Powered surgical handpiece with integrated irrigator and suction application

• US 6,689,146 B1
• Filed: 04/29/1999
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Himes, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, LIEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/302,148
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 606/167, 606/168, 606/169, 606/170-180, 606/79, 606/80, 606/86, 606/96, 604/22, 604/32, 604/33, 604/34, 604/35, 604/66, 604/67, 604/247, 604/248, 604/249
• US Class Current: 606/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/772 operating alternately
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/774 Handpieces specially adapted for providing suction as well as irrigation, either simultaneously or independently

Abstract

A powered surgical handpiece (20) and a complementary cutting accessory (22). The accessory includes a rotating hub (63) in which magnets (124) are seated. An inner tube (79) with a cutting head extends from the rotating hub. A static hub is (46) located over the rotating hub. An outer tube (60) extends from the static hub over the inner tube. The static hub is formed with a inlet bore (54) through which irrigation fluid is introduced into the annular gap between the two tubes. The rotating and static hubs seat in the body of the handpiece. The handpiece has a coupling assembly (32) that engages the static hub to hold the cutting accessory in place. There is a stator (122) in the handpiece that surrounds the rotating hub. Collectively, the stator and the magnets in the rotating hub define a motor (26) that rotates the rotating hub and the inner tube. An irrigation line (36) supplies irrigating fluid to the handpiece. The irrigation line is connected to an inlet fitting (108) that is part of the coupling assembly. When the coupling assembly is set to engage the static hub, the inlet fitting is automatically coupled to the inlet bore to serve as conduit for introducing irrigation fluid into the cutting accessory. A suction may be drawn from the handpiece through the inner tube. A manually set valve member (42) regulates whether the inner tube is placed in communication with the conduit through which the suction is drawn or the irrigation line.

Claims

1. A powered surgical handpiece for actuating a cutting accessory, the cutting accessory having a first member that is formed with a conduit, said handpiece including:

a body, said body being formed with;

opposed front and rear ends;

an accessory bore in the front end for receiving the cutting accessory;

a suction bore through which a suction is drawn; and

an irrigation conduit through which irrigation fluid is introduced into said body;

a coupling assembly attached to said body for releasably holding the cutting accessory in the accessory bore;

a motor disposed in said body for actuating the first member of the cutting accessory; and

a valve assembly including;

a valve member positioned in said body for selectively establishing a fluid communication path between the conduit of the cutting accessory first member and the suction bore or the irrigation conduit, wherein said valve member is moveable between;

a first position in which said valve member establishes a fluid communication path between the conduit of the first member and the suction bore;

a second position in which said valve member prevents fluid communication between the conduit of the first member and the suction bore or the irrigation conduit; and

a third position in which said valve member establishes a fluid communication path between the conduit of the first member and the irrigation conduit; and

a control switch located outside of said body that is movably attached to said body and that is connected to said valve member for moving said valve member between the first, second and third valve member positions.

2. The handpiece of claim 1, further including a sensor assembly disposed in said body for monitoring the position of said valve member and generating a signal representative of the valve member position.

3. The handpiece of claim 1, wherein:

said motor has a stator fixedly secured to said body; and

a rotor rotatably positioned within said stator and said rotor is formed with a through bore, the through bore being directed to said valve member, the through bore providing a fluid communication path between the conduit of the cutting accessory first member and said valve member.

4. The handpiece of claim 3, wherein said rotor includes at least two magnets integrally attached to the cutting accessory first member.

5. The handpiece of claim 1, wherein, said body has a longitudinal axis and said valve member is rotatably fitted in said body to rotate around the longitudinal axis of said body.

6. The handpiece of claim 1, further including a moveable rod fitted to said body, said rod extending between said control switch and said valve member for actuating said valve member upon displacement of said control switch.

7. The handpiece of claim 6, further including a sensor mounted to said body adjacent said rod to monitor displacement of said rod, said sensor being configured to generate an output signal that varies with the displacement of said rod.

8. A surgical handpiece for actuating a cutting accessory, the cutting accessory having an outer tube and an inner tube disposed within the outer tube, the inner tube defining a conduit, said handpiece including:

a body, said body having;

opposed first and second ends;

an accessory bore in the first end for receiving a proximal end of the cutting accessory; and

a suction bore that extends towards the second end;

a coupling assembly mounted to the first end of said body for releasably securing the outer tube to said body;

a supply tube integral with said body that extends towards the first end of said body;

a motor disposed in said body for rotating the inner tube;

a valve moveably fitted in said body, and wherein the inner tube conduit, the suction bore and said supply tube are each connected to said valve and said valve has;

a first position in which said valve establishes a fluid path between the inner tube conduit and the suction bore;

a second position in which said valve prevents fluid communication from between the inner tube conduit and the suction bore or said supply tube; and

a third position in which said valve establishes a fluid path between the inner tube conduit and said supply tube; and

a switch located outside of said body that is moveably attached to said body and connected to said valve for selectively moving said valve between the first, second and third positions.

9. The handpiece of claim 8, wherein:

said motor has a stator fixedly secured to said body; and

a rotor rotatably positioned within said stator and said rotor is formed with a through bore, the through bore being directed to said valve, the through bore providing a fluid communication path between the inner tube conduit and said valve.

10. The handpiece of claim 9, wherein said rotor includes at least two magnets mounted to a hub and said hub is integrally attached to a proximal end of the inner tube.

11. The handpiece of claim 8, wherein said coupling assembly has an inlet fitting positioned to engage the cutting accessory and said supply tube has a branch line that extends to said inlet fitting.

12. The handpiece of claim 8, wherein, said body has a longitudinal axis and said valve is rotatably fitted in said body to rotate around the longitudinal axis of said body.

13. The handpiece of claim 8, further including a sensor assembly disposed in said body for monitoring the position of said valve and said sensor assembly generates an output signal representative of the position of said valve.

14. The handpiece of claim 13, wherein:

a moveable linkage member extends between said switch and said valve for displacing said valve upon displacement of said switch; and

said sensor assembly includes a sensed member connected to said linkage member to move with the movement of said linkage member and a sensing device mounted to said body that generates the sensor output signal as a function of the relative distance of said sensed member to said sensing device.

15. The handpiece of claim 8, wherein:

said body is formed with a valve chamber and the inner tube conduit, the suction bore and the supply tube are each connected to the valve chamber; and

said valve is rotatably fitted in the valve chamber to rotate between the first, second and third valve positions.

16. A powered surgical handpiece for actuating a cutting accessory, the cutting accessory having a hub and a cutting device, said handpiece including:

a body, said body having a bore that is open at one end of said body for receiving the cutting accessory hub;

a power generating unit mounted in said body that is connected to the cutting device for actuating the cutting device;

an irrigation tube attached to said body; and

a coupling arm moveably mounted to said body, said coupling arm having;

at least one locking member positioned to selectively engage and disengage the cutting accessory hub for releasably holding the hub to said body; and

an inlet fitting to which said irrigation tube is connected, said inlet fitting being positioned to move with said at least one locking member so that when said locking member engages the hub, said inlet fitting is in fluid communication with an inlet bore formed in the hub.

17. The handpiece of claim 16, wherein said coupling assembly includes a single locking member.

18. The handpiece of claim 16, wherein said body is formed so that the bore in which the cutting accessory hub is received has a non-circular profile.

19. The handpiece of claim 16, wherein said power generating unit is a motor.

20. The handpiece of claim 19, wherein:

the hub of the cutting accessory is an outer hub and the cutting accessory has an inner hub that is capable of rotation relative to the outer hub, the inner hub being the end of the cutting accessory cutting device that is received in the handpiece body bore;

said motor includes at least two magnets that function as a motor rotor and said magnets are mounted to the inner hub of the cutting accessory; and

said locking member is positioned to engage the cutting accessory outer hub.

21. The handpiece of claim 19, wherein said motor is provided with a rotor and said rotor has a bore that provides a fluid communication path from the cutting accessory.

22. A powered surgical handpiece for actuating a cutting accessory, the cutting accessory having an outer hub and an inner hub located adjacent the outer hub, said handpiece including:

a body, said body having a front end that has a bore for receiving the inner hub of the cutting accessory;

a motor disposed in said body for rotating the inner hub of the cutting accessory;

a coupling assembly mounted to the front end of said body, said coupling assembly having a locking arm that is movable relative to said body, said locking arm having at least one locking member wherein said locking arm has a locked position in which said at least one locking member is positioned to engage the outer hub of the cutting accessory to releasably secure the outer hub to said body and a release position in which said at least one locking member is spaced from the outer hub;

a supply tube integral with said body; and

an inlet fitting that is attached to said locking arm so as to move with said locking arm, said inlet fitting having an outlet opening and wherein, said supply tube is attached to said inlet fitting and, when said locking arm is in the locked position, said inlet fitting is positioned to abut an inlet port in the outer hub.

23. The handpiece of claim 22, wherein said motor includes a stator that is fixedly secured to said body and a rotor that is located within said stator and said rotor defines a bore that provides a fluid communication path to the inner hub of the cutting accessory.

24. The handpiece of claim 22, wherein said motor includes at least two magnets that are integrally attached to the inner hub of the cutting accessory and a stator disposed in said body.

26. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 24, wherein:

said power generating unit is a motor that includes a rotating shaft; and

said second coupling member is fitted to said shaft to releasably couple the inner hub to said shaft so that said shaft and the inner hub rotate in unison.

27. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 26, wherein:

said shaft of said motor at least partially forms said first conduit and said shaft has an open end adjacent the distal end of said body, the open end of said shaft forming said fluid inlet.

25. A powered surgical handpiece for actuating a cutting accessory, the cutting accessory having an outer hub and an inner hub located adjacent the outer hub, said surgical handpiece including:

a body, said body having a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end;

a power generating unit disposed in said body;

a first coupling member located adjacent the distal end of said body for releasably'"'"'securing the outer hub of the cutting accessory to said body;

a second coupling member located adjacent the distal end of said body for releasably securing the inner hub to said power generating unit so that said power generating unit and the inner hub move in unison;

a first conduit disposed in said body that extends toward the distal end of said body;

a fluid inlet fitted to said body and located adjacent the distal end of said body, wherein said first conduit is connected to said fluid inlet and said fluid inlet has an opening positioned to be in fluid communication with a complementary port formed in the inner hub; and

a second conduit disposed in said body that is separate from the first conduit, said second conduit being configured to extend towards the distal end of said body; and

a fluid outlet formed in said body and located adjacent the distal end of said body wherein;

said second conduit is connected to said fluid outlet; and

said fluid outlet is positioned so that, when said first coupling member secures the outer hub to said body, said fluid outlet is positioned to be in registration with a fluid conduit formed in the outer hub.

28. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 25, wherein

said first coupling member is movably fitted to said body, and said first coupling member has a first position in which said first coupling member is positioned to engage against a surface of the outer hub and a second position in which said first coupling member is spaced from the surface of the outer hub.

29. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 28, wherein said fluid outlet is formed in said coupling member and moves with said first coupling member.

30. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 25, wherein:

a suction fitting is mounted to said body adjacent the proximal end of said body; and

said first conduit is in fluid communication with the suction fitting.

31. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 25, wherein:

an inlet fitting is mounted to said body adjacent the proximal end of said body; and

said second conduit is in fluid communication with said inlet fitting.

32. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 25 wherein:

the outer hub is formed so that the fluid conduit is a bore that extends inwardly from an outer surface of said outer hub; and

said fluid outlet is positioned in said body to be in registration with an end of the outer hub bore that extends from a surface of the outer hub.

33. A powered surgical handpiece for actuating a cutting accessory, the cutting accessory having an outer hub and an inner hub located adjacent the outer hub, said surgical handpiece including:

a body, said body having a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the distal end of said body being formed to define a bore for receiving the cutting accessory hubs;

a motor disposed inside said body, said motor having a rotating shaft, said shaft having a portion that extends into the cavity formed in the distal end of said body;

a first coupling assembly fitted to said shaft to releasably couple the inner hub to said shaft so that said shaft and the inner hub will rotate in unison;

a port located in the cavity of the distal end of said body for receiving fluid discharged from the inner hub;

a first conduit disposed inside said body that extends from said port towards the proximal end of said body;

a second coupling assembly mounted to the distal end of said body for releasably holding the outer hub to said body;

a second conduit disposed inside said body that extends towards the distal end of said body; and

a discharge opening formed in the distal end of said body wherein said second conduit is in fluid communication with said discharge opening and said discharge opening is positioned to be in registration with a complementary fluid conduit formed on the outer hub.

34. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 33, wherein:

a portion of said shaft at least partially forms said first conduit; and

the portion of said shaft that extends into the cavity has an open end that forms said port located in the cavity.

35. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 33, wherein

said second coupling assembly includes a coupling arm that is moveably attached to the distal end of said body and a coupling member is mounted to the coupling arm, wherein said coupling member is positioned to releasably engage the outer hub of the cutting accessory.

36. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 35, wherein said discharge opening is formed in said coupling arm.

37. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 36, wherein:

said shaft of said motor and said first conduit are at least partially axially aligned.

38. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 33 wherein:

the outer hub is formed so that the fluid conduit is a bore that extends inwardly from an outer surface of said outer hub; and

said discharge opening is positioned in said body to be in registration with an opening in the outer hub from which the outer hub bore extends.

39. A powered surgical handpiece for actuating a cutting accessory, the cutting accessory having a drive tube that is formed with a conduit, said handpiece including:

a body, said body being formed with;

a front end;

an accessory bore in the front end for receiving the cutting accessory;

a suction conduit through which a suction is drawn; and

an irrigation conduit through which irrigation fluid is introduced into said body;

a coupling assembly attached to said body far releasably holding the cutting accessory in the accessory bore;

a motor disposed in said body for actuating the cutting accessory drive tube;

a valve assembly, said valve assembly including;

a valve chamber defined by said body, wherein said suction conduit and said irrigation conduit each extend to the valve chamber and said body is further formed so that the drive tube conduit is in fluid connection with the valve chamber;

a valve member moveably fitted in the valve chamber, said valve member shaped to have a flow through opening and shaped so that, upon positioning of said valve member, the flow through opening selectively establishes a fluid communication path between the drive tube conduit and the suction conduit or between the drive tube conduit and the irrigation conduit; and

a switch connected to said valve member for selectively positioning said valve member.

40. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 39, wherein said body and said valve member are further shaped so that said valve member has a position in which said valve member prevents fluid communication between the drive tube conduit and the suction conduit or the irrigation conduit.

41. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 39, wherein:

said motor has a stator fixedly secured to said body; and

a rotor rotatably positioned within said stator and said rotor is formed with a through bore, the through bore being directed to the valve chanter, the through bore providing a fluid communication path between the drive tube conduit and the valve chamber.

42. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 41, wherein said rotor includes at least two magnets integrally attached to the cutting accessory drive tube.

43. The handpiece of claim 39, wherein, said body has a longitudinal axis and said valve member is rotatably fitted in said body to rotate around the longitudinal axis of said body.

44. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 39, further including a moveable rod fitted to said body, said rod extending between said switch and said valve member for actuating said valve member upon displacement of said switch.

45. The powered surgical handpiece at claims 39, wherein said valve member is rotatably positionable in the valve chanter.

46. A powered surgical handpiece for actuating a cutting accessory, the cutting accessory having a drive tube that defines a conduit, said handpiece comprising:

a body, said body having;

an accessory bore in one end for receiving an end of the cutting accessory;

a valve chamber;

a fluid communications path from the drive tube conduit to the valve chamber;

a suction conduit that extends from the valve chamber;

an irrigation conduit that extends from the valve chamber;

a coupling assembly with at least one first coupling member moveably attached to said body that releasably engages the cutting accessory to releasably hold the cutting accessory to said body;

a motor disposed in said body, said motor including a coupling unit for engaging the drive tube to transfer rotational power developed by said motor to the drive tube;

a valve member rotatably fitted in the valve chamber of said body, said valve mentor being formed with a through opening wherein said body and said valve member are collectively shaped so that said valve member can be positioned so that the through opening establishes a fluid communication path between the drive tube conduit and the suction conduit or between the drive tube conduit and the irrigation conduit;

a switch connected to said valve member for rotating said valve member;

a suction fitting attached to said body wherein the suction conduit extends to and is fluid communication with said suction fitting; and

an irrigation fitting attached to said body wherein the irrigation conduit extends to and is fluid communication with said irrigation fitting.

48. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 46, wherein:

said motor has a stator fixedly secured to said body; and

a rotor rotatably positioned within said stator and said rotor is formed with a through bore, the through bore being directed to the valve cavity, the through bore being at least part of the fluid communication path between the drive tube conduit and the valve chamber.

49. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 48, wherein said rotor includes at least two magnets integrally attached to the cutting accessory drive tube.

50. The handpiece of claim 46, wherein, said body has a longitudinal axis and said valve member is rotatably fitted in said body to rotate around the longitudinal axis of said body.

51. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 46, further including a moveable rod fitted to said body, said rod extending between said switch and said valve member for rotating said valve member upon displacement of said switch.

47. The powered surgical handpiece of claim wherein said body and said valve member are further shaped so that said valve member has a position in which said valve member prevents fluid communication between the drive tube conduit and the suction conduit or the irrigation conduit.

52. A powered surgical handpiece for actuating a cutting accessory, the cutting accessory having an outer hub, an elongated outer tube that extends from the outer hub and an inner tube that is disposed in the outer tube, the inner tube having a conduit, said handpiece comprising:

a body, said body having a bore for receiving the outer hub and an end of the inner tube that extends from said outer hub;

a coupling assembly attached to said body for releasably holding the outer hub to said body;

a motor, said motor including a coupling unit that engages the cutting accessory inner tube to transfer rotational power developed by said motor to the inner tube;

an inlet fitting attached to said body, said inlet fitting adapted to receive irrigation fluid;

an irrigation fluid conduit that extends from said inlet fitting to the bore in which the outer hub is received, said irrigation fluid conduit having a discharge bore that is open towards the outer hub;

a branch conduit formed in said body that extends from said irrigation fluid conduit, said branch conduit extending toward and in fluid communication with the inner tube conduit; and

a valve member moveably disposed in a valve chamber formed in said body, the valve chamber being in fluid communication with the inner tube conduit and the branch conduit, said valve having a flow through opening and being positionable in said valve chamber to regulate fluid flow between the branch conduit and the inner tube conduit.

53. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 52, wherein:

said motor has a stator fixedly secured to said body; and

a rotor rotatably positioned within said stator and said rotor is formed with a through bore, the through bore being directed to the valve chamber, the through bore being at least part of a fluid communication path between the inner tube conduit and the valve chamber.

54. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 53, wherein said rotor includes at least two magnets integrally attached to the cutting accessory drive tube.

55. The powered surgical handpiece of claim 52, wherein:

said coupling assembly includes an arm that is moveably attached to said body for releasably engaging the cutting accessory outer hub; and

said irrigation fluid conduit extends to said coupling assembly arm and the irrigation fluid outlet discharge bore is formed in said coupling assembly arm.

56. The powered surgical handpiece of claim wherein:

said body is further formed with a suction conduit that extends from the valve chamber; and

said body and said valve member are collectively shaped so that said valve member selectively establishes a fluid communication path between the inner tube conduit and the branch conduit or between the inner tube conduit and the suction conduit.