INSTRUMENT FOR LIGATING, SUTURING AND DIVIDING ORGANIC TUBULAR STRUCTURES

• US 3,675,688 A
• Filed: 04/27/1970
• Issued: 07/11/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David T. Green, Graham W. Bryan
• Original Assignee: David T. Green, Graham W. Bryan
• Inventors: Bryan, Graham W., Green, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Larson, Lowell A.
• Application Number:
  US05/032,247
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 140/53,57,93A,93D,106 29/243.56,243.57 128/305,334,335,335.5 227/19,76
• US Class Current: 140/93.00D
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/128 for applying or removing clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133

Abstract

A medical instrument and associated cartridge for ligating an organic tubular structure, for suturing this structure in two places with a pair of sterilized staples and for dividing the tubular structure intermediate the suturing staples. The instrument is provided with a variable cam so that the ligating, suturing and dividing stages are all performed with uniform effort from the operating surgeon. The instrument is also provided with a counter for indicating the number of staples remaining in the cartridge. The novel cartridge ensures that the stapled and severed tubular structures are ejected from the instrument after the operation, operates smoothly without binding, and includes a lock which holds the elements of the cartridge in fixed positions during all stages of transit.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for ligating, suturing, and dividing an organic tubular structure, the instrument comprising:

a main body portion, a moveable driving member mounted in said main body portion;

means on said driving member for mounting a passive staple-carrying cartridge requiring a multi-stage operation for bringing about the ligating, suturing and dividing functions, wherein each state of the operation of the instrument with its cartridge requires a different input force to said driving member for its accomplishment;

a trigger moveably mounted on said main body portion;

spring means for biasing said driving member and said trigger toward their respective rest positions; and

a variable cam linking said trigger with said driving member, said cam being constructed in such a manner so that the multi-stage operation of the instrument with its cartridge may be performed with a relatively constant input force exerted on the trigger.

2. The instrument defined in claim 1, wherein the shape of said cam causes the delivery to said driving member of a force substantially equal to the required input force necessary to bring about the multi-stage operation of the instrument with its cartridge, this delivery being the result of a relatively constant input force to said trigger.

3. The instrument defined in claim 2, wherein said trigger is provided with a roller adapted for movement along the surface of said variable cam.

4. The instrument recited in claim 3, wherein the movement of said trigger causes said roller to pivot about the pivot axis of said trigger;

wherein the pivoting of said roller causes said variable cam to pivot about a fixed pivot axis; and

wherein the pivoting of said cam results in the activation of said driving mechanism.

5. The instrument recited in claim 3, wherein the surface of said variable cam is defined by a series of peaks and troughs;

and wherein the interaction between said roller and the surface of said variable cam is such that the roller passes over a peak on the cam surface shortly before the cartridge experiences a change in function.

6. The instrument defined in claim 1, wherein said driving mechanism is removeably mounted in said main body portion;

and wherein said driving mechanism is equipped with a cam-engaging hook biased in such a manner that positive engagement between said hook and said cam, upon insertion of said driving mechanism into said main body portion, is ensured.

7. The instrument recited in claim 6, and further comprising:

means on said cam for engaging said hook;

wherein said hook engaging means is positioned as a result of the depression of said trigger; and

wherein a given position of said trigger ensures that said hook engaging means are located so that the hook positively grasps said hook engaging means when said drive mechanism is inserted in the main body portion.

8. The instrument defined in claim 6, and further comprising means for preventing the improper insertion of said driving mechanism into said main body portion.

9. The instrument recited in claim 1, wherein said trigger is pivotably mounted on said main body portion;

wherein said variable cAm is pivotably mounted on said main body portion; and

further comprising means integral with said trigger for engaging the surface of said variable cam in such a manner that the pivoting of said trigger causes the pivoting of said variable cam.

10. The instrument defined in claim 9, wherein the surface of said variable cam is defined by a series of peaks and troughs and wherein the trigger associates with the surface of the variable cam through the means of a roller.

11. The instrument set forth in claim 10, and further comprising means on said variable cam for engaging a portion of said driving mechanism in such a manner that the rotation of said cam brings about the activation of said driving mechanism.

12. The instrument set forth in claim 1, and further comprising means for engaging a counter and activating same each time the instrument is fired.

13. The instrument set forth in claim 12, wherein the means for engaging the counter are associated with said driving mechanism.

14. The instrument defined in claim 12, and further comprising a lapse counter for indicating the number of staples remaining in said cartridge, said lapse counter comprising:

a shell, a gear rotatably mounted in said shell, said gear having a number of positions equal to the number of staples initially housed in said cartridge plus one, and having provided thereon a set of numerals, one at a time being visible external to said shell, said numerals indicating the number of staples remaining in said cartridge.

15. The instrument defined in claim 14, and further comprising means to ensure that said gear is correctly inserted in said shell.

16. The instrument defined in claim 14, and further comprising stop means for halting further rotation of said gear after the expulsion of the last staple from said cartridge.