Surgical holder for a laparoscope or the like

• US 4,573,452 A
• Filed: 07/12/1984
• Issued: 03/04/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Greenberg I. Melvin
• Original Assignee: Greenberg I. Melvin
• Inventors: Greenberg, I. Melvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US06/630,372
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 128/6, 128/20
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0293 with ring member to support retractor elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/046 adapted to upward-downward translation movement
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2078 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/24 changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each otherF16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/40 by means of coilable or bendable legs or spiral shaped legs
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/022 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/027 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base

Abstract

Mechanical components for holding and positioning a laparoscope incident to its use during surgery, wherein a selectively tensionable cable-type component is released for moving the laparoscope almost into its desired position and then tensioned into a rigid structure, and then a ball and socket joint is rendered operational to complete the moving of the laparoscope, if need be, to precisely position this instrument in its required anatomy-viewing position.

Claims

1. For surgical manipulation of a laparoscope engaged adjacent its exposed distal end and requiring its inserted proximal end to be positioned in proper viewing relation to anatomy to be observed therethrough, an assembly comprising, in combination, an open ring and means for supporting same in a fixed horizontal orientation over a patient having an incision for the insertion of said laparoscope proximal end, a generally vertically oriented support rod mounted adjacent its lower end at a selected location on said open ring, a selectively tensionable member extending from an end thereof engaged to said laparoscope to engagement of its opposite end to the upper end of said support rod such that prior to the tensioning of said tensionable member said laparoscope proximal end is manipulatable into a position that is proximate to that for proper viewing of said anatomy, and a ball and socket joint at said lower end of said support rod for permitting said rod to be urged through conical movement, whereby said laparoscope proximal end partakes of corresponding conical movement incident to assuming a more precise anatomy-viewing position while the weight of said assembly and laparoscope remains supported on said open ring.

2. The assembly for holding and positioning a laparoscope as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tensionable member is comprised of interconnected link elements each having a ball-shape at one end and a complementary ball socket at its other end, and is of the type effective to assume a wide range of selected rigid shapes so as to contribute to providing said anatomy-viewing position of said laparoscope.

3. The assembly for holding and positioning a laparoscope as claimed in claim 2 including a TV camera operatively disposed on said laparoscope for viewing therethrough, and a TV monitor electronically connected to said TV camera to display images as seen through said laparoscope.

4. For surgical manipulation of a laparoscope engaged adjacent it exposed distal end and requiring its inserted proximal end to be positioned in proper viewing relation to anatomy to be observed therethrough, an assembly comprising, in combination, an operating table support operatively disposed to extend over a patient having an incision for the insertion of said laparoscope proximal end, a generally vertically oriented support rod mounting adjacent its lower end on said operating table support, a selectively tensionable interconnected operative arrangement of link elements extending from an end thereof engaged to said laparoscope to engagement of its opposite end to the upper end of said support rod such that prior to the tensioning of said interconnected link elements into a rigid shape said laparoscope proximal end is manipulatable into a position that is proximate to that for proper viewing of said anatomy, and a ball and socket joint at said lower end of said support rod for permitting said rod to be urged through conical movement, whereby said laparoscope proximal end partakes of corresponding conical movement incident to assuming a more precise anatomy-viewing position while the weight of said assembly and laparoscope remains supported on said operating table support.