Surgical introducer with indicators

• US 8,968,345 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: DeCarlo, Arnold V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro, Victor
• Application Number:
  US12/369,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 606 32- 52, 606/184, 600/137, 600/114, 600/173, 600/345, 604/164, 604/534
• US Class Current: 606/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06109 Big needles, either gripped by hand or connectable to a handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/062 penetration depth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/067 for measuring angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

A surgical introducer including a body portion, a shaft and a sensor is disclosed. The body portion includes a reference indicator. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis and is positionable adjacent the body portion. The shaft is rotatable with respect to the body portion and includes a longitudinal indicator and a circumferential indicator. The sensor is disposed in mechanical cooperation with a distal portion of the shaft and is adapted to provide physiological data pertaining to a surgical worksite. At least a portion of the sensor is substantially aligned with the circumferential indicator. Rotation of the shaft with respect to the body portion causes displacement between the circumferential indicator and the reference indicator. Longitudinal movement of the shaft with respect to the body portion causes displacement between the longitudinal indicator and the reference indicator.

Claims

1. A method of ascertaining physiological data, comprising the steps of:

providing a surgical introducer, the surgical introducer including a body portion, a shaft, and a sensor;

positioning the surgical introducer within tissue;

measuring a physiological attribute of the tissue with the sensor when the surgical introducer is in an initial position, wherein, when the surgical introducer is in the initial position, a circumferential indicator disposed on an outer surface of the shaft and a reference indicator disposed on an outer surface of the body portion are substantially aligned;

moving the shaft with respect to the body portion such that the surgical introducer is in a second position, wherein moving the shaft includes concurrently rotating the shaft and longitudinally translating the shaft; and

measuring a physiological attribute of the tissue with the sensor when the surgical introducer is the second position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving the shaft includes at least one of rotating the shaft and longitudinally translating the shaft.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of comparing the measurements taken in the initial position and the second position.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a circumferential movement of the sensor via measuring a displacement between the circumferential indicator of the shaft and the reference indicator of the body portion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a longitudinal movement of the sensor via measuring a displacement between a longitudinal indicator of the shaft and the reference indicator of the body portion.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of determining a longitudinal movement of the sensor via measuring a displacement between a longitudinal indicator of the shaft and the reference indicator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a surgical introducer includes providing a surgical introducer having a shaft including an incisive distal end to facilitate insertion of the surgical introducer into tissue.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of creating an insertion in tissue with the distal end of the shaft.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of positioning the surgical introducer within tissue comprises inserting the shaft through an opening in the body portion.

10. A method of ascertaining physiological data, comprising the steps of:

providing a surgical introducer, the surgical introducer including;

a body portion including a reference indicator disposed on an outer surface of the body portion;

a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and being positionable adjacent the body portion and being rotatable with respect to the body portion, the shaft including a longitudinal indicator and a circumferential indicator, the circumferential indicator disposed on an outer surface of the shaft, wherein the circumferential indicator and the reference indicator are substantially aligned when the surgical introducer is in the initial position; and

a sensor disposed in mechanical cooperation with the shaft, at least a portion of the sensor being substantially aligned with the circumferential indicator;

positioning the surgical introducer within tissue;

taking a first measurement with the sensor when the surgical introducer is in an initial position;

moving the shaft with respect to the body portion such that the surgical introducer is in a second position, wherein moving the shaft includes concurrently rotating the shaft and longitudinally translating the shaft; and

measuring a physiological attribute of tissue when the surgical introducer is the second position.