PATIENT-REFERENCED SURGICAL SUPPORT FRAME

• US 20130085342A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Stefanchik, David, Vakharia, Omar J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,247,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/232
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00535 pneumatically or hydraulically operated A61B2017/22051, A61B2090/401 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00991 Telescopic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3447 Linked multiple cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/347 Locking means, e.g. for locking instrument in cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms

Abstract

A patient-referenced surgical support frame and method of use are provided. In one embodiment, a surgical support frame can have at least three support members coupled by adjustable linkages. Each support member can have a lumen extending therethrough for receiving a cannula, and each support member can be configured such that the at least three support members (or the cannulas extending therethrough) are angularly adjustable relative to one another, and such that a distance between each of the at least three support members is adjustable. In use, the surgical support frame can be positioned on a skin surface of a patient and used to retain one or more instruments extending through the support members in a fixed orientation or position with respect to the patient, thereby allowing more than two instruments to be used simultaneously.

Claims

1. A surgical support frame, comprising:

at least three support members connected to one another by at least two adjustable linkages, each support member having a lumen extending therethrough for receiving a cannula, and each support member being configured such that a cannula extending through one of the at least three support members is angularly adjustable relative to a cannula extending through another one of the at least three support members, and such that a distance between each of the at least three support members is adjustable.

2. The surgical support frame of claim 1, wherein the surgical support frame comprises at least three adjustable linkages and wherein the at least three adjustable linkages are arranged to define a perimeter of an enclosed shape.

3. The surgical support frame of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism associated with at least one of the at least three support members for locking at least one of the at least three support members such that a cannula extending through one of the at least three support members is retained in a desired angular orientation relative to a cannula extending through another one of the at least three support members.

4. The surgical support frame of claim 1, wherein each support member is movably connected to at least one of the at least two adjustable linkages by ball and socket joints.

5. The surgical support frame of claim 2, wherein the at least three support members comprise first, second, and third support members, and wherein the adjustable linkages are arranged to define a perimeter of a triangle.

6. The surgical support frame of claim 2, wherein the at least three support members comprise first, second, third, and fourth support members, and wherein the adjustable linkages are arranged to define a perimeter of a square.

7. The surgical support frame of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism associated with at least one of the at least two adjustable linkages for locking at least one of the at least two adjustable linkages at a desired length.

8. A surgical method, comprising:

positioning at least three support members on a skin surface of a patient, the at least three support members being connected to one another by a plurality of adjustable linkages;

moving one of the at least three support members to adjust an effective length of at least one of the plurality of adjustable linkages connected thereto; and

angularly orienting a cannula extending through one of the at least three support members to pivot at least a portion of the support member relative to at least one of the plurality of adjustable linkages connected thereto.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a cannula is mounted in each support member such that a distal end of each cannula extends through the skin surface and into a body cavity of the patient.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising inserting an instrument through the cannula and locking the support member in a fixed position such that the support member retains the cannula and the instrument inserted therethrough in a fixed position.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising locking at least one of the adjustable linkages at a desired length.

12. A surgical method, comprising:

manipulating a first surgical instrument extending through a first cannula mounted on a support frame resting on a skin surface of a patient to position a distal end of the first surgical instrument at a desired location within a body cavity of the patient;

manipulating a second surgical instrument extending through a second cannula mounted on the support frame to position a distal end of the second surgical instrument at a desired location within a body cavity of the patient;

locking at least one of the first and second cannulas in a fixed orientation relative to the support frame such that the distal end of at least one of the first and second surgical instruments is maintained in a desired fixed position; and

manipulating a third surgical instrument extending through a third cannula mounted on the support frame to position a distal end of the third surgical instrument at a desired location within a body cavity of the patient.

13. The surgical method of claim 12, wherein the support frame comprises a plurality of adjustable linkages connecting the first, second, and third cannulas, and wherein manipulating at least one of the first, second, and third surgical instruments causes at least one of the plurality of adjustable linkages to move such that a distance between any two of the cannulas is adjusted.

14. The surgical method of claim 12, further comprising the step of manipulating a fourth surgical instrument extending through a fourth cannula mounted on the support frame to position a distal end of the fourth surgical instrument at a desired location within a body cavity of the patient.

15. The surgical method of claim 12, wherein the third surgical instrument is manipulated with at least one of the first and second cannulas locked in a fixed orientation.