Flexible endoscopic surgical instrument for invagination and fundoplication
First Claim
1. A method of performing fundoplication, comprising:
- inserting a surgical instrument through a patient'"'"'s mouth and throat into a stomach, the instrument having an end effector adapted to grasp, fold, and fasten tissue;
grasping a fundus with the end effector;
folding the fundus toward an esophageal wall with the end effector; and
applying a fastener with the end effector to secure the fundus to the esophageal wall.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscopic surgical instrument includes a flexible tube, a grasping and fastening end effector coupled to the distal end of the tube, and a manual actuator coupled to the proximal end of the tube. The manual actuator is coupled to the end effector by a plurality of flexible cables which extend through the tube. The tube contains a lumen for receiving a manipulable endoscope and the end effector includes a passage for the distal end of the endoscope. The end effector has a store for a plurality of male fastener parts, a store for a plurality of female fastener parts, a rotatable grasper, a rotatable fastener head for aligning a female fastener part and a male fastener part with tissues therebetween, and a firing member for pressing a male fastener part through tissues grasped by the grasper and into a female fastener part. According to a presently preferred embodiment the overall diameters of the flexible tube and the end effector (when rotated to the open position) do not exceed approximately 20 mm so that the instrument may be delivered transorally to the fundus of the stomach. The manual actuator is provides with a lock-out feature which prevents firing male fastener parts before the fastener head is closed. The instrument is advantageously utilized in a fundoplication procedure.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of performing fundoplication, comprising:
-
inserting a surgical instrument through a patient'"'"'s mouth and throat into a stomach, the instrument having an end effector adapted to grasp, fold, and fasten tissue;
grasping a fundus with the end effector;
folding the fundus toward an esophageal wall with the end effector; and
applying a fastener with the end effector to secure the fundus to the esophageal wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method of performing invagination and fundoplication, comprising:
-
a) inserting a single surgical instrument having an end effector on a distal portion of the surgical instrument through a mouth and a throat and into a stomach;
b) grasping a fundus of an esophagus with a first portion of the end effector;
c) folding the fundus with the first portion; and
d) applying a fastener with the end effector to plicate the fundus. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of performing invagination and fundoplication, comprising:
-
a) inserting a fastening instrument through a mouth and a throat and into the stomach;
b) grasping a fundus of an esophagus with a grasper portion of the fastening instrument;
c) invaginating the fundus; and
d) applying a two-part fastener with the fastening instrument to plicate the fundus. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification