SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH ELASTICALLY MOVABLE INSTRUMENT HEAD

• US 20120265176A1
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tuebingen Scientific Medical GmbH
• Original Assignee: Tuebingen Scientific Medical GmbH
• Inventors: Braun, Marcus
• Granted Patent: US 8,876,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00738 part of the tool being offset with respect to a main axis, e.g. for better view for the surgeon
• 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 2017/291 the position of the handle being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/294 Connection of actuating rod to jaw, e.g. releasable

Abstract

Disclosed is a surgical instrument comprising an instrument handle, an instrument shaft shaft having a distal end and a proximal end at which the instrument handle is linked, an instrument head, pivotally linked to the distal end of the instrument shaft via a hinge shaft or pins and comprising an effector rotatably supported in said instrument head arround its longitudinal axis as well as a surgical tool held by said effector, and a mechanical transmission system at least partially arranged within said instrument shaft transmitting mechanical operation signals from said instrument handle to said instrument head at least for pivoting and/or rotating motions. A bending flexible as well as rotating rigid, hollow spindle is arranged bypassing said hinge shaft or pins and directly connecting said effector with the mechanical transmission system for transmitting at least rotating signals via said spindle to said effector.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising

a mechanical signal generator preferably in the form of an instrument handle or a robotic interface,

an instrument shaft having a distal end and a proximal end at which the signal generator is connected,

an instrument head, pivotally linked to the distal end of the instrument shaft via a hinge and comprising an effector rotatably supported in said instrument head around its longitudinal axis as well as a surgical tool held by said effector, and

a mechanical transmission system at least partially arranged within said instrument shaft transmitting and/or converting mechanical operation signals from said signal generator to said instrument head at least for pivoting and/or rotating motions, and

a bending flexible as well as torsional rigid, hollow spindle bypassing said hinge and directly connecting said effector with the mechanical transmission system for transmitting at least rotating signals from said signal generator via said spindle to said effector, wherein

said bending flexible as well as torsional rigid, hollow spindle is a spiral spring, which is mounted on its one end to an rotating tube shaft at least rotatably supported within said instrument shaft as a member of said transmission system, wherein the pitch of said spiral spring is adjusted such that in case the spiral spring is maximally bent in accordance with the maximum pivoting position of the instrument head the spring coils at the inner side of the spring with respect to the bending direction are just in touch with each other or still spaced apart from each other.

2. A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein a pushing tube shaft shiftably supported inside the instrument shaft and linked to the instrument head via a lever means for transmitting pivoting signals from the signal generator to the instrument head, wherein the rotating tube shaft is supported inside the pushing tube shaft.

3. A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein an actuating rod shiftably supported inside the rotating tube shaft for transmitting actuating signals form said signal generator to the surgical tool of said effector.

4. A surgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein

said surgical tool is a forceps or a scissors means comprising two jaws, respectively, wherein at least one of them is pivotably supported by said effector and linked to said actuating rod or to said rotating tube shaft via a lever means and/or flexible connecting elements especially in the form of at least one cable such that an axial shift of said actuating rod or of said rotating tube shaft caused by respective operating signals at said signal generator is transmitted via said lever means and/or flexible connecting elements to said at least one jaw for pivoting motion.

5. A surgical instrument adapted for single port surgery, comprising:

a mechanical signal generator preferably in the form of an instrument handle or a robotic interface,

an instrument shaft having a distal end and a proximal end at which the mechanical signal generator is linked,

an instrument head, pivotally linked to the distal end of the instrument shaft via a hinge and comprising an effector rotatably supported in said instrument head around its longitudinal axis as well as a surgical tool held by said effector, and

a mechanical transmission system at least partially arranged within said instrument shaft transmitting and/or converting mechanical operation signals from said signal generator to said instrument head at least for pivoting and/or rotating motions, wherein

the instrument shaft is formed in a single C-shape along its longitudinal direction or comprises at least one or a plurality of single curved portions having identical or different radii to each other and following the same curving direction.

6. A surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein

said mechanical transmission system comprises an rotating tube shaft at least rotatably supported within said instrument shaft and having bending flexible as well as torsional rigid characteristics for transmitting rotating signals from the signal generator to the effector.

7. A surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein an actuating rod shiftably supported inside the rotating tube shaft for transmitting actuating signals from the signal generator to the surgery tool held by the effector.

8. A surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein said spindle has an outer diameter of at most 5.5 mm and an inner diameter of at least 0.3 mm.

9. A surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein said spindle has an outer diameter Da and an inner diameter Di satisfying the form Da/Di<

=18.33 wherein Di>

0 mm and Da<

=5.5 mm.

10. A surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein within said actuating rod at least one cable is fixedly located said at least one cable protruding from the distal end of the actuating rod and is inserted into the hollow spindle in a gliding manner wherein the cable is linked to the effector especially the surgical tool for its mechanical activation and/or for applying electric current to generate at least heat.

11. A surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein within said hollow spindle a supporting tube, preferably in the form of a resin tube, is inserted by which the cable is glidingly supported.