Instrument for delivery of implant

• US 7,559,941 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: McAdams, Danny E., Schwartz, Herbert E., Malaviya, Prasanna, Jacobs, Andrew M., Kemppainen, John W., Zannis, Anthony D., Clarke, Rhonda B., Day, Carolyn K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manahan; Todd E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mendoza; Michael G.
• Application Number:
  US10/742,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 606/205, 606/206, 606/99, 606/100, 606/86, 606/107, 623/13.12, 623/14.12, 623 1611- 1716
• US Class Current: 606/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00261 Discectomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00353 one mechanical instrument performing multiple functions, e.g. cutting and grasping channel for multiple instruments A61B2017/3445; instrument channel A61B2017/22072; replaceable heads A61B2017/2931; suction A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00969 used for transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2926 Details of heads or jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2944 Translation of jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3872 Meniscus for implantation between the natural bone surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4618 of cartilage
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30471 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30522 releasable, e.g. using a releasable ratchet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4622 having the shape of a forceps or a clamp
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4635 using minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0091 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type

Abstract

A surgical instrument has a main shaft underlying a slide member. The slide member is movable in a proximal-distal direction. The distal end of the slide member has an open position and a closed position. The closed position is spaced from the open position in the proximal-distal direction. There is a gap between the distal end of the slide member and the distal end of the main shaft when the instrument is in the open position. The gap is smaller when the instrument is in the closed position. An implant can be received in the gap and delivered to a damaged tissue site using the instrument. An implant protector can be used when delivering the implant with the instrument. A pivotable implant cover can be used to protect the implant instead of the slide member.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for delivering an implant to a damaged tissue site comprising:

a main shaft having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end; and

a slide member juxtaposed with the main shaft having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end;

wherein;

the surgical instrument has open and closed positions;

the slide member is movable in a proximal-distal direction with respect to the main shaft to move the surgical instrument between the open and closed positions, the distal end of the slide member having an open position when the surgical instrument is in the open position and a closed position when the surgical instrument is in the closed position, the closed position of the distal end of the slide member being spaced from the open position of the distal end of the slide member in the proximal-distal direction;

there is a gap between the distal end of the slide member and the distal end of the main shaft when the instrument is in the open position;

there is a smaller gap between the distal end of the slide member and the distal end of the main shaft when the instrument is in the closed position;

the slide member and the main shaft include a slot and pin received within the slot for guiding the movement of the slide member, the slot defining an obtuse angle with the longitudinal axes of the slide member and the main shaft and defining a path of travel for the pin; and

the pin is in one position in the slot when the instrument is in the closed position and in a second position in the slot when the instrument is in the open position, the two positions of the pin with respect to the slot being displaced in a proximal-distal direction and in a second direction.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the slide member is movable between the open position and closed position without pivoting the distal end of the slide member.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the slide member is tapered.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the slide member has a top surface and the distal end of the main shaft has a bottom surface and wherein the distance between the top surface of the slide member and the bottom surface of the main shaft is greater when the instrument is in the open position than when the instrument is in the closed position.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 wherein the maximum distance between the top surface of the slide member and the bottom surface of the shaft is less than 10 mm in both the open and closed positions.

6. A surgical instrument for delivering an implant to a damaged tissue site comprising:

a main shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and walls shaped to define a well for receiving a substantial portion of the implant at the distal end, the walls defining the well having top edges lying in a plane across the top of the well, the well having a proximal-distal dimension; and

a slide member having a proximal end and a distal end, the slide member being movable in a proximal-distal direction between a position substantially overlying the well to protect the implant to another position wherein a substantial part of the well is exposed;

wherein;

the slide member is tapered from a most narrow dimension at the distal end of the slide member to a wider dimension spaced proximally from the distal end; and

when the slide member is in the position substantially overlying the well, a tapered gap is present between the slide member and the plane of the top of the well along the majority of the proximal-distal dimension of the well, the tapered gap being most narrow nearest the proximal end of the well, the gap continuously increasing in a distal direction and being greatest at the distal end of the slide member.