Ultrasonic Medical Instrument with a Curved Waveguide

• US 20130197511A1
• Filed: 01/30/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Balanev, Andrey, Martsinovskiy, Georgy, Misuchenko, Igoris, Ruin, Alexey, Kvashnin, Sergey
• Granted Patent: US 9,351,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320092 with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2904 curved, but rigid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320071 with articulating means for working tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320093 additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation

Abstract

A forceps includes a housing, a curved waveguide, one or more movable members, and an end effector assembly. The housing includes one or more transducers configured to generate a mechanical vibration in response to energy transmitted thereto from an energy source. The curved waveguide extends from the housing and is configured to receive the mechanical vibration generated by the one or more transducers. The one or more movable members are positioned along the curved waveguide. The one or more movable members are configured to translate mechanical movement from the housing to the end effector assembly. The end effector assembly is disposed at a distal end of the curved waveguide and includes a movable jaw member pivotable between approximated and unapproximated positions relative to a distal end of the curved waveguide in response to movement of the one or more movable members.

Claims

1. A forceps, comprising:

a housing having at least one transducer configured to generate a mechanical vibration in response to energy transmitted thereto from an energy source;

a curved waveguide extending from the housing and configured to receive the mechanical vibration generated by the at least one transducer;

at least one movable member positioned along the curved waveguide, the at least one movable member configured to translate mechanical movement from the housing to the end effector assembly; and

an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end of the curved waveguide and including a movable jaw member pivotable between approximated and unapproximated positions relative to a distal end of the curved waveguide in response to movement of the at least one movable member.

2. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the movable jaw member is rotatable around the distal end of the curved waveguide.

3. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the at least one movable member moves relative to the curved waveguide independently of the curved waveguide to move the movable jaw member relative to the distal end of the curved waveguide.

4. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the at least one movable member includes a spiral configuration and moves axially along the curved waveguide and/or rotatably about the curved waveguide independently of the curved waveguide.

5. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the curved waveguide includes linear and curvilinear sections.

6. The forceps according to claim 5, wherein the curved waveguide has at least two radii of curvature.

7. The forceps according to claim 6, wherein the at least two radii of curvature are disposed in opposing relationship relative to one another such that the curved waveguide curves towards and away from a longitudinal axis defined through the forceps.

8. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical vibration has an ultrasonic frequency.

9. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the forceps includes a battery that acts as the energy source.

10. The forceps according to claim 9, wherein the battery is a smart battery.

11. The forceps according to claim 1, further comprising a trigger assembly operably coupled to the housing, the trigger assembly including an activation trigger and a clamping trigger, the activation trigger configured to facilitate the transmission of the energy from the energy source to the at least one transducer upon the actuation of the activation trigger, the clamping trigger configured to move the at least one movable member upon the actuation of the clamping trigger in order to pivot the movable jaw member between the approximated and unapproximated positions.

12. The forceps according to claim 11, further comprising a rotating assembly operably coupled to the housing, the rotating assembly configured to move the at least one movable member upon the rotation of the rotating assembly in order to rotate the movable jaw member around the distal end of the curved waveguide.

13. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the end effector assembly includes a second jaw.

14. The forceps according to claim 13, wherein the distal end of the curved waveguide acts as the second jaw.

15. A forceps, comprising:

a housing having at least one transducer configured to generate a mechanical vibration;

a curved waveguide configured to receive the mechanical vibration generated by the at least one transducer; and

at least one movable member extending from the housing and being operatively coupled to a movable jaw member, the at least one movable member movable around and/or along the length of the curved waveguide to pivot the movable jaw member relative to a distal end of the curved waveguide.

16. The forceps according to claim 15, wherein the at least one movable member moves axially along the curved waveguide and/or rotatably about the waveguide independently of the curved waveguide to pivot the movable jaw member relative to the distal end of the curved waveguide.

17. The forceps according to claim 15, wherein the at least one movable member has a spiral configuration.

18. The forceps according to claim 15, wherein the curved waveguide includes linear and curvilinear sections.

19. The forceps according to claim 18, wherein the curved waveguide has at least two radii of curvature.

20. The forceps according to claim 15, further comprising an immovable jaw member disposed adjacent the movable jaw member.