Surgical instruments with improved traction

• US 6,626,922 B1
• Filed: 08/09/1999
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Inventors: Jones, Robert T., Urquidi, Luis, Ashby, Mark P., Gadberry, Donald L., Hart, Charles C., Chi-Sing, Eduardo
• Primary Examiner(s): REIP, DAVID OWEN
• Application Number:
  US09/355,679
• Time in Patent Office: 1,513 Days
• Field of Search: 606/51, 606/52, 606/142, 606/144, 606/148, 606/151, 606/157, 606/205-210, 606/119-122, 606/106, 606/158, 606/201, 606/204, 132/276-278, 814/18, 814/19, 814/21, 814/245
• US Class Current: 606/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/02 for holding wounds open; Tractors specula A61B1/32 ; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/122 Clamps or clips , e.g. for the umbilical cord for the vas deferens A61F6/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1227 Spring clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00858 high friction or non-slip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00862 elastic or resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0243 for immobilizing local areas of the heart, e.g. while it beats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2825 Inserts of different material in jaws

Abstract

A surgical instrument is adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide traction with the tissue in order to inhibit migration of the instrument relative to the tissue. The instrument may include a pair of opposing jaws with at least one of the jaws comprising a substrate having a particular surface facing the tissue, and a plurality of discrete elements disposed on the particular surface for increasing the traction of the instrument relative to the tissue. These discrete elements may include a multiplicity of granules, bristles, or projections and may be formed of materials having various properties such as hydrophilic characteristics. The discrete elements in the form of bristles can be oriented too so that the column strength of each bristle provides increased traction in a predetermined direction.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide traction with the tissue so as to inhibit migration of the instrument relative to the tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

a substrate formed of a resilient material and having a particular surface adapted to face the tissue of the patient;

a multiplicity of bristles having a column strength and extending outwardly of the particular surface in a slanted relationship with the particular surface, the bristles being adapted for disposition relative to the tissue in a contacting relationship with the tissue; and

each of the bristles having a generally straight configuration so that the force of the bristles on the tissue is enhanced by the column strength of the bristles thereby providing increased traction between the instrument and the tissue.

2. A surgical instrument adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide traction with the tissue so as to inhibit migration of the instrument relative to the tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

a substrate formed of a resilient material and having a particular surface adapted to face the tissue of the patient;

a multiplicity of bristles extending outwardly of the particular surface, each of the bristles having a column strength, the bristles being adapted for disposition relative to the tissue in a contacting relationship with the tissue;

each of the bristles having a generally straight configuration so that the force of the bristles on the tissue is enhanced by the column strength of the bristles thereby providing increased traction between the instrument and the tissue;

a first group of the bristles disposed at a first angle to the particular surface of the substrate;

a second group of the bristles disposed at a second angle to the particular surface of the substrate; and

the first angle being different than the second angle.

3. The surgical instrument recited in claim 2 wherein the first group of the bristles is spaced from the second group of the bristles.

4. The surgical instrument recited in claim 3 wherein the first group of the bristles is intermingled with the second group of the bristles.

5. A surgical instrument adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide traction with the tissue so as to inhibit migration of the instrument relative to the tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

a substrate formed of a resilient material and having a particular surface adapted to face the tissue of the patient;

a multiplicity of bristles extending outwardly of the particular surface, each of the bristles having a column strength, the bristles being adapted for disposition relative to the tissue in a contacting relationship with the tissue;

each of the bristles having a generally straight configuration so that the force of the bristles on the tissue is enhanced by the column strength of the bristles thereby providing increased traction between the instrument and the tissue;

a first group of the bristles forming a first discrete patch of the bristles;

a second group of the bristles forming a second discrete patch of the bristles; and

the first patch of bristles being spaced from the second patch of bristles.

6. A surgical instrument adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide traction with the tissue so as to inhibit migration of the instrument relative to the tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

a substrate formed of a resilient material and having a particular surface adapted to face the tissue of the patient;

a multiplicity of bristles extending outwardly of the particular surface, each of the bristles having a column strength, the bristles being adapted or dispositioned relative to the tissue in a contacting relationship with the tissue; and

each of the bristles being embedded in the substrate and having a generally straight configuration so that the force of the bristles on the tissue is enhanced by the column strength of the bristles thereby providing increased traction between the instrument and the tissue.

7. A surgical instrument adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide traction with the tissue so as to inhibit migration of the instrument relative to the tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

a substrate formed of a resilient material and having a particular surface adapted to face the tissue of the patient;

a multiplicity of bristles extending outwardly of the particular surface, each of the bristles having a column strength, the bristles being adapted for disposition relative to the tissue in a contacting relationship with the tissue;

at least one of the bristles having a fixed end and a free end; and

a bulb formed on said free end.

8. A surgical instrument adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide traction with the tissue so as to inhibit migration of the instrument relative to the tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

a support formed of a generally rigid material;

a pad disposed in fixed relationship with the support and having a particular surface facing away from the support, the particular surface having first traction characteristics with the tissue; and

a multiplicity of loops formed by a single fiber arranged in random configuration and disposed outwardly of the particular surface of the pad, the loops providing a tissue-contacting surface with an irregular configuration, the tissue-contacting surface being adapted to provide the pad with second traction characteristics with the tissue.

9. The surgical instrument recited in claim 8 wherein the loops are embedded in the pad.

10. A surgical instrument adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide traction with the tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

a support having a length extending in a longitudinal direction, and a width extending in a lateral direction;

a pad formed of a resilient material and disposed in fixed relationship with the support, the pad having a particular surface facing away from the support, the particular surface having first traction characteristics with the tissue;

a multiplicity of discrete elements disposed to extend outwardly of the particular surface of the pad and to provide a tissue contacting surface; and

the discrete elements forming multiple projections each having an axis which extends generally along the length of the support without any component in the lateral direction, to provide the tissue-contacting surface with second traction characteristics greater than the first traction characteristics.

11. The surgical instrument recited in claim 10 wherein the length of the support extends between a proximal end and a distal end, and the projections extend distally along the length of the support.

12. A surgical instrument adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide traction with the tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

a support structure;

a resilient pad having a fixed relationship with the support structure;

portions of the pad defining an outer surface of the pad, the outer surface being adapted to contact the tissue; and

at least the portions of the pad having hydrophilic characteristics for withdrawing moisture from the tissue to increase the traction between the instrument and the tissue, wherein the outer surface of the pad has an irregular configuration and the portions of the pad include a multiplicity of granules.

13. A surgical instrument adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide traction with the tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

a support structure;

a resilient pad having a fixed relationship with the support structure;

portions of the pad defining an outer surface of the pad, the outer surface being adapted to contact the tissue; and

at least the portions of the pad having hydrophilic characteristics for withdrawing moisture from the tissue to increase the traction between the instrument and the tissue, wherein the portions of the pad form a multiplicity of discrete elements adapted to contact the tissue.

14. The surgical instrument recited in claim 13 wherein the discrete elements are integral with the pad.

15. The surgical instrument recited in claim 14, wherein:

the pad has a generally planar configuration; and

the discrete elements are disposed at an angle to the plane of the pad.

16. The surgical instrument recited in claim 13 wherein the discrete elements include a multiplicity of loops formed by a single, continuous fiber.

17. The surgical instrument recited in claim 13 wherein the discrete elements include at least one fiber having a generally straight configuration throughout its length and being adapted to extend into contact with the tissue.

18. A surgical instrument adapted to function as a retractor, comprising:

a pair of elongate jaws having inner surfaces which face toward each other and outer surfaces which face away from each other;

at least one pad disposed on an inner surface of one of the jaws and being formed of a first material having resilient characteristics; and

a tissue-contacting member formed of a second material having a tissue-contacting surface with an irregular configuration for enhancing the traction between the surgical instrument and the tissue, wherein the tissue contacting member includes a plurality of discrete elements, said pad having a generally planar configuration, and the discrete elements being disposed at an angle to the plane of the pad.

19. A surgical instrument adapted to function as a spreader, comprising:

a pair of elongate jaws having inner surfaces which face toward each other and outer surfaces which face away from each other;

at least one pad disposed on an outer surface of one of the jaws and being formed of a first material having resilient characteristics; and

a tissue-contacting member formed of a second material having a tissue-contacting surface with an irregular configuration for enhancing the traction between the surgical instrument and the tissue, wherein the tissue contacting member includes a plurality of discrete elements, said pad having a generally planar configuration, and the discrete elements being disposed at an angle to the plane of the pad.

20. A surgical instrument adapted to function as an organ stabilizer, comprising:

a pair of elongate jaws having inner surfaces which face toward each other and outer surfaces which face away from each other;

at least one pad formed of a first material having resilient characteristics and being disposed on one of the inner and outer surfaces of one of the jaws;

a tissue-contacting member formed of a second material having a tissue-contacting surface with an irregular configuration for enhancing the traction between the surgical instrument and the tissue;

wherein

the pad is disposed to extend between the inner surfaces of the jaws to form a web.

21. A surgical instrument adapted to contact tissue of a patient and to provide atraumatic traction with the tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

a support structure;

a pad disposed on the support structure and being formed of a first material having a first surface adapted to have a space relationship with the tissue;

a tissue-contacting member formed of a second material and having a second surface adapted to have a contacting relationship with the tissue;

said second surface including a plurality of fibers of generally straight configuration throughout their length adapted to contact said tissue to facilitate traction with the tissue; and

the first material of the pad having resilient characteristics to inhibit trauma to the tissue.