SURGICAL INSTRUMENT INCLUDING A WIRE GUIDE

• US 20180153614A1
• Filed: 12/01/2016
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: KEFFELER, DAVID M., HESS, KRIS
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws

Abstract

A surgical instrument including a housing, a shaft, an end effector assembly, a first electrical wire, and a wire guide. The shaft defines a lumen and extends distally from the housing. The end effector assembly is disposed at a distal end portion of the shaft and includes a first electrically-conductive tissue-treating surface. The first electrical wire extends from the housing, through the shaft, and into electrical communication with the first electrically-conductive tissue-treating surface. The electrical wire is adapted to connect to a source of energy and configured to supply energy to the first electrically-conductive tissue-treating surface. The wire guide is disposed within the housing and engaged about a proximal portion of the shaft within the housing. The wire guide is also configured to guide the first electrical wire from the housing into the shaft.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a housing;

a shaft extending distally from the housing and defining a lumen therethrough;

an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end portion of the shaft, the end effector including a first electrically-conductive tissue-treating surface;

a first electrical wire extending from the housing, through the shaft, and into electrical communication with the first electrically-conductive tissue-treating surface, the first electrical wire adapted to connect to a source of energy and configured to supply energy to the first electrically-conductive tissue-treating surface; and

a wire guide disposed within the housing and engaged about a proximal portion of the shaft within the housing, the wire guide configured to guide the first electrical wire from the housing into the shaft.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the wire guide includes at least one guiding feature configured to receive the first electrical wire and guide the first electrical wire along the wire guide.

3. The surgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the wire guide includes a plurality of guiding features spaced-apart on the wire guide.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the wire guide further includes a shaft attachment, the shaft attachment engaged about the proximal end of the shaft.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein the shaft attachment has a proximal end portion and distal end portion, wherein the proximal end portion of the shaft attachment includes a wire snap feature.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the wire snap feature is configured to guide the first electrical wire from the wire guide into the shaft.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the shaft attachment further defines a shaft passageway including a first end and a second end, and wherein the wire snap feature is disposed adjacent the first end of shaft passageway.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further including a second electrical wire extending from the housing, through the shaft, and into electrical communication with a second electrically-conductive tissue-treating surface of the end effector assembly, the second electrical wire adapted to connect to a source of energy and configured to supply energy to the second electrically-conductive tissue-treating surface, wherein the wire guide is configured to guide the second electrical wire from the housing into the shaft.

9. The surgical instrument according to claim 8, wherein the wire guide includes at least one guiding feature, each guiding feature configured to receive each of the first and second electrical wires.

10. The surgical instrument according to claim 9, wherein the wire guide includes first and second wire snap features, the first wire snap feature configured to receive the first electrical wire and the second wire snap feature configured to receive the second electrical wire.

11. The surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the first and second wire snap features are spaced-apart to maintain the first and second electrical wires in spaced-apart relation in the vicinity of the first and second wire snap features.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the first and second wire snap features are disposed adjacent a proximal end of the shaft.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the wire guide further includes a housing attachment, the housing attachment engaging the wire guide to the housing.

14. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a housing;

a shaft extending distally from the housing and defining a lumen therethrough;

an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end portion of the shaft;

a first electrical wire extending from the housing, through the shaft, and into electrical communication with the end effector assembly; and

a wire guide disposed within the housing, the wire guide including;

a body including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a plurality of spaced-apart wire guiding features disposed on the body between the proximal and distal end portions thereof;

a shaft attachment disposed at the distal end portion of the body, the shaft attachment engaged about the shaft; and

a first wire snap feature disposed on the shaft attachment,

wherein the plurality of spaced-apart wire guiding features are configured to guide the first electrical wire along the body of the wire guide from the proximal end portion thereof to the distal end portion thereof, and wherein the first wire snap feature is configured to guide the first wire from the body of the wire guide into the shaft.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, further including a second electrical wire extending from the housing, through the shaft, and into electrical communication with the end effector assembly, wherein the wire guide is configured to guide the second electrical wire from the housing into the shaft.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart wire guiding features is configured to receive each of the first and second electrical wires.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the wire guide includes a second wire snap feature, wherein the first wire snap feature is configured to receive the first electrical wire and the second wire snap feature is configured to receive the second electrical wire.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the first and second wire snap features are spaced-apart to maintain the first and second electrical wires in spaced-apart relation to the vicinity of the first and second wire snap features.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the wire guide further includes a housing attachment, the housing attachment engaging the wire guide to the housing.