Ultrasonically powered surgical instruments with rotating cutting implement

• US 8,531,064 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Robertson, Galen C., Timm, Richard W., Mumaw, Daniel J., Stulen, Foster B., Johnson, Gregory W., Morgan, Jerome R., Houser, Kevin L., Bodin, Kristi M., Neurohr, Mark A., Malaviya, Prasanna, Fortson, Reginald D., Conlon, Sean P., Joachim, William S. Jr., Dannaher, William D., Wiener, Eitan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANG D
• Application Number:
  US12/703,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 310/47, 310/50, 310/68.B, 310/231, 310/232
• US Class Current: 310/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320068 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic A61B17/22012 takes precedence; dental tooth drilling devices operated by vibration A61C3/03; removing intra-ocular material using mechanical vibrations A61F9/00745
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320758 with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320783 through side-hole, e.g. sliding or rotating cutter inside catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00075 Motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32007 with suction or vacuum means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320071 with articulating means for working tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320072 Working tips with special features, e.g. extending parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320089 node location

Abstract

In one general aspect, various embodiments are directed to an ultrasonic surgical instrument that comprises a handpiece housing that rotatably supports an ultrasonic transducer assembly therein that may be selectively rotated by various motor configurations. Various slip ring arrangements are disclosed for supplying ultrasonic electrical signals and motor drive signals from a control system. Various forms of blade and cutting implements are disclosed for attachment to the ultrasonic transducer assembly such that such implements may be selectively rotatable within a hollow outer sheath. Vacuum may be applied to the cutting implement or through the outer sheath to draw tissue through an opening in the sheath and into contact with the cutting implement.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

a housing;

an ultrasonic transducer assembly rotatably supported within said housing and coupled to a cutting member;

a motor rotor directly coupled to said ultrasonic transducer assembly for rotation therewith;

a motor stator non-movably supported within said housing adjacent said motor rotor such that upon application of a motor drive signal to said motor rotor, said motor rotor and said ultrasonic transducer assembly are caused to rotate within said housing; and

a slip ring assembly arranged to transmit said motor drive signal from a control system to said motor rotor, said slip ring assembly further arranged to transmit ultrasonic electrical signals from an ultrasound signal generator to said ultrasonic transducer assembly.

2. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said motor rotor comprises at least one magnet integrally mounted with said ultrasonic transducer assembly.

3. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of actuation buttons on said housing.

4. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3 wherein said plurality of actuation buttons comprises at least one of:

a first actuation button to activate and deactivate the application of said motor drive signal to said motor rotor and the application of said ultrasonic electrical signals from an ultrasound signal generator to said ultrasonic transducer assembly;

a second actuation button to activate and deactivate and modify the application of said motor drive signal to said motor rotor independent from the application of said ultrasonic electrical signals from an ultrasound signal generator to said ultrasonic transducer assembly;

a third actuation button communicating with a control system to activate the application of said motor drive signal for a predetermined amount of time and then discontinue said application of said motor drive signal to park said ultrasonic transducer assembly in a predetermined rotational orientation, said third actuation button further activating/deactivating the application of said ultrasonic electrical signals from said ultrasonic signal generator to said ultrasonic transducer assembly; and

a fourth actuation button communicating with said control system and configured to activate/deactivate application of a first motor drive signal for rotating said ultrasonic transducer assembly in a first rotational direction, a second motor drive signal for rotating said ultrasonic transducer assembly in a second rotational direction, or a third motor drive signal for oscillating said ultrasonic transducer assembly between said first and second rotational directions.

5. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said motor stator comprises at least one magnet non-movably mounted to said housing.

6. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

a motor control system for generating said motor drive signal, said motor control system in communication with said slip ring assembly; and

an ultrasonic control system for generating said ultrasonic electrical signals, said ultrasonic control system in communication with said slip ring assembly.

7. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 6 wherein said motor control system and said ultrasonic control system are housed within a common control housing.

8. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 6 further comprising at least one of a data link and a power supply conductor extending between said motor control system and said ultrasonic control system.

9. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

a housing;

an ultrasonic transducer assembly rotatably supported within said housing and coupled to a blade;

a motor mounted within said housing, said motor having a distal drive shaft portion coupled to said ultrasonic transducer assembly for applying rotational motion thereto, said motor further having a proximal drive shaft portion protruding therefrom; and

a slip ring assembly comprising;

an inner contact supported by said proximal drive shaft portion for rotational travel therewith, said inner contact in communication with said ultrasonic transducer assembly; and

a fixed contact in sliding contact with said first inner contact and communicating with an ultrasound signal generator to transmit ultrasonic electrical signals to said inner contact.

10. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 9 wherein said ultrasonic transducer assembly is supported by a transducer housing rotatably supported within said housing.

11. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 10 wherein said distal drive shaft portion is coupled to said transducer housing by a coupling assembly comprising:

a plate member coupled to said distal drive shaft portion; and

a hole in said transducer housing for non-rotatably receiving said plate member therein to substantially acoustically isolate said motor from said ultrasonic transducer assembly.

12. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 9 wherein said ultrasonic transducer assembly comprises a half wave transducer.

13. An ultrasonic surgical instrument assembly, comprising:

an instrument housing;

a self-contained ultrasonic instrument rotatably supported within said instrument housing said self-contained ultrasonic instrument having an ultrasonic transducer assembly therein for applying ultrasonic motion to a blade attached thereto;

a motor supported within said instrument housing and communicating with said self contained ultrasonic instrument to selectively apply a rotational motion thereto; and

a slip ring assembly supported within said instrument housing and communicating with an ultrasonic generator for supplying ultrasonic electrical signals to the ultrasonic transducer assembly in said self-contained ultrasonic instrument.

14. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 13 further comprising:

a nosepiece coupled to said instrument housing; and

a hollow outer sheath coupled to said nose piece for rotatably supporting said blade therein.

15. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 14 wherein said hollow outer sheath has at least one access window therein for exposing a tissue cutting distal end of said blade.

16. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 14 further comprising a suction port in said nosepiece for applying suction from a source of suction into said hollow outer sheath.

17. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of actuation buttons on said housing.

18. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 17 wherein said plurality of actuation buttons comprises at least one of:

a first actuation button to activate and deactivate the application of said motor drive signal to said motor and the application of said ultrasonic electrical signals from an ultrasound signal generator to said ultrasonic transducer assembly;

a second actuation button to activate and deactivate the application of said motor drive signal to said motor independent from the application of said ultrasonic electrical signals from an ultrasound signal generator to said ultrasonic transducer assembly;

a third actuation button communicating with a control system to activate the application of said motor drive signal for a predetermined amount of time and then discontinue said application of said motor drive signal to park said ultrasonic transducer assembly in a predetermined rotational orientation, said third actuation button further activating/deactivating the application of said ultrasonic electrical signals from said ultrasonic signal generator to said ultrasonic transducer assembly; and

a fourth actuation button communicating with said control system and configured to activate/deactivate application of a first motor drive signal for rotating said ultrasonic transducer assembly in a first rotational direction, a second motor drive signal for rotating said ultrasonic transducer assembly in a second rotational direction, or a third motor drive signal for oscillating said ultrasonic transducer assembly between said first and second rotational directions.