the second end.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the energy is radio-frequency and the surgical cutting element is a cautery element.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein the cautery element is disposed at least substantially within the recessed area of the cutting surface of the blunt tip and is configured to be approximately flush with the cutting surface to allow the cautery element to engage tissue to make incisions.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 4 wherein the cautery element is directed away from the non-cutting surface of the blunt tip.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein the flange is configured to receive a standard cautery device.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the energy is laser light and the surgical cutting element emits a laser beam.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 7 wherein the flange is configured to receive a standard laser surgery device.

9. An apparatus for performing minimally invasive surgery, comprising:

a) a shaft having a first end and a second end, the shaft being generally stiff with a degree of flexure;

b) a blunt tip means, located at the second end of the shaft and having a cutting surface and a non-cutting surface, for inserting into a patient'"'"'s body through an incision;

c) a flange means, located at the second end of the shaft, for receiving a device that delivers an energy;

d) a conductor means, disposed along the length of the shaft from the second end of the shaft to at least proximate the blunt tip means, for conducting the energy; and

e) a cutting means, located at least partially on the cutting surface of the blunt tip means and responsive to the energy from the conductor means, for making incisions from the cutting surface of the blunt tip means and away from the non-cutting surface of the blunt tip means.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the energy is radio-frequency and the cutting means is a cautery element.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 10 wherein the cautery element is disposed at least substantially within a recessed area located at the cutting surface of the blunt tip means and is configured to be approximately flush with the cutting surface to allow the cautery element to contact tissue and thereby make incisions.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein the cautery element is directed away from the non-cutting surface of the blunt tip means.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 12 wherein the flange means is configured to receive a standard cautery device.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the energy is laser light and the cutting means emits a laser beam.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 14 wherein the flange means is configured to receive a standard laser surgery device.

16. A minimally invasive method for performing capsulotomy surgery, comprising:

a) providing a surgical device having a shaft, a blunt tip, and a flange, and wherein;

i) the shaft has a first end and a second end, the shaft being generally stiff with a degree of flexure,

ii) the blunt tip is located at the second end of the shaft and is larger in diameter than the shaft and has a cutting side and a non-cutting side, the blunt tip having a recess located at least substantially on the cutting side,

iii) a surgical cutting element is located at least substantially within the recess of the blunt tip and is directed away from the non-cutting side,

iv) an energy conductor is disposed along the length of the shaft from the second end of the shaft to the surgical cutting element and is configured to deliver an energy for use by the surgical cutting element, and

v) the flange is located at the second end of the shaft and is configured to receive a device that delivers the energy to the energy conductor;

b) inserting the blunt tip of the surgical device into an incision on or near a breast of a patient and into a cavity surrounding a breast implant within the breast;

c) passing the blunt tip between the implant and surrounding scar tissue and directing the cutting side and the surgical cutting element toward the scar tissue and away from the implant; and

d) cutting the scar tissue with the surgical cutting element.

17. The minimally invasive method for performing capsulotomy surgery of claim 16, wherein the shaft is curved, the method further comprising using the curve of the shaft to facilitate navigation of the blunt tip around the breast implant.

18. The minimally invasive method for performing capsulotomy surgery of claim 16, further comprising:

a) conducting a radio-frequency energy through the energy conductor to the surgical cutting element; and

b) cauterizing the scar tissue with the surgical cutting element.

19. A minimally invasive method for performing spinal surgery, comprising:

a) providing a surgical device having a shaft, a blunt tip, and a flange, and wherein;

i) the shaft has a first end and a second end, the shaft being generally stiff with a degree of flexure,

ii) the blunt tip is located at the second end of the shaft and is larger in diameter than the shaft and has a cutting side and a non-cutting side, the blunt tip having a recess located at least substantially on the cutting side,

iii) a surgical cutting element is located at least substantially within the recess of the blunt tip and is directed away from the non-cutting side,

iv) an energy conductor is disposed along the length of the shaft from the second end of the shaft to the surgical cutting element and is configured to deliver an energy for use by the surgical cutting element, and

v) the flange is located at the second end of the shaft and is configured to receive a device that delivers the energy to the energy conductor;

b) inserting the blunt tip of the surgical device into an incision on or near a patient'"'"'s spine;

c) directing the blunt tip toward a scar tissue disposed at or near a nerve or nerve root;

d) directing the cutting surface of the blunt tip toward the scar tissue and the non-cutting surface of the blunt tip toward the nerve or nerve root; and

e) cutting the scar tissue with the cutting element of the surgical device.

20. A minimally invasive method for performing joint surgery, comprising:

a) providing a surgical device having a shaft, a blunt tip, and a flange, and wherein;

i) the shaft has a first end and a second end, the shaft being generally stiff with a degree of flexure,

ii) the blunt tip is located at the second end of the shaft and is larger in diameter than the shaft and has a heating side and a non-heating side, the blunt tip having a recess located at least substantially on the heating side,

iii) a surgical heating element is located at least substantially within the recess of the blunt tip and is directed away from the non-heating side,

iv) an energy conductor is disposed along the length of the shaft from the second end of the shaft to the surgical heating element and is configured to deliver an energy for use by the surgical heating element, and

v) the flange is located at the second end of the shaft and is configured to receive a device that delivers the energy to the energy conductor;

b) inserting the blunt tip of the surgical device into an incision on or near a patient'"'"'s joint;

c) directing the blunt tip toward a lining or capsule of the joint;

d) directing the heating surface of the blunt tip toward the lining or capsule and the non-heating surface of the blunt tip away from the lining or capsule; and

e) heating the lining or capsule with the surgical heating element of the surgical device.

21. An apparatus for performing minimally invasive surgery, comprising:

a) a shaft having a first end and a second end, the shaft being generally stiff with a degree of flexure;

b) a blunt tip at the second end of the shaft, the blunt tip being larger in diameter than the shaft and having an active surface and a non-active surface, the blunt tip having a recessed area at least substantially along the active surface;

c) a flange located at the second end of the shaft, the flange configured to receive a device that delivers an energy;

d) an energy conductor disposed along the length of the shaft from the second end of the shaft to at least proximate the recessed area, the energy conductor configured to conduct the energy; and

e) an active surgical element located at least substantially within the recessed area of the rounded blunt tip and coupled to the energy conductor, the active surgical element configured to surgically modify tissue in response to receiving the energy from the energy conductor.

22. The apparatus recited in claim 21 wherein the active surgical element is a surgical cutting element.

23. The apparatus recited in claim 22 wherein the energy is radio-frequency and the surgical cutting element is a cautery element.

24. The apparatus recited in claim 23 wherein the cautery element is disposed at least substantially within the recessed area of the active surface of the blunt tip and is configured to be approximately flush with the active surface to allow the cautery element to engage tissue to make incisions.

25. The apparatus recited in claim 24 wherein the cautery element is directed away from the non-active surface of the blunt tip.

26. The apparatus recited in claim 25 wherein the shaft is curved at least substantially along its length from the first end to the second end.

27. The apparatus recited in claim 22 wherein the energy is laser light and the surgical cutting element emits a laser beam.

28. The apparatus recited in claim 21 wherein the active surgical element is a surgical heating element.