Articulation systems for positioning minimally invasive surgical tools

• US 6,491,626 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2000
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nuvasive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nuvasive Incorporated
• Inventors: Gillespie, Walter D., Marino, James F., Stone, Corbett W., Matsuura, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/548,901
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 600/140, 600/141, 403/220, 403/291, 403/52
• US Class Current: 600/141
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00 Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes examination of body cavities or body tracts using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/12; endoscopic instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/04; for surgical purposes A61B17/00; endoscopic surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32; surgical instruments using a laser beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit A61B18/22; Illuminating arrangements therefor for the eyes A61B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0057 Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/28 Surgical forceps for holding suture needles or materials A61B17/0483; for removing or smashing calculi A61B17/221; surgical scissors A61B17/3201 ; obstetrical forceps A61B17/44; for inserting intraocular lenses A61F2/1662; hand-held gripping tools in general B25B7/00 ]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00309 Cut-outs or slits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/00 Couplings for rigidly connecting two coaxial shafts or other movable machine elements attachment of wheels to axles for railway carriages B60B; for attachment of cranks to their shafts F16C3/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/54 Flexible member is joint component

Abstract

An articulator for positioning a tool during a surgical procedure, comprising: a longitudinally extending body; a plurality of transverse grooves extending inwardly from opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body; and a plurality of recesses extending inwardly from the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body, the plurality of recesses defining an articulation control wire lumen and a tool control wire lumen, and wherein the tool control lumen is disposed collinear with a neutral bending axis of the articulator.

Claims

1. An articulator for positioning a tool during a surgical procedure, comprising:

a longitudinally extending body;

a plurality of transverse grooves extending inwardly from opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body; and

a plurality of recesses extending inwardly from the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body, the plurality of recesses defining an articulation control wire lumen and a tool control wire lumen, and wherein the tool control lumen is disposed collinear with a neutral bending axis of the articulator.

2. The articulator of claim 1, wherein the transverse grooves extend inwardly from each of the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body in an alternating manner along the length of the longitudinally extending body.

3. The articulator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of recesses extend inwardly from the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body in an alternating manner along the length of the longitudinally extending body.

4. The articulator of claim 1, wherein the transverse grooves extend further inwardly from one of the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body than from the other opposite side of the longitudinally extending body.

5. The articulator of claim 1, wherein, innermost ends of the transverse grooves are rounded.

6. The articulator of claim 1, wherein, the longitudinally extending body is generally cylindrical.

7. The articulator of claim 1, wherein, the articulator is integrally formed as a single monolithic block of material.

8. The articulator of claim 7, wherein, the articulator is injection molded.

9. The articulator of claim 7, wherein, the articulator is formed by stereolithography.

10. The articulator of claim 1, wherein, the therapeutic tool is selected from the group consisting of a scraper, a curette, a grasper, forceps, and scissors.

11. The articulator of claim 1, wherein, the plurality of transverse grooves are spaced evenly apart along the length of the longitudinally extending body.

12. The articulator of claim 1, wherein, the plurality of transverse grooves are spaced unevenly apart along the length of the longitudinally extending body.

13. The articulator of claim 12, wherein, the plurality of transverse grooves are spaced progressively closer together towards a distal end of the longitudinally extending body.

14. The articulator of claim 12, further comprising:

a tool control wire received in the tool control wire lumen; and

an articulator control wire received in the articulation control wire lumen.

15. An articulator for positioning a tool during a surgical procedure, comprising:

a longitudinally extending body;

a plurality of transverse grooves extending inwardly from opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body; and

a plurality of recesses extending inwardly from the opposite sides of the longitudinally extending body, wherein the plurality of recesses define a central control wire lumen, and wherein one side of the central control wire lumen is disposed collinear with a neutral bending axis of the articulator.

16. The articulator of claim 15, wherein the transverse grooves extend inwardly from each of the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body in an alternating manner along the length of the longitudinally extending body.

17. The articulator of claim 15, wherein the plurality of recesses extend inwardly from the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body in an alternating manner along the length of the longitudinally extending body.

18. The articulator of claim 15, wherein the transverse grooves extend further inwardly from one of the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body than from the other opposite side of the longitudinally extending body.

19. The articulator of claim 15, wherein the articulator is integrally formed as a single monolithic block of material.

20. The articulator of claim 15, wherein the central control wire lumen is dimensioned to receive both an articulation control wire and a tool control wire therethrough.

21. The articulator of claim 15, wherein the central control wire lumen has a racetrack-shaped cross section.

22. The articulator of claim 15, wherein the central control wire lumen has a keyhole-shaped cross section.

23. An articulator for positioning a tool during a surgical procedure, comprising:

a longitudinally extending body;

a plurality of transverse grooves extending inwardly from opposite sides of the longitudinally extending body;

a tool control wire lumen extending longitudinally through the longitudinally extending body, the tool control wire lumen being collinear with a neutral bending axis of the articulator; and

an articulation control wire lumen disposed parallel to the tool control wire lumen.

24. The articulator of claim 23, wherein the transverse grooves extend inwardly from each of the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body in an alternating manner along the length of the longitudinally extending body.

25. The articulator of claim 23, wherein the plurality of recesses extend inwardly from the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body in an alternating manner along the length of the longitudinally extending body.

26. The articulator of claim 23, wherein the transverse grooves extend further inwardly from one of the opposite lateral sides of the longitudinally extending body than from the other opposite side of the longitudinally extending body.

27. The articulator of claim 23, wherein the articulator is integrally formed as a single monolithic block of material.

28. The articulator of claim 27, wherein, the articulator is injection molded.

29. The articulator of claim 27, wherein, the articulator is formed by steriolithography.

30. The articulator of claim 23, wherein, the therapeutic tool is selected from the group consisting of a scraper, a curette, a grasper, forceps, and scissors.

31. The articulator of claim 23, further comprising:

a tool control wire received in the tool control wire lumen; and

an articulator control wire received in the articulation control wire lumen.

32. The articulator of claim 23, wherein, the tool control wire lumen is dimensioned to open into innermost ends of the transverse grooves extending inwardly from each of the opposite lateral sides.

33. The articulator of claim 32, wherein, the neutral bending axis passes mid-way between innermost ends of opposite transverse grooves.

34. The articulator of claim 23, wherein, the articulation control wire lumen passes through the transverse grooves extending from only one side of the longitudinally extending body.

35. The articulator of claim 23, wherein, the innermost ends of the transverse grooves extending from the opposite lateral sides extend past one another.