EP0609084A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Powered rotatable curved instrument
Assignee: Smith and Nephew Inc
•
Filing: 1994-01-27
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2014-01-27
Abstract
Abstract A surgical instrument (10) includes a first member (12) that has an opening (13) in its distal region for admitting tissue and that is rotatable with respect to a base (25) from which the first member extends to allow the rotational orientation of the opening to be selectively changed with respect to the axis of the instrument. A second member (14) is disposed within the first member to transmit force to move a cutting implement (15) disposed at its distal end and cause it to cut tissue that is exposed to the implement through the opening. In one embodiment, a curved, rigid member (16) is disposed coaxially with the first and second members to provide the first member with a bend region (18) that angularly offsets the distal region (and hence the opening) from the axis of the instrument in a selected direction. The first member is relatively flexible, at least in the bend region, to allow the rotational orientation of the opening to be changed without changing the selected direction of the offset. At least a portion of the second member that is disposed in the bend region is also relatively flexible to transmit the applied force through the bend region to the cutting implement.
Inventors
- 👤 Graham Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:06
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/320016; A61B17/32002; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/2901; A61B2017/2905; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61M25/0138
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A surgical instrument disposed generally along an axis, said surgical instrument comprising a first member that extends distally from a base and has an opening in a distal region thereof for admitting tissue, a second member disposed within said first member for transmitting force applied to a proximal end thereof to move a cutting implement disposed at a distal end thereof and cause it to cut tissue that is exposed to said implement through said opening, and means for rotating said first member with respect to said base to selectively change a rotational orientation of said opening with respect to said axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
The instrument of claim 1 further comprising means for providing said first member with a bend region that angularly offsets said distal region from said axis in a selected direction, said first member being relatively flexible at least in said bend region to allow said means for rotating to change the rotational orientation of said opening without changing said selected direction of said offset, and at least a portion of said second member that is disposed in said bend region being relatively flexible to transmit said applied force through said bend region to said cutting implement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The instrument of claim 2 wherein said first member is relieved in said bend region to provide the relative flexibility.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The instrument of claim 2 wherein said proximal region and said distal region of said first member are rigid, said first member being relieved in said bend region to provide the relative flexibility.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The instrument of claim 3 or 4 wherein said first member is relieved with a plurality of discrete openings disposed in walls thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The instrument of claim 5 wherein said openings comprise a series of axially spaced, circumferentially extending slots.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The instrument of claim 6 wherein said slots extend radially into said first member over approximately 75% of the diameter of said first member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The instrument of claim 6 wherein adjacent ones of said slots extend into said first member from opposite directions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The instrument of claim 2 wherein said proximal end and said distal end of said second member are rigid, said portion of said second member that is disposed in said bend region relieved to provide the relative flexibility.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The instrument of claim 9 wherein said portion of said second member is relieved with a series of axially spaced, circumferentially extending slots.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The instrument of claim 10 further comprising pliable material disposed in at least some of said slots.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The instrument of claim 9 wherein said force is applied by a motor that applies torque to said proximal end of said second member, said relieved portion of said second member being configured to transmit said torque through said bend region to said cutting implement.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The instrument of claim 2 wherein said means for providing said bend region includes a rigid member that is disposed coaxially with said first member and said second member and is curved in said bend region.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
72 words
The instrument of claim 13 wherein said first member and said second member are each relieved with a plurality of openings in said bend region to provide said flexibility and said second member moves with respect to said first member to move said cutting implement, said rigid member radially separating said first member and said second member at least in said bend region to avoid interference therebetween as said second member moves.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The instrument of claim 13 wherein said second member is disposed within said rigid member and said rigid member is disposed within said first member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
The instrument of claim 15 wherein said rigid member has an open distal tip disposed proximally of said cutting implement and opening, said first member and said second member being configured to contact each other distally of said tip to maintain said cutting implement in tissue cutting relationship with edges of said opening.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The instrument of claim 16 wherein a portion of said distal region of said first member has a reduced inner diameter relative to other portions of said first member to provide contact with said second member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The instrument of claim 17 wherein said portion of said distal region of said first member abuts said tip of said rigid member, and said inner diameter is the same as an inner diameter of said rigid member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The instrument of claim 15 wherein at least said first member is relieved with a plurality of openings in said bend region to provide said flexibility, and further comprising a pliable sheath disposed over said first member in said bend region that covers said openings.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said means for rotating allows said rotational orientation of said opening to be changed over a range of at least 180°.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The instrument of claim 20 wherein said means for rotating allows said rotational orientation of said opening to be changed over a range of 360°.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said means for rotating is configured to be manually actuated by a user of said instrument to change said rotational orientation of said opening.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
The instrument of claim 22 wherein said means for rotating includes a knob that is rigidly secured to a proximal end of said first member and rotatably mounted to a stationary portion of said base.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
The instrument of claim 23 wherein said knob is mounted to said stationary portion so that said knob can be selectively rotated to a plurality of discrete positions, thereby to allow said opening to be selectively positioned to a corresponding plurality of discrete rotational orientations.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
44 words
The instrument of claim 24 wherein said stationary portion includes a plurality of recesses each of which corresponds to one of said discrete positions, said knob including a plunger for selectively engaging said recesses, to maintain said opening in the corresponding discrete rotational orientation.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
The instrument of claim 25 wherein said knob is resiliently biased toward said stationary portion to retain said plunger in a said recess, thereby to avoid accidental rotation of said first member with respect to said base.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The instrument of claim 23 wherein said proximal end of said second member is secured to a drive shaft mounted for movement with respect to said stationary portion and said knob.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The instrument of claim 27 wherein said drive shaft is adapted to be driven by a motor to rotate said second member with respect to said first member and move said cutting implement.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
44 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said second member is hollow and is adapted receive suction at its proximal end and to transport body material cut by said cutting implement away from a surgical site while the instrument remains in situ for further cutting.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said cutting implement comprises a blade.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
170 words
A surgical instrument disposed generally along an axis, said surgical device comprising a first member that extends distally from a base and has an opening in a distal region thereof for admitting tissue, means for providing said first member with a bend region that angularly offsets said distal region from said axis in a selected direction, a second member disposed within said first member, for transmitting force applied to a proximal end thereof to move a cutting implement disposed at a distal end thereof and cause it to cut tissue that is exposed to said implement through said opening, at least a portion of said second member that is disposed within said bend region being relatively flexible, means for rotating said first member with respect to said base, said first member being relatively flexible at least in said bend region to transmit said rotation through said bend region to selectively change a rotational orientation of said opening with respect to said axis without changing said selected direction of said offset.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The instrument of claim 31 wherein said first member is relieved in said bend region with a plurality of discrete openings disposed in walls thereof to provide the relative flexibility.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
29 words
The instrument of claim 31 wherein said portion of said second member is relieved with a plurality of discrete openings disposed in walls thereof to provide the relative flexibility.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
43 words
The instrument of claim 32 wherein said force is applied by a motor that applies torque to proximal end of said second member, said portion of said second member being configured to transmit said torque through said bend region to said cutting implement.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
36 words
The instrument of claim 31 wherein said means for providing said bend region includes a rigid member that is disposed coaxially with said first member and said second member and is curved in said bend region.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
72 words
The instrument of claim 35 wherein said first member and said second member are each relieved with a plurality of openings in said bend region to provide said flexibility and said second member rotates with respect to said first member to move said cutting implement, said rigid member radially separatin said first member and said second member at least in said bend region to avoid interference therebetween as said second member rotates.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
The instrument of claim 35 wherein said second member is disposed within said rigid member and said rigid member is disposed within said first member.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
30 words
The instrument of claim 31 wherein said means for rotating is configured to be manually actuated by a user of said instrument to change said rotational orientation of said opening.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
The instrument of claim 38 wherein said means for rotating includes a knob that is rigidly secured to a proximal end of said first member and rotatably mounted to a stationary portion of said base.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
45 words
The instrument of claim 39 wherein said knob is mounted to said stationary portion so that said knob can be selectively rotated to a plurality of discrete positions, thereby to allow said opening to be selectively positioned to a corresponding plurality of discrete rotational orientations.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
197 words
A surgical instrument disposed generally along an axis, said surgical device comprising, an outer tube that extends distally from a base and has an opening in a distal region thereof for admitting tissue, a stationary support tube that extends distally from a base and is disposed within said outer tube, said support tube including a bend region disposed between said base and said distal region to angularly offset said distal region from said axis in a selected direction, an inner tube disposed within said support tube for transmitting force applied to a proximal end thereof to move a cutting implement disposed at a distal end thereof cause it to cut tissue that is exposed to said implement through said opening, at least a portion of said inner tube that is disposed within said bend region being relatively flexible, and means for rotating said outer tube with respect to said base about said stationary support tube, said outer tube being relatively flexible at least in said bend region to transmit said rotation through said bend region to selectively change a rotational orientation of said opening with respect to said axis without changing said selected direction of said offset.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
25 words
The instrument of claim 41 wherein said outer tube and said inner tube are each relieved in said bend region to provide the relative flexibility.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
26 words
The instrument of claim 42 wherein said outer tube and said inner tube are each relieved with a plurality of discrete openings disposed in walls thereof.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
52 words
The instrument of claim 41 wherein said force is applied by a motor that applied torque to said proximal end of said inner tube, said portion of said second member being relieved to provide the relative flexibility and being configured to transmit said torque through said bend region to said cutting implement.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
52 words
The instrument of claim 41 wherein said support tube has an open distal tip disposed proximally of said cutting implement and opening, said outer tube and said inner tube being configured contact each other distally of said tip to maintain said cutting implement in tissue cutting relationship with edges of said opening.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
37 words
The instrument of claim 45 wherein a portion of said distal region of said outer tube has a reduced inner diameter relative to other portions of said outer tube to provide said contact with said inner tube.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
38 words
The instrument of claim 46 wherein said portion of said distal region of said outer tube abuts said tip of said support tube, and said inner diameter is the same as an inner diameter of said support tube.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
30 words
The instrument of claim 41 wherein said means for rotating is configured to be manually actuated by a user of said instrument to change said rotational orientation of said opening.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
35 words
The instrument of claim 48 wherein said means for rotating includes a knob that is rigidly secured to a proximal end of said outer tube and rotatably mounted to a stationary portion of said base.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
45 words
The instrument of claim 49 wherein said knob is mounted to said stationary portion so that said knob can be selectively rotated to a plurality of discrete positions, thereby to allow said opening to be selectively positioned to a corresponding plurality of discrete rotational orientations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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