Surgical instruments, systems and methods of use
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
- a mount body having a top portion, a distal end, a proximal end and a bottom portion wherein the bottom portion comprises a mounting mechanism configured to reversibly clamp the surgical instrument to a retractor system;
an actuator mounted to the mount body at a proximal end region of the mount body;
a joint member pivotally mounted at a distal end portion of the mount body to allow positioning of a proximal portion of an arm extending distally from the joint member from a left distal region of the mount body to a right distal region of the mount body and vice versa without causing movement of the actuator, the joint member configured to at least partially constrain movement of the proximal portion of the arm to a plane, wherein a proximal link of the arm immediately adjacent to the joint member is pivotable to a substantially perpendicular position with respect to the mount body; and
a working end mounted to a distal end portion of the arm, wherein the actuator is rotatably mounted to the mount body at the proximal end of the mount body, wherein the actuator is configured to change a state of the arm from a flexible state to a rigid state by rotation of the actuator in a first rotational direction, and from the rigid state to the flexible state by rotation of the actuator in a counter-rotational direction.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument includes a mount body, a joint member, an arm, and a working end. The mount body has a top portion, a distal end, a proximal end and a bottom portion. The joint member is pivotally mounted at a distal end portion of the mount body, to allow positioning of a proximal portion of an arm extending distally from the joint member. The joint member is also configured to at least partially constrain movement of the proximal portion of the arm to a plane. The working end is mounted to a distal end portion of the arm. The surgical instrument can be configured as a heart stabilizer or a heart positioner. The joint member may further be configured as a slotted ball, a disk member, or a combination thereof.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a mount body having a top portion, a distal end, a proximal end and a bottom portion wherein the bottom portion comprises a mounting mechanism configured to reversibly clamp the surgical instrument to a retractor system; an actuator mounted to the mount body at a proximal end region of the mount body; a joint member pivotally mounted at a distal end portion of the mount body to allow positioning of a proximal portion of an arm extending distally from the joint member from a left distal region of the mount body to a right distal region of the mount body and vice versa without causing movement of the actuator, the joint member configured to at least partially constrain movement of the proximal portion of the arm to a plane, wherein a proximal link of the arm immediately adjacent to the joint member is pivotable to a substantially perpendicular position with respect to the mount body; and a working end mounted to a distal end portion of the arm, wherein the actuator is rotatably mounted to the mount body at the proximal end of the mount body, wherein the actuator is configured to change a state of the arm from a flexible state to a rigid state by rotation of the actuator in a first rotational direction, and from the rigid state to the flexible state by rotation of the actuator in a counter-rotational direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a flexible arm comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a plurality of joint members located therebetween whereby at least a portion of adjoining joint members can form articulating joints; a working end configured to engage a surface of a human'"'"'s heart, wherein the working end is connected to the distal end of the flexible arm; a mount body having a central body portion, a distal end portion located distal to the central body portion, and a proximal portion located proximal to the central body portion; and a mount body joint operatively associated with the mount body to constrain movement of the mount body joint to a single plane, wherein the mount body joint comprises a first joint and a second joint, and wherein the first joint is moveable about an axis that is different from an axis of movement of the second joint, and the first joint is disposed within the mount body at the distal end portion of the mount body, and the second joint is in proximity to the first joint and at a constant distance with respect thereto, and wherein the proximal end of the flexible arm is connected to the mount body through the mount body joint. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a flexible arm comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a plurality of articulating links located therebetween whereby at least a portion of adjoining articulating links form articulating joints, the articulating joints capable of establishing a plurality of arm joint angles each having a minimum achievable angle value, the angle being defined as 180 degrees between any two unstressed articulating joints, wherein the plurality of articulating links include alternating ball joints and biconcave disks; a working end configured to engage a surface of a human'"'"'s heart, wherein the working end is connected to the distal end of the flexible arm; and a mount body joint joining a mount body to the proximal end of the flexible arm, wherein the mount body comprises a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a central body portion extending between the distal end portion and the proximal end portion, and wherein the mount body joint is located at the distal end portion of the mount body and is distal to the central body portion, and the mount body joint does not extend from a top surface of the mount body above the central body portion. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a mount body having a top portion, a distal end, a proximal end and a bottom portion wherein the bottom portion comprises a mounting mechanism configured to reversibly clamp the surgical instrument to a retractor system; an actuator mounted to the mount body at a proximal end region of the mount body; a joint member pivotally mounted at a distal end portion of the mount body to allow positioning of a proximal portion of an arm extending distally from the joint member from a left distal region of the mount body to a right distal region of the mount body and vice versa without causing movement of the actuator, the joint member configured to at least partially constrain movement of the proximal portion of the arm to a plane, wherein a proximal link of the arm immediately adjacent to the joint member is pivotable to a substantially perpendicular position with respect to the mount body; a working end mounted to a distal end portion of the arm, wherein the joint member comprises a disk member that is received within a cavity of the mount body, and a slotted ball connected to the disk member, and wherein the actuator is rotatably mounted to the mount body; and a cable extending from the actuator through the mount body, the slotted ball and the arm, wherein the actuator and the cable are configured to change a state of the arm from a flexible state to a rigid state by movement of the actuator in a first direction, and from the rigid state to the flexible state by movement of the actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a mount body having a top portion, a distal end, a proximal end and a bottom portion wherein the bottom portion comprises a mounting mechanism configured to reversibly clamp the surgical instrument to a retractor system; an actuator mounted to the mount body at a proximal end region of the mount body; a joint member pivotally mounted at a distal end portion of the mount body to allow positioning of a proximal portion of an arm extending distally from the joint member from a left distal region of the mount body to a right distal region of the mount body and vice versa without causing movement of the actuator, the joint member configured to at least partially constrain movement of the proximal portion of the arm to a plane, wherein a proximal link of the arm immediately adjacent to the joint member is pivotable to a substantially perpendicular position with respect to the mount body; and a working end mounted to a distal end portion of the arm, wherein the joint member comprises a first member and a second member, wherein the first member confines movement of the proximal portion of the arm to yawing, and the second member confines movement of the proximal portion of the arm to pitching.
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27. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a mount body having a top portion, a distal end, a proximal end and a bottom portion wherein the bottom portion comprises a mounting mechanism configured to reversibly clamp the surgical instrument to a retractor system; an actuator mounted to the mount body at a proximal end region of the mount body; a joint member pivotally mounted at a distal end portion of the mount body to allow positioning of a proximal portion of an arm extending distally from the joint member from a left distal region of the mount body to a right distal region of the mount body and vice versa without causing movement of the actuator, the joint member configured to at least partially constrain movement of the proximal portion of the arm to a plane, wherein a proximal link of the arm immediately adjacent to the joint member is pivotable to a substantially perpendicular position with respect to the mount body; and a working end mounted to a distal end portion of the arm, wherein the joint member comprises a disk member that is received within a socket of the mount body, and the disk member is at a lower elevation than a top surface of the distal end portion of the mount body.
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28. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a flexible arm comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a plurality of joint members located therebetween whereby at least a portion of adjoining joint members can form articulating joints; a working end configured to engage a surface of a human'"'"'s heart, wherein the working end is connected to the distal end of the flexible arm; a mount body having a central body portion, a distal end portion located distal to the central body portion, and a proximal portion located proximal to the central body portion; and a mount body joint operatively associated with the mount body to constrain movement of the mount body joint to a single plane, wherein the mount body joint comprises a first joint and a second joint, and wherein the first joint is moveable about an axis that is different from an axis of movement of the second joint, and the first joint is disposed within the mount body at the distal end portion of the mount body, and the second joint comprises a slotted ball in proximity to the first joint and at a constant distance with respect thereto, and wherein the proximal end of the flexible arm is connected to the mount body through the mount body joint.
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Specification