EP0445918A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surgical cutting instrument
Assignee: Smith and Nephew Inc
•
Filing: 1991-02-05
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A surgical instrument that includes a rigid outer member (12) within which is disposed a hollow inner member having rigid proximal and distal ends and a region disposed between the rigid proximal and distal ends that is relieved to render such region relatively flexible. The flexible region is integral with a portion of the proximal end disposed adjacent to the flexible region. The inner member transmits force (such as torsion) applied to its proximal end to move a cutting implement (125) disposed at its distal end to cause it to cut tissue admitted through an opening in the distal region of the outer member. In another aspect, a region of the inner member is weakened (eg. by relieving an integral region of the member) with respect to the remainder of the inner member to cause this region to break if the force (eg. torque) applied to the inner member exceeds a predetermined threshold. In yet another aspect, the flexible region is relieved by forming openings (126) therein, and pliable material (124) (such as silicone rubber) is disposed in the openings.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth W. Krause
- 👤 Richard Crowell
- 👤 Philip B. Sample
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 22:55
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/320016; A61B17/32002; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/0043; A61M25/0054; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/2901; A61B2017/2904; A61B2017/320032; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61M25/0138; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/4998; Y10T29/49982; Y10T29/49986; Y10T29/49995; Y10T408/00; Y10T408/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A surgical instrument comprising: a rigid outer member having an opening in a distal region thereof for admitting tissue, and a hollow inner member having rigid proximal and distal ends disposed within said outer member for transmitting force applied to said proximal end to move a cutting implement disposed at said distal end and cause it to cut tissue that is exposed to said implement through said opening, a region of said inner member disposed between said proximal and distal ends being relieved to render said region relatively flexible.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
An instrument according to claim 1 wherein said outer member includes a curved region disposed proximally of said distal region, said flexible region of said inner member being disposed within at least a portion of said curved region of said outer member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
An instrument according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said curved region is bounded on at least one side by a straight region of said outer member, a portion of said flexible region being disposed within at least a portion of said straight region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
An instrument according to claim 3 wherein said curved region is bounded on two sides by straight regions, said flexible region being sufficiently long to span said curved region and be disposed in at least a portion of each said straight region.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
An instrument according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said force is applied to rotate said inner member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
An instrument according to claim 5 wherein said force is applied by a motor that applies a torque to said inner member, said flexible region being configured to transmit said applied torque to said cutting implement.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
An instrument according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said flexible region is relieved with a plurality of openings disposed in walls of said inner member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
An instrument according to claim 7 wherein said openings are disposed in a symmetrical pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
An instrument according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein said openings comprise a plurality of slots each of which extends over a section of the circumference of said inner member, said slots being disposed along at least a portion of the length of said flexible region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
An instrument according to claim 9 wherein said slots are circumferentially offset with respect to one another.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
An instrument according to claim 9 wherein said slots are disposed in a succession of planes perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said inner member and a set of said slots are disposed in each said plane, the slots in adjacent planes being offset circumferentially with respect to one another.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
An instrument according to claim 11 wherein sets of slots are uniformly spaced along said axis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
An instrument according to claim 7 or 8 wherein said openings comprise holes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
An instrument according to claim 13 wherein said holes are arranged in a plurality of rows disposed along at least a portion of the length of said flexible region.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
An instrument according to claim 14 wherein said holes in adjacent rows are offset from each other along said length.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
An instrument according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said hollow inner member is adapted receive suction at its proximal end and to transport tissue fragments cut by said cutting implement away from a surgical site while the instrument remains in situ for further cutting.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
An instrument according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said cutting implement comprises a blade.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
An instrument according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a region of said outer member within which said flexible region is disposed is arranged generally along an axis and said force is applied to rotate said inner member, said flexible region being adapted to accommodate itself to deviations in said region of said outer member for said axis.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
An instrument according to claim 18 wherein said outer member includes a curved region, said flexible region of said inner member being disposed within at least a portion of said curved region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
An instrument according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the region of said inner member disposed between said proximal and distal ends is configured to be relatively flexible, said region being integral with a portion of said proximal end that is disposed adjacent to said region.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
An instrument according to claim 20 wherein said outer member includes a curved region disposed proximally of said distal region, said flexible region of said inner member being disposed within at least a portion of said curved region of said outer member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
An instrument according to claim 20 or 21 wherein said inner member is relieved to render it flexible in said integral region.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
An instrument according to claim 22 wherein said flexible region is relieved with a plurality of openings disposed in walls of said inner member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
59 words
An instrument according to claim 23 wherein said holes comprise a plurality of circumferentially extending slots disposed in a succession of planes along at least a portion of a longitudinal axis of said inner member, a set of said slots being disposed in each said plane, the slots in adjacent planes being circumferentially offset with respect to one another.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
The instrument of claim 23 wherein said openings comprise holes arranged in a plurality of rows disposed along at least a portion of the length of said flexible region, holes in adjacent rows being offset from each other along said length.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
The instrument of claim 20 or claim 21 wherein said portion of the proximal end of said inner member and said integral region comprise a continuous tube of thin material, said continuous tube being relieved in said integral region to render it flexible.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The instrument of claim 26 wherein the thickness of walls of said tube in unrelieved portions of said integral region are the same as the wall thickness in the remainder of said continuous tube.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
96 words
A surgical instrument comprising: an outer member having an opening in a distal region thereof for admitting tissue, a movable cutting implement adapted to cut tissue that is exposed to said implement through said opening, and an inner member disposed within said outer member for transmitting force applied to a proximal end of said inner member to move said cutting implement, a region of said inner member being weakened with respect to the remainder of said inner member to cause said region to break if the force applied to said inner member exceed a predetermined threshold.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
An instrument according to claim 28 wherein said threshold is selected to be less than a maximum desired force to be applied to said cutting implement.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
An instrument according to claim 28 or 29 wherein said force is rotational force and said threshold is a torque threshold.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
47 words
An instrument according to any one of claims 28 to 30 wherein said weakened region is disposed a predetermined distance proximally of said opening so that, if said region breaks, the portion of said inner member disposed distally of the break is captured within said outer member.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
An instrument according to claims 28 to 31 wherein said inner member is hollow and said weakened region is relieved.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
An instrument according to claim 32 wherein said relieved, weakened region is integral with said proximal end of said inner member.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
An instrument according to claim 33 wherein said weakened region includes a plurality of openings disposed in walls of inner member.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
13 words
An instrument according to claim 34 wherein said openings comprise circumferentially extending slots.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
10 words
The instrument of claim 34 wherein said opening comprise holes.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
33 words
The instrument of claim 28 to 31 wherein said outer member includes a curved region, said weakened region of said inner member being disposed within at least a portion of said curved region.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
77 words
A surgical instrument comprising: a hollow member having rigid proximal and distal ends for transmitting force applied to said proximal end to move a cutting implement disposed at said distal end and cause the implement to cut tissue to which it is exposed, a region of said member disposed between said proximal and distal ends having a plurality of openings disposed in walls thereof to render said region relatively flexible, and pliable material disposed in said openings.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
An instrument according to claim 38 wherein said openings define edges on an interior surface of said hollow member, said pliable material being disposed to be substantially coextensive with said interior surface at said edges.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
77 words
An instrument according to claim 39 wherein said hollow member is adapted to receive suction at its proximal end and to transport tissue fragments cut by said cutting implement away from a surgical site while the instrument remains in situ for further cutting, said pliable material being disposed to provide a substantially smooth surface for passage of said tissue through said flexible region to reduce the tendency of said tissue fragments to become caught on said edges.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
86 words
An instrument according to claim 38 to 40 further comprising: a rigid outer member having an opening in a distal region thereof for admitting tissue, said hollow member being disposed along an axis with said outer member so that said applied force causes said hollow member to move with respect to said outer member so that said cutting implement moves past said opening to cut tissue exposed to said implement through said opening, said pliable material reducing axial compression of said hollow member during movement thereof.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
35 words
An instrument according to claim 41 wherein said openings define edges on an exterior surface of said hollow member, said pliable material being disposed to be substantially coextensive with said exterior surface at said edges.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
38 words
An instrument according to claim 41 wherein said outer member includes a curved region disposed proximally of said distal region, said flexible region of said hollow member being disposed with at least a portion of said curved region.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
35 words
The instrument of claim 41 wherein said force is applied by a motor that applies a torque to said hollow member, said flexible region being configured to transmit said applied torque to said cutting instrument.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
16 words
An instrument according to claims 38 to 44 wherein said pliable material comprises a polymeric material.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
12 words
The instrument of claim 45 wherein said pliable material comprises silicone rubber.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
128 words
A surgical instrument comprising: a rigid outer member having a opening in a distal region thereof for admitting tissue, said outer member including a curved region disposed proximally of said distal region, a hollow inner member rigid proximal and distal ends disposed within said outer member for transmitting force applied to said proximal end to move a cutting implement disposed at said distal end and cause it to cut tissue that is exposed to said implement through said opening, a region of said inner member disposed between said proximal and distal ends having a plurality of openings disposed in walls thereof to render said region relatively flexible, said flexible region being disposed within at least a portion of said curved region, and pliable material disposed in said openings.
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