Ultrasonic surgical instrument with cooling system

• US 9,764,166 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Stoddard, Robert B., Larson, Eric R.
• Primary Examiner(s): FISHBACK, ASHLEY LAUREN
• Application Number:
  US14/630,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20150165240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• 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 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00092 using thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320072 Working tips with special features, e.g. extending parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320075 single edge blade, e.g. for cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320084 Irrigation sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 with sealing or cauterizing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

An ultrasonic surgical instrument including a blade that treats tissue and a fluid control system to cool the blade by pumping cooling fluid through the blade. The blade defines a blade lumen in fluid contact with an inflow and return conduit of the fluid control system. The inflow conduit defines an open distal end positioned within the blade lumen adjacent the distal end of the blade lumen and the return conduit defines an open distal end positioned within the blade lumen adjacent the proximal end of the blade lumen. The fluid control system may further include a fluid reservoir holding the cooling fluid and an inflow pump. The inflow pump is configured to deliver the fluid from the fluid reservoir, through the inflow conduit and the blade lumen, and into return conduit.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly;

a waveguide extending at least partially through the elongated body;

a tool assembly including a blade coupled to a distal end of the waveguide, the blade defining a blade lumen, the blade lumen having closed proximal and distal ends, the blade defining an output in communication with the blade lumen towards the proximal end of the blade lumen;

an inflow conduit entering the blade lumen via the output and extending distally through the blade lumen, the inflow conduit defining an open distal end positioned within the blade lumen adjacent the distal end of the blade lumen; and

a return conduit defining an open distal end positioned within the blade lumen adjacent the proximal end of the blade lumen, the return conduit exiting the blade lumen via the output and extending proximally therefrom.

2. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the inflow and return conduits are microtubes.

3. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the output is sealed about the inflow and return conduits.

4. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein an interior surface of the blade lumen and an outer surface of the inflow conduit define an annular gap therebetween.

5. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the inflow and return conduits extend along an exterior of the elongated body.

6. An ultrasonic surgical system, comprising:

an ultrasonic surgical instrument, including;

a handle assembly;

an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly;

a waveguide extending at least partially through the elongated body;

a tool assembly including a blade coupled to a distal end of the waveguide, the blade defining a blade lumen, the blade lumen having closed proximal and distal ends, the blade defining an output in communication with the blade lumen towards the proximal end of the blade lumen;

an inflow conduit entering the blade lumen via the output and extending distally through the blade lumen, the inflow conduit defining an open distal end positioned within the blade lumen adjacent the distal end of the blade lumen; and

a return conduit defining an open distal end positioned within the blade lumen adjacent the proximal end of the blade lumen, the return conduit exiting the blade lumen via the output and extending proximally therefrom; and

a blade cooling system, including;

a fluid reservoir; and

an inflow pump operatively coupled between the fluid reservoir and a proximal end of the inflow conduit.

7. The ultrasonic surgical system of claim 6, wherein the inflow pump is configured to deliver a fluid from the fluid reservoir, through the inflow conduit and the blade lumen, and into the return conduit.

8. The ultrasonic surgical system of claim 7, wherein the return conduit is configured to return the fluid to the fluid reservoir.

9. The ultrasonic surgical system of claim 8, wherein the blade cooling system further includes a return pump coupled to a proximal end of the return conduit and configured to facilitate the return of the fluid from the return conduit into the fluid reservoir.

10. The ultrasonic surgical system of claim 7, further including a return reservoir, wherein the return conduit is configured to return the fluid to the return reservoir.

11. The ultrasonic surgical system of claim 6, further including a fluid control system configured to control activation and deactivation of the inflow pump in accordance with at least one property or condition of the ultrasonic surgical instrument.

12. The ultrasonic surgical system of claim 11, wherein the fluid control system includes a first sensor configured to sense a temperature of the blade, the fluid control system configured to activate the inflow pump when the temperature of the blade exceeds an upper temperature limit, the fluid control system configured to deactivate the inflow pump when the temperature of the blade is less than a lower temperature limit.

13. The ultrasonic surgical system of claim 11, wherein the fluid control system includes a second sensor configured to sense a position of an activation button of the ultrasonic instrument, the fluid control system configured to activate or deactivate the inflow pump for predetermined periods of time according to the position of the activation button.

14. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly;

a waveguide extending at least partially through the elongated body;

a tool assembly including a blade coupled to a distal end of the waveguide, the blade defining a blade lumen, the blade lumen having closed proximal and distal ends, the blade defining an output in communication with the blade lumen towards the proximal end of the blade lumen;

an inflow conduit; and

a return conduit, wherein the inflow and return conduits extend from a proximal end of the elongated body, distally along an outer surface of the elongated body, through the output, and into the blade lumen.

15. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the inflow conduit is configured to couple to a first pump at a proximal end thereof, the first pump configured to deliver a fluid through the inflow conduit the blade lumen.

16. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the return conduit is configured to couple to a second pump at a proximal end thereof, the second pump configured to pull fluid from the blade lumen through the return conduit.

17. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the inflow conduit extends distally through the blade lumen, the inflow conduit defining an open distal end positioned within the blade lumen adjacent the distal end of the blade lumen.

18. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the return conduit defines an open distal end positioned within the blade lumen adjacent the proximal end of the blade lumen.

19. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the output is sealed about the inflow and return conduits.

20. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the inflow and return conduits are microtubes.