Steerable surgical stapler

• US 7,931,182 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wood, Victoria Y. H., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Weaver, Thomas A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Boyden, Edward S., Whitmer, Charles, Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Scott A
• Application Number:
  US12/804,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20100294825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/178.1, 227/180.1, 606/139, 606/219
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00491 Surgical glue applicators surgical adhesives A61L24/00; two-component delivery syringes A61M5/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• 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 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00402 Piezo electric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00871 polymeric
• 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 2017/2905 flexible

Abstract

Embodiments include a surgical device and a method. An embodiment of the surgical instrument includes at least one grasping jaw, the at least one grasping jaw being adapted to deliver surgical staples by a force generated from a force generator mechanism that is contained within the at least one grasping jaw or is in a proximity to the at least one grasping jaw. Another embodiment includes at least one grasping jaw, at least one delivery mechanism adapted to deliver surgical fasteners, the delivery mechanism being located in a proximity to or contained within the at least one grasping jaw, the surgical fasteners containing at least one shape-transforming material, at least one sensor, at least one chemical tissue sealant and at least one cutter. A method includes: grasping a body organ/tissue with at least one grasping jaw, adjusting a configuration of the grasping in response to a signal or a datum or an image, and releasing a surgical staple/fastener in response to the signal, datum or image.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

at least one grasping jaw configured for grasping a body tissue and including a shape memory alloy,

the at least one grasping jaw being adapted to deliver surgical staples responsive to an actuation force generated by a force generator mechanism that is contained within the at least one grasping jaw, and an audio-sensitive device operably coupled to the force generator mechanism, wherein the force generator mechanism is responsive to operation of the audio-sensitive device.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the audio-sensitive device includes a voice activated device.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the force generator mechanism includes a force receiver configured to receive a wireless signal.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the audio-sensitive device is configured to generate a wireless signal to the force receiver.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one grasping jaw is configured to movably operate in an opposing manner with respect to at least one other grasping jaw.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one grasping jaw is configured to operably mate with at least one other grasping jaw.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one grasping jaw is configured to serve as an anvil for forming an interaction surface between at least one surgical staple and bodily tissues, the forming being facilitated by reversible mating and unmating of the anvil with an opposite grasping jaw.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the actuation force generated from the force generator mechanism is communicated to a medium resulting in the release of at least one surgical staple.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the medium includes a wireless medium.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the image-acquisition device is wirelessly coupled, to at least one visual display.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the at least one sensor includes a proximity detector.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the actuation force generated from the force generator mechanism results in delivery of one or more linear rows of surgical staples.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising at least one. sensor.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the proximity detector is adapted to detect proximity of a biological tissue to the surgical instrument.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor provides a force feedback signal to the force generator mechanism.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor includes an image-acquisition device.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes an illumination device that is operably coupled to at least one image-acquisition device.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a flexually deformable and steerable shaft including at least one shape memory alloy.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the force generator mechanism includes a force receiver configured to receive a wireless signal.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the energy module includes at least one of a battery, capacitor, fuel cell, mechanical energy storage device, or fluid energy storage device

21. A surgical instrument comprising:

at least one grasping jaw configured for grasping a body tissue and including a shape memory alloy,

the at least one grasping jaw being adapted to deliver surgical staples responsive to an actuation force generated by a force generator mechanism contained within the at least one grasping jaw and the force generator mechanism being driven by an energy module, and a user-activated sensory-device operably coupled to the force generator mechanism, wherein the force generator mechanism is responsive to operation of the user-activated sensory-device.

22. The surgical instrument of claim 21, wherein the user-activated sensory device includes a trigger.

23. The surgical instrument of claim 21, wherein the user-activated sensory device is configured to generate a wireless signal to the force receiver.

24. The surgical instrument of claim 21, wherein the user-activated sensory device includes a breath-activated device.