Multiple member interconnect for surgical instrument and absorbable screw fastener

• US 9,788,833 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Zergiebel, Earl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Pedro
• Application Number:
  US15/005,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20160135807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 606300-331, 606151, 606916, 606213, 411378-426, 81455
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/08 Wound clamps or clips, i.e. not or only partly penetrating the tissue suture bridges A61B17/0466; Devices for bringing together the edges of a wound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/861 specially shaped for gripping driver
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/862 at the periphery of the screw head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8625 Shanks, i.e. parts contacting bone tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8635 Tips of screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/864 hollow, e.g. with socket or cannulated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/866 Material or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/869 characterised by an open form, e.g. wire helix
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8883 the driver bit acting on the periphery of the screw head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8891 at its periphery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0441 the shaft being a rigid coil or spiral
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0648 threaded, e.g. tacks with a screw thread
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/06 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds A61L31/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/148 : Materials at least partially resorbable by the body
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/481 : for operating in areas having limited access
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 17/00 : Hand-driven gear-operated wrenches or screwdrivers ratchet-operated B25B13/46 B25B13/467, B25B15/04; for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/005
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/065 : the magazine being coaxial with the tool axis
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/101 : for hand-driven screw-drivers B25B23/105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/04 : Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/916 : Tool for installing or removing orthopedic fastener

Abstract

An absorbable screw fastener and a method of firing with an applicator capable of applying a surgical fastener to tissue in order to form tissue connection to secure objects to tissue, the fastener including a body portion having a helical thread, a head portion disposed at the proximal end of the body portion. The head portion includes a driver receiving configuration on its outer surface. The screw fastener further includes a cannulated center lumen with an opening extending from the head portion through the longitudinal length of the body portion.

Claims

1. An end effector for a screw fastener instrument, the end effector comprising:

a cam spiral driver;

an inner tube assembly that supports an outer tube; and

a cam spiral sub-assembly disposed in the inner tube assembly and operatively connected to the cam spiral driver, the cam spiral sub-assembly configured to rotate and translate in response to rotation of the cam spiral driver, wherein rotational and translational movement of the cam spiral sub-assembly causes at least one screw fastener to dispense from the outer tube.

2. The end effector of claim 1, wherein the end effector is a disposable loading unit.

3. The end effector of claim 1, wherein the end effector is a single use loading unit.

4. The end effector of claim 1, wherein the cam spiral sub-assembly includes a cam spiral defining a helical thread at a proximal end thereof and a pilot extending longitudinally from a distal end thereof.

5. The end effector of claim 4, further comprising a fastener retainer secured to the distal end of the cam spiral and extending about the pilot.

6. The end effector of claim 5, wherein the fastener retainer includes a pair of opposed longitudinally extending rails that guide the at least one screw fastener along the fastener retainer.

7. The end effector of claim 4, further comprising a feed spring and a screw fastener pusher disposed on the pilot and within the fastener retainer to drive the at least one screw fastener through the fastener retainer.

8. The end effector of claim 1, wherein the outer tube includes a crenellated tip.

9. The end effector of claim 1, wherein the inner tube assembly includes a cylindrical body and a torque ring coupled to a distal end of the cylindrical body, the torque ring configured to mate with the at least one screw fastener.

10. The end effector of claim 9, further comprising a retaining ring operatively connected to the torque ring, wherein the at least one screw fastener includes a plurality of screw fasteners, and wherein the torque ring is configured to prevent the plurality of screw fasteners from being dispensed from the outer tube in one rapid fire sequence.

11. A screw fastener instrument, comprising:

a handle;

an elongated tubular portion extending from the handle; and

an end effector secured to the elongated tubular body portion, the end effector including;

a cam spiral driver supported on the elongated tubular portion;

an inner tube assembly that supports an outer tube; and

a cam spiral sub-assembly disposed in the inner tube assembly and operatively connected to the cam spiral driver, the cam spiral sub-assembly configured to rotate and translate in response to rotation of the cam spiral driver, wherein rotational and translational movement of the cam spiral sub-assembly causes at least one screw fastener to dispense from the outer tube.

12. The screw fastener instrument of claim 11, wherein the end effector is selectively removable from the elongated tubular portion.

13. The screw fastener instrument of claim 12, wherein the end effector is a disposable loading unit.

14. The screw fastener instrument of claim 12, wherein the end effector is a single use loading unit.

15. The screw fastener instrument of claim 11, wherein the elongated tubular portion is selectively removable from the handle.

16. The screw fastener instrument of claim 11, wherein the inner tube assembly is rotatably supported on the cam spiral sub-assembly.

17. The screw fastener instrument of claim 11, wherein the inner tube assembly defines a rotational slot therein that receives a pin extending from the cam spiral sub-assembly, the pin being movable through the rotational slot.

18. The screw fastener instrument of claim 11, wherein the outer tube includes a crenellated tip.

19. The screw fastener instrument of claim 11, wherein the inner tube assembly includes a cylindrical body and a torque ring coupled to a distal end of the cylindrical body, the torque ring configured to mate with the at least one screw fastener.

20. The screw fastener instrument of claim 19, further comprising a retaining ring operatively connected to the torque ring, wherein the at least one screw fastener includes a plurality of screw fasteners, and wherein the torque ring is configured to prevent the plurality of.