Surgical device and method

• US 7,287,682 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary L. Jones, Gazayerli M. Mounir, Hazem Ezzat
• Original Assignee: Gary L. Jones, Gazayerli M. Mounir, Hazem Ezzat
• Inventors: Jones, Gary L., Ezzat, Hazem, Gazayerli, M. Mounir
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; (Jackie) Tan-Uyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Erezo; Darwin P.
• Application Number:
  US10/366,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 606/138, 606/139, 606/142, 606/143, 606/219, 227/175.1, 227/175.2, 227/175.3, 227/176.1, 227/177.1, 227/178.1, 227/179.1, 227/181.1
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395

Abstract

A surgical device 20 for attaching staples 40 to a portion of a body comprising an anvil 23; a smart memory material (SMM) 50, 75 capable of going from one physical state to another physical state; a supply of staples in communication with the smart memory material and placed near the anvil; and an activating apparatus 21 which is in communication with the smart memory material and which can cause the change in the physical state of the smart memory material, which change in state causes the movement of the staples against the anvil thereby securing the staples 40 to the desired body portion. The device utilizes a source of electricity which when activated causes the SMM to expand in volume thereby moving an individual staple from the supply of staples. The device may also contain a surgical knife 62 to cut a body portion wherein a SMM is in communication with the knife whereby when the SMM expands it engages the knife causing the knife to cut the desired body portion.

Claims

1. A surgical device for attaching staples to a body portion comprising:

a first and second jaws for receiving said body portion there between;

the first jaw comprising an anvil in communication with a first smart memory material for facilitating the opening and closing of the first jaw towards the second jaw, wherein the first smart memory material is capable of moving from a first physical state in which the first and second jaws are in an open position and a second physical state in which the first and second jaws are in a closed position;

the second jaw comprising a supply of staples in communication with a second smart memory material for deploying the supply of staples towards the anvil and piercing the body portion located there between, wherein the second smart memory material is capable of moving from a first physical state in which the supply of staples are in an undeployed state and a second physical state in which the supply of staples are deployed towards the anvil; and

an activating apparatus in communication with the smart memory materials for causing the first and second smart memory materials to change from their respective first physical state to their respective second physical state.

2. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the first or second smart memory material is a metallic alloy.

3. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the first or second smart memory material is a polymeric material.

4. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the activating apparatus is a source of electricity which when activated causes the second smart memory material to expand in volume thereby moving an individual staple from the supply of staples.

5. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the activating apparatus causes the second smart memory material to expand in volume thereby moving an individual staple from the supply of staples.

6. The surgical device of claim 1 further comprising a surgical knife to cut a desired body portion.

7. The surgical device of claim 1 further comprising a surgical knife to cut a desired body portion wherein a third smart memory material is in communication with the knife whereby when the third smart memory material expands it engages the knife causing the knife to cut the desired body portion.

8. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the first or second smart memory material is a metallic alloy comprised of a composition, which can go from a martensite phase to an austenite phase.

9. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the first or second smart memory material is a metallic alloy comprised of copper, zinc and aluminum or iron, nickel and aluminum.

10. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the first or second smart memory material is a metallic alloy comprised of nickel and titanium.

11. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the second smart memory material is in communication with a pusher which engages a staple in the movement of the staple towards the anvil.

12. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein a third smart memory material is in engagement with a wedge segment containing a surgical knife such that the change in physical state of the third smart memory material will cause movement of the wedge.

13. A method of securing a portion of a body comprising:

providing the device of claim 12; and

securing the staples to the desired body portion.

14. The surgical device of claim 12 wherein the second smart memory material causes movement of the staples against the anvil and the third smart memory material causes movement of the surgical knife to cut a desired body part.

15. A method of securing a portion of a body comprising:

providing the device of claim 14; and

securing the staples to the desired body portion.

16. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the second smart memory material is attached to a moving wedge which causes movement of the staples against the anvil and wherein the second smart memory material rotates about a pivot point during the movement of the wedge to engage the staples.

17. A method of securing a portion of a body comprising:

providing the device of claim 16; and

securing the staples to the desired body portion.

18. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein a third smart memory material is attached to a wedge having a surgical knife portion capable of moving from a first position to a second position and wherein the third smart memory material which causes movement of the wedge is in substantially a horizontal position at the beginning and at the end of the movement of the wedge.

19. A method of securing a portion of a body comprising:

providing the device of claim 18; and

securing the staples to the desired body portion.

20. A method of securing a portion of a body comprising:

providing the device of claim 1; and

securing the staples to the desired body portion.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the first or second smart memory material is a metallic alloy.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the first or second smart memory material is a polymeric material.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the activating apparatus is a source of electricity which when activated causes the second smart memory material to expand in volume thereby moving an individual staple from the supply of staples.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the activating apparatus causes the second smart memory material to expand in volume thereby moving an individual staple from the supply of staples.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising a surgical knife to cut a desired body portion.

26. The method of claim 20 further comprising a surgical knife to cut a desired body portion wherein a third smart memory material is in communication with the knife whereby when the third smart memory material expands it engages the knife causing the knife to cut the desired body portion.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the first, second or third smart memory material is a metallic alloy.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the first, second or third smart memory material is a polymeric material.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the first, second or third smart memory material is a metallic alloy comprised of a composition, which can go from a martensite phase to an austenite phase.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the first, second or third smart memory material is a metallic alloy of copper, zinc and aluminum or iron, nickel and aluminum.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein the first, second or third smart memory material is a metallic alloy comprised of nickel and titanium.

32. The method of claim 20 wherein the first or second smart memory material is a metallic alloy comprised of a composition, which can go from a martensite phase to an austenite phase.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the first or second smart memory material is a metallic alloy of copper, zinc and aluminum or iron, nickel and aluminum.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the first or second smart memory material is a metallic alloy comprised of nickel and titanium.