Arthroscopy support stand

• US 4,572,594 A
• Filed: 02/08/1984
• Issued: 02/25/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jennifer Heitz Schwartz
• Original Assignee: Schwartz C. Bruce
• Inventors: Schwartz, C. Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyddane, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Falk, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US06/578,221
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 248/647, 248/648, 248/123.1, 312/250, 312/209, 312/312
• US Class Current: 312/209
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms

Abstract

And arthroscopy support stand is disclosed which contains, in a single movable unit, all of the apparatus needed to perform arthroscopic surgery. The stand comprises a wheel-mounted steel cabinet with brakes at the back of the cabinet for immobilizing it. The cabinet has shelves, open at the front, for supporting various arthroscopic surgery appliances. Mounted at the back of the cabinet are two upright, vertically telescoping fluid bag standards which can be lowered separately to change fluid supplies without interrupting the flow of fluid under pressure to the surgical site. A vertical support column is mounted at the front of the cabinet on a pair of vertically-spaced parallel horizontal arms. The arms are pivotally mounted at the middle of the cabinet so that the support column can be shifted back and forth across the front of the cabinet. The support column has a telescoping upper portion supporting a boom from which a television camera is suspended by an extensible cable counterweighted in the support column. A pair of articulated support arms are mounted one above the other on a lower portion of the support column for vertical and rotational movement to support a television monitor on one arm and an instrument tray on the other. The support arms can be moved up and down on the support column. The television monitor support arm is suspended via pulleys extending into the lower portion of the support column alongside the counterweight to connect under tension to a vertically-extensible coil spring positioned concentrically around the counterweight.

Claims

1. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front, a top and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column having a lower portion extending above the top of the cabinet and a vertically telescoping upper portion received in the lower portion;

mounting means for connecting the support column to the cabinet and supporting it thereon in a predetermined lateral position in front of the shelves and at one side of the cabinet adjacent a patient and out of the way of the shelves to facilitate ready access to the electrical equipment in the cabinet;

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the support column extending radially outward therefrom for supporting a television monitor, operatively connected to a television camera, in position above the cabinet top for viewing by a surgeon operating upon a predetermined portion of the patient;

joint means movably connecting the monitor support arm to the lower portion of the support column for vertical movement along and rotation around the lower portion of the support column to selectively position the monitor at a predetermined elevation and radial position, and

locking means for locking the joint means solely against said vertical movement and thereby fixing the vertical position of the monitor support means and monitor such that the monitor can be readily positioned vertically and rotationally in any selected position above the cabinet including over the patient for viewing by the surgeon.

2. An arthroscopic support stand according to claim 1 including a boom means pivotally mounted atop the upper portion of the support column for suspending a television camera above a predetermined portion of a surgical patient located adjacent one side of the cabinet;

and vertical positioning means including a cable for supporting the camera and pulley sheaves, the pulley sheaves movably connecting the cable to the boom and extending the cable down the support column for setting the camera in a predetermined vertical position.

4. A support stand according to claim 1 in which the cabinet includes side walls, a back wall and an open front, the back wall being spaced rearwardly of the shelves for air to flow convectively through the cabinet to cool electrical equipment therein during operation of said equipment.

3. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column extending above the cabinet;

mounting means for connecting the support column to the cabinet and supporting it thereon in a predetermined position in front of and at one side thereof;

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the support column and extending radially outward therefrom for supporting a television monitor in position above the cabinet for viewing by a surgeon operating upon a predetermined portion of a patient;

first joint means movably connecting the monitor support arm to the support column for vertical movement along and rotation around the support column to selectively position the monitor at a predetermined elevation and radial position,

locking means for locking the joint means solely against said vertical movement and thereby fixing the vertical position of the monitor support means and monitor such that the monitor can be readily positioned vertically and rotationally in any selected position above the cabinet including over the patient for viewing by the surgeon;

an instrument tray support arm; and

second joint means movably connecting the instrument tray support arm to the lower portion of the support column below the monitor support arm for vertical and rotational movement to selectively position an instrument tray at a predetermined elevation and radial position and means for fixing the vertical position of the tray support arm, the instrument tray support arm being articulated so that the tray can be readily positioned vertically and horizontally to facilitate access by the surgeon.

5. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column having a lower portion and a telescoping upper portion;

mounting means for connecting the support column to the cabinet and supporting it thereon in a predetermined lateral position in front of the shelves and at one side of the cabinet adjacent the patient and out of the way of the shelves to facilitate ready access to the electrical equipment in the cabinet;

a boom means pivotally mounted atop the upper portion of the support column for suspending a television camera above a predetermined portion of a surgical patient located adjacent one side of the cabinet, the support solumn including vertical positioning means movably connected to the boom for setting the camera in a predetermined vertical position; and

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the support column for supporting a television monitor operatively connected to the camera in position for viewing by a surgeon operating upon the predetermined portion of the patient;

the vertical positioning means including a cable, pulley means for conducting the cable within the boom downwardly into the support column, and means connected to the cable within the support column for fixing the position of the cable;

the cable having an end extending from a distal end of the boom to suspend a television camera therefrom, to vertically position the camera.

6. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column having a lower portion and a telescoping upper portion;

mounting means for connecting the support column to the cabinet and supporting it thereon in a predetermined lateral position in front of the shelves and at one side of the cabinet adjacent the patient and out of the way of the shelves to facilitate ready access to the electrical equipment in the cabinet;

a boom means pivotally mounted atop the upper portion of the support column for suspending a television camera above a predetermined portion of a surgical patient located adjacent one side of the cabinet; and

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the support column for supporting a television monitor operatively connected to the camera in position for viewing by a surgeon operating upon the predetermined portion of the patient;

the support stand further including means movably connecting the monitor support arm for vertical movement along the lower portion of the support column to selectively position the monitor at a predetermined elevation and means for fixing the vertical position of the monitor support means and monitor such that the monitor can be readily moved up and down to facilitate viewing by the surgeon;

the fixing means including a pulley extending longitudinally of the support column and means within the support column connected to the pulley for counterbalancing the weight of the support means and monitor.

7. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthrosopic surgery;

a vertical support column having a lower portion and a telescoping upper portion;

mounting means for connecting the support column to the cabinet and supporting it thereon in a predetermined lateral position in front of the shelves and at one side of the cabinet adjacent the patient and out of the way of the shelves to facilitate ready access to the electrical equipment in the cabinet;

a boom means pivotally mounted atop the upper portion of the support column for suspending a television camera above a predetermined portion of a surgical patient located adjacent one side of the cabinet; and

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the support column for supporting a television monitor operatively connected to the camera in position for viewing by a surgeon operating upon the predetermined portion of the patient;

the boom means including a cable having an end extending from a distal end of the boom to suspend a television camera therefrom and extending within the boom and down into the support column for counterbalancing the weight of a camera suspended from the distal end of the cable and movable within the support column to facilitate changing the elevation of the camera;

the monitor support means including means movably connecting the support arm for vertical movement along the lower portion of the support column for selectively positioning the monitor at a predetermined position, cable pulley means movably suspending the support arm upon the support column and extending downwardly inside the lower portion of the support column to connect to an upper end of a vertically-extensible spring means secured to the lower end of the support column for counterbalancing the weight of the monitor support means and television monitor; and

the coil spring and camera counterweight being concentrically arranged and sized so that the counterweight can descend within the coil spring.

8. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column having a lower portion and a telescoping upper portion;

mounting means for connecting the support column to the cabinet and supporting it thereon in a predetermined lateral position in front of the shelves and at one side of the cabinet adjacent the patient and out of the way of the shelves to facilitate ready access to the electrical equipment in the cabinet;

a boom means pivotally mounted atop the upper portion of the support column for suspending a television camera above a predetermined portion of a surgical patient located adjacent one side of the cabinet;

is a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the support column for supporting a television monitor operatively connected to the camera in position for viewing by a surgeon operating upon the predetermined portion of the patient; and

a pair of separate, vertical fluid bag standards positioned in closely-spaced relationship at the rear of the cabinet, each standard having a lower portion connected to the cabinet and telescoping upper portion for supporting a bag of fluid at an upper end of the stand, and means for fixing the upper portions releasably in an extended position for gravity feeding fluid from the bags via fluid conduit means for supplying fluid under pressure to a surgical site and for lowering the standards independently of one another to change one bag at a time when empty while retaining one bag elevated to maintain fluid pressure in the fluid conduit means.

9. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column having a lower portion and a telescoping upper portion;

mounting means for connecting the support column to the cabinet and supporting it thereon in a predetermined lateral position in front of the shelves and at one side of the cabinet adjacent the patient and out of the way of the shelves to facilitate ready access to the electrical equipment in the cabinet;

a boom means pivotally mounted atop the upper portion of the support column for suspending a television camera above a predetermined portion of a surgical patient located adjacent one side of the cabinet; and

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the support column for supporting a television monitor operatively connected to the camera in position for viewing by a surgeon operating upon the predetermined portion of the patient;

the support column mounting means including movable column support means for shifting the column laterally across the front of the cabinet to the opposite side thereof.

10. A support stand according to claim 9 in which the support column mounting means comprises a pair of vertically-spaced parallel, horizontal arms, each arm having one end pivotally connected to the cabinet at a position spaced between the sides and rearwardly of the front of the cabinet and each arm having a second end protruding forwardly of the cabinet with the support column connected thereto so that the support column can be swung from one side to the other across the front of the cabinet.

11. A support stand according to claim 9 in which the lower portion of the support column includes locking means for releasably engaging the cabinet to lock the support column in a selected lateral position at the front of the cabinet.

12. A support stand according to claim 11 in which the locking means includes first and second locking means for releasably engaging the cabinet at each front corner of the cabinet for locking the support column selectively at either corner.

13. A support stand according to claim 9 in which the base of the cabinet includes wheels for rolling the cabinet around and brake means positioned at the back of the cabinet for releasably locking the cabinet in position so that it cannot roll.

14. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column having a lower portion positioned adjacent the front of the cabinet;

movable column mounting means for connecting the support column to the cabinet and supporting it movably thereon, comprising a pair of vertically-spaced parallel, horizontal arms, each arm having one end pivotally connected to the cabinet at a position spaced between the sides and rearwardly of the front of the cabinet and each arm having a second and protruding forwardly of the cabinet with the lower portion of the support column connected thereto so that the support column can be swung laterally from one side of the cabinet to the opposite side thereof across the front of the cabinet for positioning the support column selectively at either front corner of the cabinet; and

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the support column for supporting a television monitor, operatively connected to a television camera, in a position extended laterally a distance from the cabinet and radially of the column for viewing by a surgeon operating upon the predetermined portion of the patient.

15. A support stand according to claim 14 including means movably connecting the monitor support arm for vertical movement along the lower portion of the support column to selectively position the monitor at a predetermined elevation and means for fixing the vertical position of the monitor support means and monitor such that the monitor can be readily moved up and down to facilitate viewing by the surgeon.

17. A support stand according to claim 14 in which the support column includes a vertically adjustable upper portion and a boom means pivotally mounted atop the upper portion of the support column for suspending a television camera above a predetermined portion of a surgical patient located adjacent one side of the cabinet;

and vertical positioning means including a cable and pulley sheaves movably connecting the cable to the boom and extending the cable down the support column for setting the camera in a predetermined vertical position.

16. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column extending above the cabinet;

mounting means for connecting the support column to the cabinet and supporting it thereon in a predetermined position in front of and at one side thereof;

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the support column and extending radially outward therefrom for supporting a television monitor in position above the cabinet for viewing by a surgeon operating upon a predetermined portion of a patient;

joint means movably connecting the monitor support arm to the support column for vertical movement along and rotation around the support column to selectively position the monitor at a predetermined elevation and radial position, and

locking means for locking the joint means solely against said vertical movement and thereby fixing the vertical position of the monitor support means and monitor such that the monitor can be readily positioned vertically and rotationally in any selected position above the cabinet including over the patient for viewing by the surgeon;

the joint means including;

a first annular sleeve received on the support column and movable vertically and rotationally thereon;

a second annular sleeve received on the support column beneath the first sleeve and movable vertically on the column; and

bearing means for supporting the first sleeve on the second sleeve for relative rotational movement;

the second sleeve including said locking means; and

the articulated arm of the monitor support means being connected to the first sleeve.

18. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column having a lower portion and a telescoping upper portion;

mounting means for the support column comprising a pair of vertically-spaced parallel, horizontal arms, each arm having one end pivotally connected to the cabinet at a position spaced between the sides and rearwardly of the front of the cabinet and each arm having a second end protruding forwardly of the cabinet with the support column connected thereto so that the support column can be swung laterally from one side of the cabinet to the opposite side thereof across the front of the cabinet;

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the support column for supporting a television monitor operatively connected to a television camera in a position extended a distance from the cabinet for viewing by a surgeon operating upon the predetermined portion of the patient; and

the cabinet base being weighted to counterbalance the weight of a television monitor on the support means when the arm is fully extended.

19. A support stand according to claim 18 including a boom pivotally connected atop the upper portion of the support column for extension of a cable down to the patient and pulley means for movably guiding the cable along the boom and down the support column.

20. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column having a lower portion and a telescoping upper portion;

mounting means for the support column comprising a pair of vertically-spaced parallel, horizontal arms, each arm having one end pivotally connected to the cabinet at a position spaced between the sides and rearwardly of the front of the cabinet and each arm having a second end protruding forwardly of the cabinet with the support column connected thereto so that the support column can be swung laterally from one side of the cabinet to the opposite side thereof across the front of the cabinet;

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the support column for supporting a television monitor operatively connected to a television camera in a position extended a distance from the cabinet for viewing by a surgeon operating upon the predetermined portion of the patient; and

locking means including first and second locking means for releasably engaging the cabinet at each front corner of the cabinet for locking the support column selectively at either corner.

21. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column and mounting means for connecting the support column to the cabinet and supporting it thereon in a predetermined lateral position in front of the shelves and at one side of the cabinet adjacent the patient and out of the way of the shelves to facilitate ready access to the electrical equipment in the cabinet;

a first support means including an arm pivotally mounted on the support column for supporting a first arthroscopic surgical apparatus and laterally positioned for ready access by a surgeon operating upon the predetermined portion of the patient; and

a second support means pivotally mounted on the column for supporting a second arthroscopic surgical apparatus and laterally positionable in a predetermined location relative to the patient;

the second support means including vertically movable means including a counterweight extending downwardly into the support column for counterbalancing the weight of the second apparatus and movable vertically within the support column to facilitate changing the elevation of the second apparatus;

the first support means including means movably connecting the support arm to the support column for vertical movement therealong for selectively positioning the first apparatus at a predetermined elevation, cable pulley means movably suspending the first support means upon the support column and extending downwardly inside the lower portion of the support column to connect to an upper end of a vertically-extensible spring means secured to the lower end of the support column for counterbalancing the weight of the first support means and first appartus;

the coil spring and counterweight being concentrically arranged and sized so that the counterweight can descend freely within the coil spring.

22. An arthroscopic support stand, comprising:

means defining a cabinet having a base, opposite sides, a front and shelves extending between the sides of the cabinet for supporting electrical equipment for use in performing arthroscopic surgery;

a vertical support column having a lower portion and a telescoping upper portion;

mounting means for the support column comprising a pair of vertically-spaced parallel, horizontal arms, each arm having one end pivotally connected to the cabinet at a position spaced between the sides and rearwardly of the front of the cabinet and each arm having a second end protruding forwardly of the cabinet with the support column connected thereto so that the support column can be swung laterally from one side of the cabinet to the opposite side thereof across the front of the cabinet;

a television monitor support means including an articulated arm pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the support column for supporting a television monitor operatively connected to a television camera in a position extended a distance from the cabinet for viewing by a surgeon operating upon the predetermined portion of the patient; and

including a pair of separate, vertical fluid bag standards positioned in closely-spaced relationship at the rear of the cabinet, each standard having a lower portion connected to the cabinet and a telescoping upper portion for supporting a bag of fluid at an upper end of the stand, and means for fixing the upper portions releasably in an extended position for gravity feeding fluid from the bags via fluid conduit means for supplying fluid under pressure to a surgical site and for lowering the standards independently of one another to change one bag at a time when empty while retaining one bag elevated to maintain fluid pressure in the fluid conduit means.