Ultrasonic surgical instruments

• US 9,439,669 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Wiener, Eitan T., Stulen, Foster B., Stokes, Michael J., Isaacs, Karen K., Kraimer, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): FISHBACK, ASHLEY LAUREN
• Application Number:
  US13/852,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 606/167, 606/169, 606/205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/30 Surgical pincettes without pivotal connectionsfor holding suture needles or materials A61B17/0483; wound clamps A61B17/08 ; hand-held gripping tools without pivotal connections in general B25B9/02
• 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 17/320092 with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00296 mounted on an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00336 with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22018 segmented along its length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2911 rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320071 with articulating means for working tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320088 with acoustic insulation, e.g. elements for damping vibrations between horn and surrounding sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320089 node location
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 with sealing or cauterizing means

Abstract

A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument may comprise a transducer and an end effector. The transducer may be configured to provide vibrations along a longitudinal axis at a predetermined frequency and may comprise a piezoelectric stack positioned along the longitudinal axis. The transducer also may comprise a first metallic end mass positioned along the longitudinal axis adjacent a first end of the piezoelectric stack and a second metallic end mass positioned along the longitudinal axis adjacent a second end of the piezoelectric stack. The length of the transducer may be greater than or equal to of one wavelength and less than ½ of one wavelength. The end effector may be coupled to the transducer and may extend along the longitudinal axis. The length of the transducer and the end effector may be a multiple of ½ of one wavelength.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a first operation member;

a second operation member, wherein at least one of the first operation member or second operation member is pivotable towards the other operation member about a pivot point;

a transducer positioned along a longitudinal axis of the first operation member to provide vibrations along the longitudinal axis, wherein the transducer is at a position distal from the pivot point, and wherein the transducer comprises;

a piezoelectric stack positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis;

a first metallic end mass positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis adjacent a first end of the piezoelectric stack;

a second metallic end mass positioned along the longitudinal axis adjacent a second end of the piezoelectric stack, wherein a length of the transducer is greater than ½

of one wavelength;

a first mounting point positioned at a distal zero-displacement node of the transducer; and

a second mounting point positioned at a proximal zero-displacement node of the transducer;

an end effector coupled to the transducer and extending distally along the longitudinal axis; and

a clamp pad coupled to the second operation member, wherein the clamp pad moves towards the end effector when the first operation member and the second operation member are pivoted towards one another about the pivot point.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a first finger ring coupled to the first operation member at a point distal from the pivot point.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the first finger ring is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a support member positioned at the pivot point and configured to exert a torque on the first operation member and the second operation member, wherein the torque tends to pivot the first operation member and the second operation member away from one another.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first operation member extends proximally from the pivot point and comprises a finger loop positioned proximally from the pivot point.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the first operation member is angled off of the longitudinal axis at a point positioned proximally from the pivot point.

7. A method for processing a surgical instrument for surgery, comprising:

obtaining the surgical instrument of claim 1;

sterilizing the surgical instrument; and

storing the surgical instrument in a sterile container.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first operation member is pivotable towards the second operation member about the pivot point and the second operation member is pivotable towards the first operation member about the pivot point.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the end effector comprises a waveguide coupled to the transducer and a blade coupled to the waveguide.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a port for receiving a wire to couple the transducer to a surgical generator.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the transducer comprises a gain stage, wherein the gain stage comprises at least one of the first metallic end mass or the second metallic end mass, and wherein at least a portion of the gain stage has a cross-sectional area different than a cross-sectional area of the piezoelectric stack.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first mounting point comprises a flange and the second mounting point comprises a groove.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first mounting point comprises a groove and the second mounting point comprises a flange.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first mounting point comprises a groove and the second mounting point comprises a groove.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first mounting point comprises a flange and the second mounting point comprises a flange.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first mounting point or the second mounting point comprises a flange, wherein the transducer further comprises a second piezoelectric stack, and wherein the flange is positioned between the piezoelectric stack and the second piezoelectric stack.

17. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a first member, comprising;

a transducer positioned along a longitudinal axis of the first member, wherein the transducer comprises;

a piezoelectric stack positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis;

a first metallic end mass positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis adjacent a first end of the piezoelectric stack;

a second metallic end mass positioned along the longitudinal axis adjacent a second end of the piezoelectric stack, wherein a length of the transducer is greater than ½

of one wavelength;

a first mounting point positioned at a distal zero-displacement node of the transducer; and

a second mounting point positioned at a proximal zero-displacement node of the transducer;

an end effector coupled to the transducer and extending distally along the longitudinal axis of the first member; and

a first finger loop at a proximal portion of the first member, wherein the proximal portion of the first member is angled away from the longitudinal axis of the first member in a first direction;

a second member, comprising;

a clamp pad positioned along a longitudinal axis of the second member at a distal portion of the second member opposite the end effector; and

a second finger loop at a proximal portion of the second member, wherein the proximal portion of the second member is angled away from the longitudinal axis of the second member in the first direction; and

wherein the first member and the second member are pivotably coupled at a pivot point positioned distally from the first finger loop and the second finger loop, and wherein the end effector and the clamp pad are pivotable into contact with one another about the pivot point.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the first finger loop and the second finger loop are positioned parallel to a common plane.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the first finger loop is sized to fit more than one finger.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the second finger loop is sized to fit more than one finger.

21. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the second member is pivotable towards the first member about the pivot point.

22. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the first member is pivotable towards the second member about the pivot point.