Medical device having linear to rotation control

• US 7,758,591 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Chin, Yem, McAlister, Gary, Griego, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Anhtuan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sonnett; Kathleen
• Application Number:
  US10/447,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,609 Days
• Field of Search: 606/170, 606/171, 606/180, 606/110, 606/113, 606/114, 606/108, 606/167, 606205-209, 606/159, 81/34.4, 814/05, 814/78, 813/46, 173/146, 173/164, 173/185, 607115-133
• US Class Current: 606/113
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2903 transferring rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1407 Loop

Abstract

A medical instrument converts linear movement of a shaft at a proximal end of the instrument to a rotational movement of an end effector of the instrument. According to one embodiment, the medical instrument includes an end effector formed of a snare loop connected to a shaft that is located within a sleeve. Once the sleeve is located near a desired location within a patient, the snare loop may be rotationally positioned with linear movement of the shaft by the operator. The shaft is formed with a threaded portion that matches threads formed in a torque transmitter element fixed within the sleeve. Linear movement of the shaft through the torque transmitter element causes the shaft to rotate. The medical instrument may also include a pivot connector for reducing torque build-up of the shaft and/or a clutch assembly for restricting controlled rotation of the snare loop to only one direction.

Claims

1. A medical instrument comprising:

a flexible sleeve having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a flexible shaft formed of at least a first shaft segment and a second shaft segment, the shaft at least partially received in the sleeve and including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and an end effector located at the distal end portion;

a handle assembly located at the proximal end portion of the shaft, the handle assembly capable of controlling at least a linear movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve;

a torque transmitter fixed to the sleeve and coupled to the shaft and configured to cause rotational movement of the shaft upon a linear movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve;

a pivot connector located proximal of the torque transmitter and configured to couple the first and second shaft segments so as to allow unrestricted relative rotational movement between the first and second shaft segments; and

a clutch assembly configured to restrict controlled rotational movement of a portion of the shaft to a single rotational direction,

wherein the shaft is configured to rotate at least 180 degrees relative to the torque transmitter,

wherein the sleeve and the shaft are configured to be inserted into a natural body orifice and traverse and conform to a tortuous body tract,

wherein the pivot connector receives a distal end portion of the first shaft segment and a proximal end portion of the second shaft segment, each shaft segment end portion including an end element having a cross-sectional size greater than other portions of the shaft.

2. A medical instrument comprising:

a sleeve having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a shaft formed of at least a first shaft segment and a second shaft segment, the shaft at least partially received in the sleeve and including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and an end effector located at the distal end portion;

a handle assembly located at the proximal end portion of the shaft, the handle assembly capable of controlling at least a linear movement of the shaft;

a torque transmitter coupled to the shaft and configured to cause rotational movement of the shaft upon a linear movement of the shaft;

a pivot connector located proximal of the torque transmitter and configured to couple the first and second shaft segments so as to allow unrestricted relative rotational movement between the first and second shaft segments; and

a clutch assembly configured to restrict controlled rotational movement of a portion of the shaft to a single rotational direction,

wherein the shaft is configured to rotate at least 180 degrees relative to the torque transmitter, and

wherein the pivot connector receives a distal end portion of the first shaft segment and a proximal end portion of the second shaft segment, each shaft segment end portion including an end element having a cross-sectional size greater than other portions of the shaft.

3. A medical instrument comprising:

a flexible sleeve having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a flexible shaft formed of at least a first shaft segment and a second shaft segment, the shaft at least partially received in the sleeve and including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and an end effector located at the distal end portion;

a handle assembly located at the proximal end portion of the shaft, the handle assembly capable of controlling at least a linear movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve;

a torque transmitter enclosed in the sleeve and coupled to the shaft and configured to cause rotational movement of the shaft upon a linear movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve;

a pivot connector located proximal of the torque transmitter and configured to couple the first and second shaft segments so as to allow unrestricted relative rotational movement between the first and second shaft segments, the pivot connector receiving a distal end portion of the first shaft segment and a proximal end portion of the second shaft segment, each shaft segment end portion including an end element having a cross-sectional size greater than other portions of the shaft; and

a clutch assembly configured to restrict controlled rotational movement of a portion of the shaft to a single rotational direction,

wherein the shaft is configured to rotate at least 180 degrees relative to the torque transmitter,

wherein the sleeve and the shaft are configured to be inserted into a natural body orifice and traverse and conform to a tortuous body tract.

4. A medical instrument comprising:

a flexible sleeve having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a flexible shaft formed of at least a first shaft segment and a second shaft segment, the shaft at least partially received in the sleeve and including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and an end effector located at the distal end portion;

a handle assembly located at the proximal end portion of the shaft, the handle assembly capable of controlling at least a linear movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve;

a torque transmitter fixed to the sleeve and coupled to the shaft and configured to cause rotational movement of the shaft upon a linear movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve;

a pivot connector located proximal of the torque transmitter and configured to couple the first and second shaft segments so as to allow unrestricted relative rotational movement between the first and second shaft segments; and

a clutch assembly configured to restrict controlled rotational movement of a portion of the shaft to a single rotational direction,

wherein the shaft is configured to rotate at least 180 degrees relative to the torque transmitter,

wherein the sleeve and the shaft are configured to be inserted into a natural body orifice and traverse and conform to a tortuous body tract,

wherein both of the first and second shaft segments are at least partially received in the sleeve.

5. A medical instrument comprising:

a flexible sleeve having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a flexible shaft formed of at least a first shaft segment and a second shaft segment, the shaft at least partially received in the sleeve and including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and an end effector located at the distal end portion;

a handle assembly located at the proximal end portion of the shaft, the handle assembly capable of controlling at least a linear movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve;

a torque transmitter fixed to the sleeve and coupled to the shaft and configured to cause rotational movement of the shaft upon a linear movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve;

a pivot connector located proximal of the torque transmitter and configured to couple the first and second shaft segments so as to allow unrestricted relative rotational movement between the first and second shaft segments; and

a clutch assembly configured to restrict controlled rotational movement of a portion of the shaft to a single rotational direction,

wherein the shaft is configured to rotate at least 180 degrees relative to the torque transmitter,

wherein the sleeve and the shaft are configured to be inserted into a natural body orifice and traverse and conform to a tortuous body tract,

wherein the pivot connector is located within the sleeve.

6. A medical instrument comprising:

a flexible sleeve having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a flexible shaft formed of at least a first shaft segment and a second shaft segment, the shaft at least partially received in the sleeve and including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and an end effector located at the distal end portion;

a handle assembly located at the proximal end portion of the shaft, the handle assembly capable of controlling at least a linear movement of the first shaft segment relative to the sleeve;

a torque transmitter fixed to the sleeve and coupled to the shaft and configured to convert linear movement of the first shaft segment relative to the sleeve to rotational motion of the second shaft segment; and

a clutch assembly coupling the first and second shaft segments and configured to restrict controlled rotational movement of the second shaft segment to a single rotational direction,

wherein the sleeve and the shaft are configured to be inserted into a natural body orifice and traverse and conform to a tortuous body tract,

wherein the clutch assembly includes a clutch body configured to house a proximal end of the second shaft segment and a distal end of the first shaft segment, wherein;

the clutch body has an elongate shape with tapering ends;

the proximal end of the second shaft segment is larger than an adjacent portion of the second shaft segment; and

the distal end of the first shaft segment is larger than an adjacent portion of the first shaft segment.

7. A medical instrument comprising:

a flexible sleeve having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a flexible shaft formed of at least a first shaft segment and a second shaft segment, the shaft at least partially received in the sleeve and including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and an end effector located at the distal end portion;

a handle assembly located at the proximal end portion of the shaft, the handle assembly capable of controlling at least a linear movement of the first shaft segment relative to the sleeve;

a torque transmitter fixed to the sleeve and coupled to the shaft and configured to convert linear movement of the first shaft segment relative to the sleeve to rotational motion of the second shaft segment; and

a clutch assembly coupling the first and second shaft segments and configured to restrict controlled rotational movement of the second shaft segment to a single rotational direction,

wherein the sleeve and the shaft are configured to be inserted into a natural body orifice and traverse and conform to a tortuous body tract,

wherein the clutch assembly includes a clutch body configured to house a proximal end of the second shaft segment and a distal end of the first shaft segment, wherein;

one of the proximal end of the second shaft segment and the distal end of the first shaft segment is fixed to the clutch body; and

the other of the proximal end of the second shaft segment and the distal end of the first shaft segment is rotatable with respect to the clutch body.