Medical instrument

• US 6,840,932 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Lang, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Application Number:
  US10/103,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 606 1- 19, 606 39- 52, 606110-126, 606/167, 606205-211, 606/107, 606/135, 606/138, 606/139, 600/101, 600/123, 600/133, 600/152, 600/153, 600/155, 600/159, 600201-246, 604/19, 604/513, 604/164.08, 604/533, 604534-539, 604/284, 604/288.03, 604/905
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/70 Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical instrument with an elongated shaft (1) and with a handle part (2) that is linked with the proximal end of the shaft (1) and that is used to actuate a tool (4) located on the distal end of the shaft (1). Said shaft (1), in the area of the proximal end, is provided with a seakable flushing connection piece (5). Air and/or a flushing liquid can be guided through said flushing connection piece, especially for the purpose of cleaning, via an adjacent flushing channel (6) up to the stem of the shaft (1). The flushing connection piece (5) is disposed in an acute angle (alpha) with respect to the shaft (1) and faces the proximal end of the shaft (1). The aim of the invention is to provide a medical instrument that is easy to handle and that can be reliably cleaned via the flushing connection piece (5). To this end, the flushing channel (6) is configured as a direct straight and free extension of the flushing connection piece (5) and is also disposed in an acute angle (alpha) with respect to the shaft (1) and faces the proximal end of the shaft (1).

Claims

1. Medical instrument with an elongated shaft and with a handle part that is linked with the proximal end of the shaft and that is used to actuate a tool located on the distal end of the shaft, where said shaft, in the area of the proximal end, is provided with a sealable flushing connection piece through which air and/or a flushing liquid can be guided via an adjacent flushing channel up to a stem of the shaft and the flushing connection piece is disposed in an acute angle with respect to the shaft and faces the proximal end of the shaft distinguished in that the flushing channel is configured as a direct straight and free extension of the flushing connection piece and is also disposed at an acute angle with respect to the shaft and faces the proximal end of the shaft.

2. Medical instrument in accordance with claim 1, distinguished in that the flushing connection piece is sealable by means of a sealing element secured on the shaft.

3. Medical instrument in accordance with claim 2, distinguished in that the sealing element is configured as a housing arranged coaxially on the shaft with a sealing arm pointing generally radially away from the housing, where the housing can be rotated around the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

4. Medical instrument in accordance with claim 3, distinguished in that an insulating element is arranged on the side of the sealing arm facing the flushing connection piece.

5. Medical instrument in accordance with claim 4, distinguished in that the insulating element is configured as a plug that can be installed into a bore hole in the sealing arm.

6. Medical instrument in accordance with claim 2, distinguished in that the sealing element is pre-tensioned in the direction toward the proximal end of the shaft.

7. Medical instrument in accordance with claim 6, distinguished in that a pressure spring is arranged coaxially on the shaft inside the housing to produce the pre-tensioning.

8. Medical instrument in accordance with claim 6, distinguished in that a pressure rubber ring is arranged coaxially on the shaft inside the housing to produce the pre-tensioning.

9. Medical insturment in accordance with claim 1, distinguished ini that the shaft can be secured removably on the handle piece.