Medical device with deflecting shaft and related methods of manufacture and use

• US 7,052,489 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Griego, John A., Whitney, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanagan, Beverly M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KASZTEJNA, MATTHEW JOHN
• Application Number:
  US10/727,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20050124912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 600/139, 600/144
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/06 Biopsy forceps , e.g. with cup-shaped jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Various embodiments of a medical device having a deflecting shaft and related methods of manufacture and use are disclosed. For example, the device may include a proximal handle, a distal assembly for performing a medical procedure, and a wire coil connecting the proximal handle to the distal assembly, wherein actuation of the proximal handle may cause the distal assembly to perform the medical procedure. The wire coil may have a proximal portion comprised of a first wire and a distal portion comprised of a second wire. The second wire may have a diameter less than a diameter of the first wire so that the distal portion of the wire coil may have a flexibility greater than a flexibility of the proximal portion.

Claims

1. A medical device for use with an endoscope, comprising:

a proximal handle;

a distal assembly for performing a medical procedure; and

an elongated member connecting the proximal handle to the distal assembly, the elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion having a flexibility greater than a flexibility of the proximal portion so as to selectively deflect the distal portion relative to the proximal portion,

wherein actuation of a single moving part of the proximal handle causes both deflection of the distal portion and actuation of the distal assembly to perform the medical procedure.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongated member includes a wire coil.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the wire coil at the distal portion has an outer diameter that is less than an outer diameter of the wire coil at the proximal portion.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the distal portion is made of a first wire and the proximal portion is made of a second wire, the first wire having a diameter less than a diameter of the second wire.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a jacket covering an outer surface of the proximal portion of the elongated member.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion includes a first outer jacket and the distal portion includes a second outer jacket, wherein the second outer jacket is made of a material different than a material of the first outer jacket, so that the distal portion is more flexible than the proximal portion.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the second outer jacket material is softer than the first outer jacket material.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the elongated member includes a wire coil made of a wire having substantially the same diameter.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the movable part is configured to actuate from a first position to a second position to actuate the distal assembly and from the second position to a third position to deflect the distal portion relative to the proximal portion.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the movable part moves relative to a stationary part of the handle between the first, second, and third positions.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the movable part is axially reciprocally movable relative to the stationary part.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a deflection control member configured to hold the distal portion in a deflected position.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a deflection control member for controlling the deflection of the distal portion relative to the proximal portion.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the distal assembly includes a biopsy forceps assembly.

15. A medical device for use with an endoscope, comprising:

a proximal handle;

a distal assembly for performing a medical procedure;

an elongated member connecting the proximal handle to the distal assembly, actuation of the proximal handle causing the distal assembly to perform the medical procedure, the elongated member having a distal portion and a proximal portion; and

a deflection control member passing through the elongated member and having a proximal end connected to the proximal handle and a distal end connected to the distal portion of the elongated member,

wherein moving the deflection control member proximally relative to the elongated member causes the distal portion to deflect relative to the proximal portion.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a first outer jacket covering at least a portion of the proximal portion of the elongated member; and

a second outer jacket covering at least a portion of the distal portion of the elongated member,

wherein the second outer jacket includes a material that is softer than a material of the first outer jacket.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the elongated member includes a wire coil.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the distal portion is made of a first wire and the proximal portion is made of a second wire, the first wire having a diameter less than a diameter of the second wire.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the elongated member includes a wire coil made of a wire having substantially the same diameter.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein actuation of the handle causes at least one of actuation of the distal assembly and deflection of the distal portion.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein actuation of handle from a first position to a second position actuates the distal assembly, and actuation of handle from the second position to a third position deflects the distal portion relative to the proximal portion.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the handle includes a stationary part and a movable part movable relative to the stationary part between the first, second, and third positions.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the movable part is axially reciprocally movable relative to the stationary part.

24. The device of claim 15, wherein the deflection control member is configured to hold the distal portion in a deflected position.

25. The device of claim 15, wherein the handle includes a first actuation member for actuating the distal assembly and a second actuation member for deflecting the distal portion.

26. The device of claim 15, wherein the distal assembly includes a biopsy forceps assembly.

36. The shaft of claim 21, wherein the deflection control member is configured to hold the distal portion in a deflected position.

27. An elongated control shaft for use in a medical device, comprising:

a wire coil having a proximal portion comprised of a first wire and a distal portion comprised of a second wire, the wire coil configured to connect a handle to a distal assembly, and

a deflection control member configured to connect between the distal portion and the handle such that actuation of the handle causes the distal portion to selectively deflect relative to the proximal portion,

wherein the second wire has a wire diameter less than a wire diameter of the first wire, so that the distal portion of the wire coil has a flexibility greater than a flexibility of the proximal portion.

28. The shaft of claim 27, wherein the wire coil at the distal portion has an outer diameter that is less than an outer diameter of the wire coil at the proximal portion.

29. The shaft of claim 27, further comprising a jacket covering at least a portion of an outer surface of the wire coil.

30. The shaft of claim 27, wherein the deflection control member is configured to hold the distal portion in a deflected position.

31. An elongated control shaft for use in a medical device, comprising:

an elongated member for connecting a proximal handle to a distal assembly, wherein actuation of the proximal handle causes the distal assembly to perform a medical procedure, the elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal portion; and

a deflection control member passing through the elongated member and having a proximal end for connecting to the proximal handle and a distal end connected to the distal portion of the elongated member,

wherein the elongated member and the deflection control member are configured such that moving the deflection control member proximally relative to the elongated member causes the distal portion to deflect relative to the proximal portion.

32. The shaft of claim 31, further comprising:

a first outer jacket covering at least a portion of the proximal portion of the elongated member; and

a second outer jacket covering at least a portion of the distal portion of the elongated member,

wherein the second outer jacket includes a material that is softer than a material of the first outer jacket.

33. The shaft of claim 31, wherein the elongated member includes a wire coil.

34. The shaft of claim 33, wherein the distal portion is made of a first wire and the proximal portion is made of a second wire, the first wire having a diameter less than a diameter of the second wire.

35. The shaft of claim 33, wherein the elongated member includes a wire coil made of a wire having substantially the same diameter.

37. A method of making a medical device, comprising:

providing an elongated member having a distal portion and a proximal portion;

attaching a proximal handle to the proximal portion;

extending a deflection control member through the elongated member;

connecting a proximal end of the deflection control member to the proximal handle;

connecting a distal end of the deflection control member to the distal portion of the elongated member, wherein the elongated member and the deflection control member are configured such that moving the deflection control member proximally relative to the elongated member causes the distal portion to deflect relative to the proximal portion; and

attaching a distal assembly for performing a medical procedure to the distal portion.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

jacketing at least a portion of the proximal portion with a first outer jacket; and

jacketing at least a portion of the distal portion with a second outer jacket, wherein the second outer jacket is made of a material softer than a material for the first outer jacket.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising forming the elongated member with a wire coil.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein forming the elongated member includes forming the distal portion with a first wire and the proximal portion with a second wire, the first wire having a diameter less than a diameter of the second wire.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the first wire and the second wire are formed from the same wire.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the first wire is attached to the second wire.

43. The method of claim 37, further comprising providing a first controller in the proximal handle for actuating the distal assembly and a second controller in the proximal handle for controlling deflection of the distal portion.

44. The method of claim 37, further comprising attaching a control member extending from the proximal handle to the distal assembly, wherein the control member is configured to control actuation of the distal assembly.

45. A method of performing a medical procedure, the method comprising:

providing a medical device adjacent to a tissue site, the medical device including a proximal handle, a distal assembly, and an elongated member connecting the distal assembly to the proximal handle;

actuating the distal assembly by actuating a single movable part of the handle from a first position to a second position;

deflecting the distal portion relative to the proximal portion to access tissue at the tissue site by actuating the movable part of the handle from the second position to a third position; and

performing the medical procedure on the tissue with the distal assembly.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the distal portion of the elongated member has a flexibility greater than a flexibility of a proximal portion of the elongated member.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the elongated member is configured to selectively deflect the distal portion relative to the proximal portion.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the elongated member includes a wire coil.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the wire coil includes the proximal portion made of a first wire and a distal portion made of a second wire, the second wire having a diameter less than a diameter of the first wire, so that the distal portion of the wire coil has a flexibility greater than a flexibility of the proximal portion.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the wire coil at the distal portion has an outer diameter that is less than an outer diameter of the wire coil at the proximal portion.

51. The method of claim 45, wherein actuating the distal assembly includes opening an end effector assembly of the distal assembly.

52. The method of claim 45, wherein the elongated member includes a first outer jacket covering an outer surface of the proximal portion.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the elongated member further includes a second outer jacket covering an outer surface of the distal portion, the second outer jacket being made of a material different than a material of the first outer jacket, so that the distal portion is more flexible than the proximal portion.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the second outer jacket material is softer than the first outer jacket material.

55. The method of claim 45, wherein the movable part of the handle moves relative to a stationary part of the handle between the first, second, and third positions.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the movable part is axially reciprocally movable relative to the stationary part.

57. The method of claim 45, further comprising holding the distal portion in a deflected position.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein holding the distal portion in the deflected position is performed after deflecting the distal portion and while performing the medical procedure on the tissue.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein holding the distal portion in the deflected position is performed by a deflection control member.

60. The method of claim 45, wherein the distal assembly includes a biopsy forceps assembly.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising:

opening the biopsy forceps assembly;

receiving the tissue in the biopsy forceps assembly by deflecting the distal portion of the elongated member; and

severing the tissue by closing the biopsy forceps assembly.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein actuating the proximal handle includes actuating the biopsy forceps assembly to open and close.

63. The method of claim 45, wherein performing the medical procedure on the tissue includes closing an end effector assembly of the distal assembly.

64. The method of claim 45, wherein providing a medical device adjacent to a tissue site comprises inserting the medical device into an endoscope.