Laparoscopic ultrasonic surgical instrument and methods for manufacturing the instruments
First Claim
1. Ultrasonic surgical apparatus comprising:
- an elongated shaft having a proximal end and a surgical blade at a distal end;
said proximal end, said shaft and said blade being one-piece integral construction and adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy therealong from said proximal end to said blade; and
a sheath extending about and generally radially spaced from said shaft;
the largest lateral dimensions of said proximal end and said blade being greater than the smallest internal diameter of said sheath.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The ultrasonic instrument includes a shaft having an integral sheath of PTFE encompassing the shaft and attached solely to the shaft. At the proximal end of the shaft, wrench flats are exposed through openings in the sheath and grooves cooperate with complementary ribs on the sheath, to prevent relative longitudinal and rotational displacement of the sheath and shaft. The sheath is in contact with the shaft at the nodes along the shaft. The diameter of the sheath is about 5 mm whereby the instrument may be used with a 5 mm trocar port. To manufacture the instrument, the sheath is initially formed to a diameter equal to or less than the diameter of the shaft and then mechanically expanded. Subsequently, the sheath is heat-shrunk about the shaft and rolled continuously along the shaft, except at regions corresponding to the nodes along the shaft, to expand the sheath to a larger diameter to space the sheath from the shaft except at the nodes of the shaft.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. Ultrasonic surgical apparatus comprising:
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an elongated shaft having a proximal end and a surgical blade at a distal end; said proximal end, said shaft and said blade being one-piece integral construction and adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy therealong from said proximal end to said blade; and a sheath extending about and generally radially spaced from said shaft; the largest lateral dimensions of said proximal end and said blade being greater than the smallest internal diameter of said sheath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of manufacturing an ultrasonic surgical apparatus including a shaft for connection at one end to a power element for the transmission of ultrasonic energy along the shaft to a surgical blade at its opposite end and a sheath substantially encompassing said shaft and in contact therewith at predetermined locations along said shaft, comprising the steps of:
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forming the sheath to a diameter in excess of the diameter of the shaft; relatively locating the sheath and shaft such that the shaft lies within the sheath; decreasing the diameter of the sheath into contact with said shaft; and applying pressure to said sheath at least one location along its length to diametrically enlarge the sheath and space the sheath from the shaft at said one location. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of manufacturing an ultrasonic surgical apparatus including a shaft for connection at one end to a power element for the transmission of ultrasonic energy along the shaft to a surgical blade at its opposite end and a sheath substantially encompassing said shaft and in contact therewith at the vibratory nodes along said shaft, comprising the steps of:
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forming the sheath to a diameter in excess of the diameter of the shaft; applying heat and pressure to said sheath along its length, at least one predetermined location to diametrically decrease the sheath at said one location to a diameter less than or equal to the diameter of the shaft; enlarging the diameter of the sheath so that the inside diameter of the sheath is larger than the maximum diameter of the shaft; relatively locating the sheath and shaft such that the shaft lies within the sheath; and heat shrinking the sheath to decrease the diameter of the sheath to bring said one diametrically decreased location along the sheath into contact with said shaft, leaving remaining portions of the sheath spaced from the shaft.
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33. A method of manufacturing an ultrasonic surgical apparatus including a shaft for connection at one end to a power element for the transmission of ultrasonic energy along the shaft to a surgical blade at its opposite end and a sheath substantially encompassing said shaft and in contact therewith at one or more radial projections along the shaft at vibratory nodes thereof, comprising the steps of:
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forming the sheath to a diameter approximately equal to or less than the diameter of the shaft; applying a solvent to said sheath to diametrically increase the diameter of the sheath so that the inside diameter of the sheath is larger than the maximum diameter of the shaft; relatively locating the sheath and shaft such that the shaft lies within the sheath; and removing the solvent from the sheath to decrease the diameter of the sheath to bring said sheath into contact with said radial projections of said shaft, leaving remaining portions of the sheath spaced from the shaft.
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34. Ultrasonic surgical apparatus comprising:
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a surgical blade; a shaft carrying said blade at a distal end thereof and adapted at its proximal end for connection to a power element for generating ultrasonic energy and transmitting the ultrasonic energy along said shaft to said blade; a sheath extending about and generally radially spaced from said shaft; means between said sheath and said shaft for isolating the ultrasonic energy transmitted along said shaft to said blade from said sheath; means carried by said shaft for cooperation with a tool to enable securement of the shaft with the sheath extending about the shaft to the power element; and said securement and enabling means including at least one tool engaging surface on said shaft and at least one aperture opening laterally through said sheath exposing said tool engaging surface for access externally of said sheath. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. Ultrasonic surgical apparatus comprising:
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a surgical blade; a shaft carrying said blade at a distal end thereof and adapted at its proximal end for connection to a power element for generating ultrasonic energy and transmitting the ultrasonic energy along said shaft to said blade; a sheath extending about and generally radially spaced from said shaft; means between said sheath and said shaft for isolating the ultrasonic energy transmitted along said shaft to said blade from said sheath; means carried by said shaft for cooperation with a tool to enable securement of the shaft with the sheath extending about the shaft to the power element; and said securement enabling means including a pair of flats formed on laterally opposite sides of said shaft to form wrench engaging surfaces, a pair of apertures opening through said sheath in registration with and exposing said flats through said sheath for access by a wrench externally of said instrument.
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39. Ultrasonic surgical apparatus comprising:
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a surgical blade; a shaft carrying said blade at a distal end thereof and adapted at its proximal end for connection to a power element for generating ultrasonic energy and transmitting the ultrasonic energy along said shaft to said blade; a sheath extending about and generally radially spaced from said shaft; means for isolating the ultrasonic energy transmitted along said shaft to said blade from said sheath; means directly cooperable between said shaft and said sheath for positively precluding substantial rotational movement of the shaft and sheath in opposite directions relative to one another; and at least one tool engaging surface on said shaft and at least one aperture opening laterally through said sheath, exposing said tool engaging surface for access externally of said sheath.
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40. Ultrasonic surgical apparatus comprising:
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a surgical blade; a shaft carrying said blade at a distal end thereof and adapted at its proximal end for connection to a power element for generating ultrasonic energy and transmitting the ultrasonic energy along said shaft to said blade; a sheath extending about and generally radially spaced from said shaft; means for isolating the ultrasonic energy transmitted along said shaft to said blade from said sheath; means directly cooperable between said shaft and said sheath for positively precluding substantial rotational movement of the shaft and sheath in opposite directions relative to one another; and a pair of flats formed on laterally opposite sides of said shaft to form wrench engaging surfaces, a pair of apertures opening through said sheath in registration with and exposing said flats through said sheath for access by a wrench externally of said sheath.
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41. Ultrasonic surgical apparatus comprising:
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a surgical blade; a shaft carrying said blade at a distal end thereof and adapted at its proximal end for connection to a power element for generating ultrasonic energy and transmitting the ultrasonic energy along said shaft to said blade; a sheath extending about and generally radially spaced from said shaft; means for isolating the ultrasonic energy transmitted along said shaft to said blade from said sheath; means directly cooperable between said shaft and said sheath for positively precluding substantial rotational movement of the shaft and sheath in opposite directions relative to one another; and the outer diameter of said sheath being no greater than about 5 mm, said sheath being formed of a polymeric material and being connected solely to said shaft, at least one tool engaging surface on said shaft and at least one aperture opening laterally through said sheath exposing said tool engaging surface for access externally of said sheath.
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Specification