Endoscopic surgical instrument for rotational manipulation
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument for endoscopic procedures comprising:
- a handle, said handle rotationally attached to a translation section, said translation section attached to a transmitting means, said translation section receiving rotational motion from said handle and imparting rotational motion to said transmitting means in a greater than 1;
1 ratio;
a shaft extending from said translation section to an effector unit, said shaft having an articulated region, said articulated region intermediate said translation section and said effector unit, said articulated region capable of adjustably assuming an angled configurations, said rotation transmitting means smoothly transmitting rotational motion through said articulated region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscopic surgical instrument suitable for use with a needle-grasper having a rotational translation device for creating rotational motion at the distal end of the surgical instrument in a non 1:1 ratio to rotational energy imparted at the handle of the surgical instrument. The shaft of the surgical instrument has an articulated segment capable of remote adjustment to articulate the effector unit at the end of the surgical instrument. The effector unit may be a needle-gripper having an upwardly pointed V-shaped notch in a channeled upper jaw, a convex gripping surface on the lower jaw, such that grasping a curved suture needle between the upper and lower jaw serves to automatically orient the needle perpendicular to the needle-gripper with the curvature pointed down. Conically tapered edges on the upper jaw further facilitate this orientation. A reciprocal motion transmission occurs between the handle and the effector unit so that gripping the levers on the handle serves to operate a function in the effector unit. The device is suitable for manual operation by a surgeon performing endoscopic surgical manipulations directly and without the intervention of motors or the like.
1705 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument for endoscopic procedures comprising:
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a handle, said handle rotationally attached to a translation section, said translation section attached to a transmitting means, said translation section receiving rotational motion from said handle and imparting rotational motion to said transmitting means in a greater than 1;
1 ratio;
a shaft extending from said translation section to an effector unit, said shaft having an articulated region, said articulated region intermediate said translation section and said effector unit, said articulated region capable of adjustably assuming an angled configurations, said rotation transmitting means smoothly transmitting rotational motion through said articulated region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
a reciprocating motion carrier, said reciprocating motion carrier attached to said handle and said effector unit, said reciprocating motion carrier receiving reciprocating motion at said handle and transmitting said reciprocating motion to said effector unit.
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3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, said handle having an upper grip and a lower grip, said reciprocating motion generated by squeezing said upper grip and said lower grip toward each other.
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4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said effector unit is a needle gripper.
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5. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein the rotational motion applied to said handle is transmitted to said effector unit in a ratio sufficiently greater than 1:
- 1 such that a curved surgical needle gripped by said needle gripper may traverse through two adjacent edges of tissue in an arc of approximately 180 degrees upon application of rotational motion to said handle of significantly less than 180 degrees.
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6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said translational means is a planetary gear transmission having a ring gear, a planetary gear, and a sun gear, said sun gear attached to said transmitting means.
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7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said articulated region is entirely enclosed with a relatively smooth outer skin.
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8. A needle gripper for gripping a curved suture needle comprising:
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an upper jaw;
an anvil;
said upper jaw having a generally U-shaped cross-section and having a sidewall, said sidewall configured in an upward pointed V-shape; and
said anvil having a gripper surface, said gripper surface being convexly curved. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. An endoscopic surgical tool, comprising:
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a handle; and
an effector unit;
wherein the application of rotational motion to said handle results in rotational motion of said effector unit in a greater than 1;
1 ratio.
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11. A surgical tool for endoscopic suture placement, comprising:
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a handle; and
a needle holder;
wherein rotation of the handle a limited arc of 45 to 90 degrees drives a needle in said needle holder through approximately an 180 degrees arc.
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Specification