Surgical tool with sheath

• US 9,308,013 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2010
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gyrus ENT LLC (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Casey, Jay A., Edwards, Kevin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miles, Jonathan W
• Assistant Examiner(s): IGBOKO, CHIMA U
• Application Number:
  US12/938,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,987 Days
• Field of Search: 606/180
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1615 Drill bits, i.e. rotating tools extending from a handpiece to contact the worked material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1622 Drill handpieces A61B17/1626, A61B17/1628 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1631 Special drive shafts, e.g. flexible shafts A61B17/1642, A61B17/164 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1633 Sleeves, i.e. non-rotating parts surrounding the bit shaft, e.g. the sleeve forming a single unit with the bit shaft A61B17/1644 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00464 for use with different instruments with hole for different instruments A61B2017/22072
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2904 curved, but rigid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320032 Details of the rotating or oscillating shaft, e.g. using a flexible shaft

Abstract

A surgical tool can include a main unit and a first rigid sheath. The main unit includes an inner tube that is received within an outer tube. The first rigid sheath removably receives the main unit and connects to the main unit via a coupling between a first connector portion of the main unit and a second connector portion of the rigid sheath. The first rigid sheath can be completely removed from the main unit when the first connector portion is decoupled from the second connector portion. A different rigid sheath having a different shape from the shape of the first rigid sheath can then be removably attached to the main unit instead of the first rigid sheath. A surgical tool kit includes a plurality of rigid sheaths having different shapes and having the ability to be removably attached to the main unit.

Claims

1. A surgical tool comprising:

a main unit including;

an inner tube having a first end and a second end, the inner tube including a cutting surface at the first end and a flexible portion located between the first end and the second end; and

an outer tube having a first end and a second end, the outer tube including a cutting window at the first end and a flexible portion located between the first end and the second end, the inner tube received within the outer tube so as to align the cutting surface of the inner tube with the cutting window of the outer tube;

a rigid sheath having a first end and a second end, the rigid sheath removably receives the main unit such that the cutting window extends beyond an opening of the first end of the rigid sheath; and

a connector including;

a first connector portion located on the outer tube adjacent to the second end of the outer tube such that the flexible portion of the outer tube is located between the first connector portion and the first end of the outer tube; and

a second connector portion located on the rigid sheath adjacent to the second end of the rigid sheath, the first connector portion when connected to the second connector portion detachably couples the rigid sheath to the outer tube, wherein

the main unit can be completely removed from the rigid sheath when the first and second connector portions are uncoupled from each other,

the first and second connector portions are adjustably connectable to each other such that an orientation of the cutting window relative to a longitudinal axis of the rigid sheath can be radially adjusted, and

one of the first and second connector portions includes a plurality of individually selectable engagement members, and the other of the first and second connector portions includes an engaging member that is selectively engaged with one of the engagement members to select a desired radial orientation of the cutting window.

2. The surgical tool of claim 1, further including a first tapered portion of the rigid sheath extending from the first end of the rigid sheath for a first tapered distance along the rigid sheath, the first tapered portion having a diameter smaller than a central portion of the rigid sheath.

3. The surgical tool of claim 2, further including a second tapered portion of the rigid sheath extending from the second end of the rigid sheath for a second tapered distance along the rigid sheath, the second tapered portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the central portion of the rigid sheath.

4. The surgical tool of claim 3, further including an untapered portion extending between the first tapered portion and the second tapered portion, the untapered portion having a larger diameter than the first and second tapered portions.

5. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein there are four of the engagement members to provide for selectable orientation of the cutting window.

6. The surgical tool of claim 5, wherein the four selectable orientations are provided at intervals of 90°

about the longitudinal axis of the surgical tool.

7. The surgical tool of claim 6, wherein the engagement members are provided on the rigid sheath and the engaging member is provided on the outer tube.

8. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the engaging member is a protruding key, and the engagement members are a plurality of slots.

9. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the flexible portion of the inner tube and the flexible portion of the outer tube are radially, symmetrically bendable about a longitudinal, central axis of the surgical tool.

10. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the rigid sheath is straight along its entire length.

11. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the rigid sheath includes a curved portion at least near the first end of the rigid sheath.

12. The surgical tool of claim 11, wherein an angle of the curved portion is one of 15°

, 30°

, 40°

, 60°

, 75°

, and 110°

.

13. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the flexible portion of the inner tube is located at least near the first end of the inner tube, and the flexible portion of the outer tube is located at least near the first end of the outer tube.

14. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the outer tube of the main unit cannot rotate relative to the rigid sheath when the first and second connector portions are coupled to each other.

15. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the cutting window extends through the opening located at the first end of the rigid sheath and the cutting window protrudes beyond the first end of the rigid sheath.

16. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein:

the first connector portion located on the outer tube adjacent to the second end of the outer tube is a protrusion; and

the second connector portion located on the rigid sheath adjacent to the second end of the rigid sheath includes a plurality of slots that extend in a longitudinal direction of the rigid sheath and that pass entirely through a thickness of a wall defining the rigid sheath from an inner surface of the wall to an outer surface of the wall.

17. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the rigid sheath removably receives the main unit such that the first end of the rigid sheath is located between the first end of the outer tube and the flexible portion of the outer tube.

18. A surgical tool kit comprising:

a main unit including;

an inner tube having a first end and a second end, the inner tube including a cutting surface at the first end and a flexible portion located between the first end and the second end; and

an outer tube having a first end and a second end, the outer tube including a cutting window at the first end and a flexible portion located between the first end and the second end, the inner tube received within the outer tube so as to align the cutting surface of the inner tube with the cutting window of the outer tube;

a first rigid sheath having a first end and a second end, the first rigid sheath being removably attachable directly to the outer tube such that the cutting window extends through an opening located at the first end of the first rigid sheath and such that the cutting window protrudes beyond the first end of the first rigid sheath;

a connector including;

a first connector portion located on the outer tube adjacent to the second end of the outer tube such that the flexible portion of the outer tube is located between the first connector portion and the first end of the outer tube; and

a second connector portion located on the first rigid sheath adjacent to the second end of the first rigid sheath, the first connector portion when connected to the second connector portion detachably couples the first rigid sheath to the outer tube, wherein

the main unit can be completely removed from the first rigid sheath when the first and second connector portions are uncoupled from each other,

the first and second connector portions are adjustably connectable to each other such that an orientation of the cutting window relative to a longitudinal axis of the first rigid sheath can be radially adjusted, and

one of the first and second connector portions includes a plurality of individually selectable engagement members, and the other of the first and second connector portions includes an engaging member that is selectively engaged with one of the engagement members to select a desired radial orientation of the cutting window; and

at least one additional rigid sheath having a first end and a second end, the at least one additional rigid sheath being removably attachable directly to the outer tube instead of the first rigid sheath such that the cutting window extends through an opening located at the first end of the at least one additional rigid sheath and such that the cutting window protrudes beyond the first end of the at least one additional rigid sheath,

wherein the at least one additional rigid sheath has a shape that is different from a shape of the first rigid sheath.

19. The surgical tool kit of claim 18, wherein each of the first rigid sheath and the at least one additional rigid sheath has a first tapered portion that extends from the first end of the rigid sheaths for a first tapered distance along the rigid sheaths, the first tapered portion having a diameter smaller than a diameter of a central portion of the rigid sheaths.

20. The surgical tool kit of claim 19, wherein each of the first rigid sheath and the at least one additional rigid sheath has a second tapered portion that extends from the second end of the rigid sheaths for a second tapered distance along the rigid sheaths, the second tapered portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the central portion of the rigid sheaths.

21. The surgical tool kit of claim 20, wherein an untapered portion of each of the first rigid sheath and the at least one additional rigid sheath extends between the first tapered portion and the second tapered portion, the untapered portion having a larger diameter than the first and second tapered portions.

22. The surgical tool kit of claim 18, wherein the first rigid sheath is straight and the at least one additional rigid sheath has a curved portion at least near the first end thereof.

23. The surgical tool kit of claim 22, further comprising:

a plurality of the additional rigid sheaths, each having a differently-curved curved portion.

24. The surgical tool kit of claim 22, wherein an angle of the curved portion is one of 15°

, 30°

, 40°

, 60°

, 75°

, and 110°

.

25. The surgical tool kit of claim 18, further comprising:

a plurality of the additional rigid sheaths, each having a shape that is different from each other and from the shape of the first rigid sheath.

26. The surgical tool kit of claim 18, wherein the first rigid sheath and the at least one additional rigid sheath each removably receive the main unit such that the first end of the first rigid sheath and the first end of the at least one additional rigid sheath is located between the first end of the outer tube and the flexible portion of the outer tube.