Medical gripping and/or cutting instrument

• US 7,699,868 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Dundee
• Original Assignee: University of Dundee
• Inventors: Brown, Stuart I., Frank, Timothy Graham, Rutherford, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Anhtuan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lang; Amy T
• Application Number:
  US10/891,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20050222597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,106 Days
• Field of Search: 600/104, 600/136, 600/141, 600/146, 600/147, 600/22, 600533-535, 600/1, 600/174, 600205-207, 600/167, 242/375.2, 242/481.8, 604/22, 604533-535, 606/1, 606/174, 606205-207, 606/167, 606/185, 606/190
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2909 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2901 Details of shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/291 the position of the handle being adjustable with respect to the shaft

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical gripping and/or cutting instrument with an instrument shaft (1), with a handle (3) that can be fixed movably on the instrument shaft (1), and with a tool (2) mounted on the distal end of the instrument shaft (1) and consisting of two jaw member (2a, 2b), where at least one jaw member (2a or 2b) of the tool (2) can move in relation to the other jaw member (2b or 2a). In order to provide a medical instrument that, along with good cleaning properties and compact structure, also ensures simple and safe operation, the invention proposes that the handle (3) should include a coupling mechanism both to fix the handle (3) to the instrument shaft (1) and also to operate the at least one movable jaw member (2a or 2b) of the tool (2).

Claims

1. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument comprising an instrument shaft, a handle that can be movably fixed in longitudinal direction on the instrument shaft via a coupling mechanism, and a tool positioned on the distal end of the instrument shaft consisting of two jaw members, where at least one jaw member of the tool is movable with respect to the other jaw member, and wherein the coupling mechanism in addition serves to operate the at least one movable jaw member of the tool and that the instrument shaft consists of an inner shaft as well as an outer tube coaxially surrounding the inner shaft, and the outer tube consists at least partly of several tube segments that can slide independently of one another in the longitudinal direction of the instrument shaft and the handle can be secured on the outside of the outer tube;

wherein the handle consists of the coupling mechanism made up of at least two clampinq elements and a distancinq case positioned between the two clamping elements;

wherein the axial extension of the distancing case is greater than that of the individual tube seqments of the outer tube; and

wherein the two clampinq elements are ore-tensioned by means of a spring element in the direction toward the projection on the distancing case.

2. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 1, wherein the clamping elements individually and/or jointly are tippable with respect to the instrument longitudinal axis in such a way that the clamping elements grip the outside of the outer tube by clamping.

3. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as claim 2, wherein the clamping elements are configured as ring disks.

4. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 3, wherein the clamping elements can be tipped with respect to the instrument longitudinal axis by means of at least one spreading device positioned on the distancing case.

5. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 4, wherein one spreading device is provided on the distancing case for each clamping element.

6. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 5, wherein the spreading devices are configured as rocker arms equipped with cams.

7. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 6, wherein the tube segments of the outer tube can be slid in the longitudinal direction of the instrument shaft by means of the clamping elements in the tipped position of the clamping elements.

8. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 7, wherein the outer tube is shorter than the inner shaft and the inner shaft on the proximal side has a buffer, which forms a support surface for the proximal end of the outer tube.

9. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 8, wherein one jaw member of the tool is positioned on the distal end of the inner shaft and the other jaw member of the tool is positioned on the distal end of the outer tube.

10. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 9, wherein the axial extension of the tube segment of the outer tube, on whose distal end one jaw member is positioned, equals a multiple of the axial extension of the individual tube segments on the proximal side.

11. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument comprising an instrument shaft, a handle that can be movably fixed in longitudinal direction on the instrument shaft via a coupling mechanism, and a tool positioned on the distal end of the instrument shaft consisting of two jaw members, where at least one jaw member of the tool is movable with respect to the other jaw member, and wherein the coupling mechanism in addition serves to operate the at least one movable jaw member of the tool and that the instrument shaft consists of an inner shaft as well as an outer tube coaxially surrounding the inner shaft, and the outer tube consists at least partly of several tube segments that can slide independently of one another in the longitudinal direction of the instrument shaft and the handle can be secured on the outside of the outer tube;

wherein at least the radially outside peripheral edges of the individual tube segments of the outer tube are tapering or rounded;

wherein the jaw members of the tool are pre-tensioned into a working position by means of a spring element; and

wherein at least the part of the outer tube made up of the individual tube segments is pretensioned in the proximal direction by means of a spring element.

12. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 11, wherein the distal distancing case is configured ergonomically.

13. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 11, wherein a preferably ergonomically shaped gripping member can be secured on the distancing case.

14. A medical gripping and/or cutting instrument as in claim 13, wherein each part of the instrument shaft extending beyond the handle can be turned at an angle to the distal-side part of the instrument shaft.