Surgical device

• US 7,743,960 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Power Medical Interventions, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Whitman, Michael P., Burbank, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada; Rinaldi I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOW, LINDSAY M
• Application Number:
  US10/460,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20040094597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,575 Days
• Field of Search: 2271751-1821, 227/19, 294 864-1194
• US Class Current: 227/180.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• 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 2017/00039 Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395

Abstract

A surgical device that includes a first jaw having a distal end and a second jaw having a distal end. The second jaw is disposed in opposed correspondence with the first jaw. The first jaw is pivotably coupled to the second jaw. The surgical device also includes a biasing element, such as a spring, that biases the distal end of the first jaw towards the distal end of the second jaw. The device may also include a first driver disposed in the second jaw and coupled to the first jaw. The first driver is configured to cause separation of the first jaw and the second jaw when the first driver is actuated for opening the jaws and to close the first jaw and the second jaw when the first driver is actuated for closing the jaws. The device may also include at least one of a cutting element and a stapling element disposed within the second jaw, preferably a blade rotatably mounted on a wedge. A second driver is configured to move the cutting element and/or the stapling element proximally from a distal end toward the proximal end of the second jaw to at least one of cut and staple a section of tissue disposed between the first and second jaws. By biasing the distal ends of the first and second jaws towards each other, the surgical device may prevent a section of tissue which is disposed between the first and second jaws from escaping out from between the distal ends of the first and second jaws.

Claims

1. A surgical device, comprising:

a first jaw having a distal end;

a second jaw having a distal end, wherein the second jaw is disposed in opposed correspondence with the first jaw, and wherein the first jaw is pivotably coupled to the second jaw, wherein the first jaw is curved such that the distal end of the first jaw curves towards the distal end of the second jaw;

at least one of a cutting element and a stapling element disposed within the second jaw;

a driver configured to move at least one of the cutting element and the stapling element proximally from a distal end toward the proximal end of the second jaw to at least one of cut and staple a section of tissue disposed between the first and second jaws;

a threaded rod coupled to a threaded bore disposed on the second jaw, the threaded rod coupled to the first jaw, the first jaw configured to at least partially straighten in response to a clamping force exerted between the first jaw and the second jaw by a relative rotation between the threaded rod and the threaded bore; and

a rotatable shaft extending generally longitudinally relative to the second jaw and being generally perpendicular to the threaded rod, the rotatable shaft configured to cause axial rotation of the threaded bore with respect to the second jaw.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the threaded rod is part of an additional driver disposed in the second jaw and coupled to the first jaw, an additional driver being configured to cause separation of the first jaw and the second jaw when an additional driver is actuated for opening the jaws and to close the first jaw and the second jaw when an additional driver is actuated for closing the jaws.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the threaded rod is coupled to a first of a pair of rotatable bevel gears, a second of the pair of rotatable bevel gears coupled to one of a plurality of spur gears disposed in turning and gearing relationship with each other, the rotation of the first rotatable bevel gears thereby causing relative movement of the first jaw and the second jaw.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the additional driver includes a drive socket connected to a respective one of the plurality of spur gears, wherein the drive socket is rotated in a first direction to effect opening of the jaws and rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction to effect closing of the jaws.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the drive socket is configured to couple to a rotatable drive shaft of an electro-mechanical driver, the electro-mechanical driver configured to rotate the rotatable drive shaft.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the cutting and stapling element includes a wedge having a blade disposed thereon.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the blade is mounted to the wedge so as to move from a first position to a second position when the cutting element moves proximally.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the blade is rotatably mounted to the wedge, such that when the wedge and the blade move proximally, the blade moves from a first position, wherein a cutting edge of the blade is not exposed, to a second position, wherein the cutting edge of the blade is exposed.

9. A surgical device, comprising:

a first jaw having a distal end;

a second jaw having a distal end, wherein the second jaw is disposed in opposed correspondence with the first jaw, and wherein the first jaw is pivotably coupled to the second jaw, wherein the first jaw is curved such that the distal end of the first jaw curves towards the distal end of the second jaw;

a threaded rod coupled to a threaded bore disposed on the second jaw, the threaded rod coupled to the first jaw, the first jaw configured to at least partially straighten in response to a clamping force exerted between the first jaw and the second jaw by a relative rotation between the threaded rod and the threaded bore;

wherein the threaded rod is part of a first driver disposed in the second jaw and coupled to the first jaw, the first driver being configured to cause separation of the first jaw and the second jaw when the first driver is actuated for opening the jaws and to close the first jaw and the second jaw when the first driver is actuated for closing the jaws; and

the device further comprises;

a second driver configured to move at least one of a cutting element and a stapling element proximally from a distal end toward the proximal end of the second jaw to at least one of cut and staple a section of tissue disposed between the first and second jaws; and

an electro-mechanical driver including a first rotatable drive shaft adapted to drive the first driver and a second rotatable drive shaft adapted to drive the second driver; and

a rotatable shaft extending generally longitudinally relative to the second jaw and being generally perpendicular to the threaded rod, the rotatable shaft configured to cause axial rotation of the threaded bore with respect to the second jaw.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the electro-mechanical driver includes at least one motor arrangement adapted to drive each of the first and second rotatable drive shafts.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the electro-mechanical driver includes a first motor arrangement adapted to drive the first rotatable drive shaft and a second motor arrangement adapted to drive the second rotatable drive shaft.

12. A surgical device, comprising:

a first jaw having a distal end;

a second jaw having a distal end, wherein the second jaw is disposed in opposed correspondence with the first jaw, and wherein the first jaw is pivotably coupled to the second jaw, wherein the first jaw is curved such that the distal end of the first jaw curves towards the distal end of the second jaw;

a threaded rod coupled to a threaded bore disposed on the second jaw, the threaded rod coupled to the first jaw, the first jaw configured to at least partially straighten in response to a clamping force exerted between the first jaw and the second jaw by a relative rotation between the threaded rod and the threaded bore;

wherein the threaded rod is part of a first driver disposed in the second jaw and coupled to the first jaw, the first driver being configured to cause separation of the first jaw and the second jaw when the first driver is actuated for opening the jaws and to close the first jaw and the second jaw when the first driver is actuated for closing the jaws; and

the device further comprises;

a second driver configured to move at least one of a cutting element and a stapling element proximally from a distal end toward the proximal end of the second jaw to at least one of cut and staple a section of tissue disposed between the first and second jaws; and

an electro-mechanical driver adapted to drive each of the first driver and the second driver;

a rotatable shaft extending generally longitudinally relative to the second jaw and being generally perpendicular to the threaded rod, the rotatable shaft configured to cause axial rotation of the threaded bore with respect to the second jaw.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the electro-mechanical driver is adapted to independently drive each of the second driver and the first driver.

14. A surgical device, comprising:

a first jaw having a distal end and a proximal end;

a second jaw having a distal end and a proximal end, the second jaw disposed in opposed correspondence with the first jaw, wherein the first jaw is curved such that the distal end of the first jaw is curved toward to the distal end of the second jaw;

at least one of a cutting element and a stapling element disposed within the second jaw;

a driver configured to move at least one of the cutting element and the stapling element proximally from a distal end toward the proximal end of the second jaw to at least one of cut and staple a section of tissue disposed between the first and second jaws;

a threaded rod coupled to a threaded bore disposed on the second jaw, the threaded rod coupled to the first jaw, the first jaw configured to at least partially straighten in response to a clamping force exerted between the first jaw and the second jaw by a relative rotation between the threaded rod and the threaded bore; and

a rotatable shaft extending generally longitudinally relative to the second jaw and being generally perpendicular to the threaded rod, the rotatable shaft configured to cause axial rotation of the threaded bore with respect to the second jaw.

15. The surgical device of claim 14, wherein the first jaw is formed of a resilient, deformable material such that, when a sufficient clamping force is exerted at the distal ends of the first and second jaws, the first jaw is configured to at least partially straighten.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the threaded rod is part of an additional driver disposed in the second jaw and coupled to the first jaw, an additional driver being configured to cause separation of the first jaw and the second jaw when an additional driver is actuated for opening the jaws and to close the first jaw and the second jaw when an additional driver is actuated for closing the jaws.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the threaded rod is coupled to a first of a pair of rotatable bevel gears, a second of the pair of rotatable bevel gears coupled to one of a plurality of spur gears disposed in turning and gearing relationship with each other, the rotation of the first rotatable bevel gears thereby causing relative movement of the first jaw and the second jaw.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the additional driver includes a drive socket connected to a respective one of the plurality of spur gears, wherein the drive socket is rotated in a first direction to effect opening of the jaws and rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction to effect closing of the jaws.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the first drive socket is configured to couple to a first rotatable drive shaft of an electro-mechanical driver, the electro-mechanical driver configured to rotate the first rotatable drive shaft.

20. The device according to claim 14, wherein the cutting and stapling element includes a wedge having a blade disposed thereon.