ARTICULATING ENDOSCOPIC ACCESSORY CHANNEL

• US 20110144430A1
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Ortiz, Mark S., Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Spivey, James T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,149,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/106
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0057 Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0042 with special provisions for gripping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/291 the position of the handle being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2919 details of linkages or pivot points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2947 Pivots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/306 Wrists with multiple vertebrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/372 Details of monitor hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for controlling movement of a working end of a surgical device. In one embodiment, methods and devices are provided for moving an end effector on a distal end of a surgical fastening device. Movement can include rotational movement of the end effector about an axis of the shaft, articulation of the end effector relative to the shaft, and actuation of an end effector, e.g., closing, firing, and/or cutting. In other embodiments, a single cable actuator is provided and is movable between a first position, in which it is effective to rotate an end effector without actuating (i.e., closing and firing) the end effector, and a second position, in which it is effective to actuate the end effector without rotating the end effector. In other aspects, methods and devices are provided for moving a flexible neck formed on a distal end of an accessory channel for use with an endoscope. Movement of the flexible neck can be used to control positioning of a tool extending through the flexible neck.

Claims

1. A surgical device, comprising:

an end effector configured to perform at least one surgical procedure in response to at least one control motion applied thereto; and

an elongate shaft coupled to said end effector and configured to facilitate the transmission of said at least one control motion to said end effector from an actuation device operably interacting with said elongate shaft, said elongate shaft defining a shaft axis and being further configured to facilitate articulation of said end effector in two planes that are substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis upon manipulation of the actuation device relative to said elongate shaft such that movement of the actuation device is mimicked by said end effector.

2. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein said elongate shaft has an inner lumen extending therethrough.

3. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein said elongate shaft comprises:

a flexible hollow tube; and

a plurality of flexible actuators operably interfacing with the actuation device and operably supported along said flexible hollow tube to be operably coupled to said end effector.

4. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein said end effector is pivotally or rotatably coupled to said elongate shaft.

5. An accessory channel for releasable attachment to an endoscope, the accessory channel comprising:

an elongate tube having an inner lumen extending therethrough between proximal and distal ends thereof for receiving a tool; and

a flexible neck extending from the distal end of the elongate tube and configured to flex to orient a tool extending through the elongate tube, said flexible neck configured to be operably coupled to at least a portion of an actuation device such that movement of the at least a portion of the actuation device is mimicked by the flexible neck.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the flexible neck include a plurality of slits formed therein to facilitate flexion thereof.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the flexible neck includes a distal region of slits and a proximal region of slits, and wherein the slits are configured such that tension applied to the flexible neck will cause the flexible neck to bend at the proximal and distal regions.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the handle includes a stationary member and a movable member adapted to articulate relative to the stationary member.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the movable member is coupled to the stationary member by a joint selected from the group consisting of a ball and socket joint, a hinge joint, and a flexing joint.

10. The device of claim 5, further comprising an actuator extending between the portion of the actuation device and the flexible neck, the actuator being configured to transfer movement from the a least a portion of the actuation device to the flexible neck.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the actuator comprises at least one cable extending along a length of the elongate tube.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising a locking mechanism positioned to engage at least one of the portion of the actuation device and the at least one cable to lock the at least a portion of the actuation device and the at least one cable in a fixed position.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one cable comprises a plurality of cables that are equally spaced apart from one another around a circumference of the elongate tube.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the elongate tube includes at least one lumen formed in a sidewall thereof and extending along the length thereof, and wherein the at least one actuator is slidably disposed within the at least one lumen.

15. The device of claim 5, wherein the elongate tube includes a mating element formed on and extending along a length of an external surface thereof for mating to a complementary mating element formed on an endoscope or endoscope sleeve.

16. An endoscopic system, comprising:

an elongate sleeve configured to be disposed around an endoscope; and

an accessory channel removably matable to the elongate sleeve, the accessory channel having an inner lumen extending therethrough between proximal and distal ends thereof for receiving a tool, a flexible portion formed on a distal portion thereof and being made flexible by a plurality of slits formed therein, the proximal end of the accessory channel being configured for operable attachment to at least a portion of at least one actuation device such that actuation of the at least a portion of the at least one actuation device causes the flexible portion to articulate in at least one plane.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least a portion of the at least one actuation device is operatively associated with the flexible portion by at least one cable, and wherein the at least a portion of the at least one actuation device is configured to axially move the at least one cable relative to the accessory channel to cause the at least one cable to apply tension to the flexible portion of the accessory channel such that the flexible portion articulates in at least one plane.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one portion of the at least one actuation device comprises a single actuation device configured to cause the flexible portion to articulate in multiple planes.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the single handle includes a stationary member coupled to the proximal end of the accessory channel, and a movable member configured to articulate relative to the stationary member.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the single actuation device and the flexible portion are operatively associated such that movement of the at least a portion of the single actuation device is mimicked by the flexible portion.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one portion of the at least one actuation device includes a first member configured to cause the flexible portion to articulate in a first plane, and a second member configured to cause the flexible portion to articulate in a second plane.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one portion of the at least one actuation device includes a stationary member coupled to the proximal end of the accessory channel, and wherein the first and second members are rotatably coupled to the stationary member.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a first spool coupled to the first member and having at least one cable extending therefrom and coupled to the flexible portion, and a second spool coupled to the second member and having at least one cable extending therefrom and coupled to the flexible portion, and wherein the first and second members are effective to rotate the first and second spools and thereby move the cables axially to cause the flexible portion to articulate.