LAPAROSCOPIC DEVICES WITH ARTICULATING END EFFECTORS

• US 20110275901A1
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV
• Application Number:
  US12/775,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20110275901A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/204
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2902 characterized by features of the actuating rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2906 Multiple forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3466 for simultaneous sealing of multiple instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/035 preventing further rotation

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures. In one embodiment, a surgical device is provided that includes an elongate shaft having an end effector at a distal end thereof. The end effector can be configured to be movable between a first configuration in which the end effector is longitudinally aligned with or linear relative to the shaft and a second configuration in which the end effector is articulated at an angle beyond 45 degrees relative to the shaft. With the end effector in the first configuration or in the second configuration, the device can be configured to allow selective actuation of the end effector.

Claims

1. An articulating laparoscopic device, comprising:

a cannulated elongate shaft having proximal and distal ends defining a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;

an end effector coupled to the distal end of the shaft; and

an articulator element effective to angularly orient the end effector beyond 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the articulator element including

a first rigid link extending through the shaft and being movable longitudinally along a first link axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and

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

wherein pushing the first rigid link distally along the first link axis causes the end effector to move from a first position in which the end effector is longitudinally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the shaft to a second position in which the end effector is angularly oriented relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the end effector is configured to articulate beyond 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the second rigid link is configured to pivot beyond 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft to articulate the end effector beyond 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the end effector is configured to articulate beyond 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions from the first position.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first rigid link is configured to move proximally along the first link axis to cause articulation of the end effector.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein pulling the first rigid link proximally along the first link axis causes the end effector to move from the second position to the first position.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a coupler coupling the end effector to the shaft.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the coupler is configured to limit articulation of the end effector to about 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a stop element configured to limit articulation of the end effector to about 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the end effector comprises graspers having opposed jaws movable between a closed position and an open position.

11. An articulating laparoscopic device, comprising:

a cannulated rigid elongate shaft having proximal and distal ends defining a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;

an end effector coupled to the distal end of the shaft; and

a rigid articulator element extending through the shaft, the articulator element being configured to move relative to the shaft to articulate the end effector about a pivot point at an articulation angle beyond 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the articulator element comprises:

a first rigid link extending through the shaft and being configured to move longitudinally relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and

a second rigid link coupled to a distal end of the first rigid link and being configured to pivot in response to longitudinal movement of the first rigid link relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft to cause articulation of the end effector.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein, when the end effector is longitudinally aligned with the shaft such that the articulation angle is about zero degrees, pushing the first rigid link distally increases the articulation angle.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein when the end effector is longitudinally aligned with the shaft such that the articulation angle is about zero degrees, pulling the first rigid link proximally increases the articulation angle.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the articulator element is configured to articulate the end effector from a first position in which the end effector is longitudinally aligned with the shaft such that the articulation angle is about zero degrees to a second position in which the articulation angle is at least about 120 degrees.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the end effector is configured to articulate at least 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions from a position in which the end effector is longitudinally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the end effector is configured to articulate beyond 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft in one of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions and to articulate no greater than 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft in the other of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the end effector comprises at least one of graspers, a dissector, a retractor, a light, a biopsy probe, a snare loop, forceps, scissors, a needle knife, and a sphincterotome.

19. A laparoscopic surgical method, comprising:

inserting a rigid elongate shaft of a surgical device into a body of a patient to position an end effector at a distal end of the shaft within the body; and

translating a rigid articulator element extending through an inner lumen of the shaft along an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft to articulate the end effector about a pivot point beyond 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein translating a rigid articulator element comprises pushing the articulator element distally along the axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.