EP0613661A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotatable curved instrument
Assignee: Smith and Nephew Inc
•
Filing: 1994-01-27
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2014-01-27
Abstract
Abstract A surgical instrument in which a surgical tool (12) is carried distally of a bend region (20) in a stationary support member (14) by an assembly (22) that transmits proximally applied forces and selectively change the rotational orientation of the surgical tool with respect to the stationary member. In another respect, in which the stationary member does not include a bend region, a rotatable member (26,32) supported by the stationary member transmits rotational force to the surgical tool to selectively change the rotational orientation of the tool, and a driver member (34) supported by the stationary member transmits axial force to the surgical tool to operate it. In still another respect in which the stationary member includes the bend region but the surgical tool is not rotatable, a movable member (316) supported by the stationary member is constructed to transmit a proximally applied axial force through the bend region to operate a surgical tool disposed in a distal region of the instrument.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul V. Lucey
- 👤 Paul A. Torrie
- 👤 Vaughan C. Seifert
- 👤 Graham Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:06
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/16; A61B17/1604; A61B17/1606; A61B17/1608; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B1/00; A61B1/04; A61B1/042; A61B1/313; A61B1/317; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00292; A61B2017/003; A61B2017/00305; A61B2017/00309; A61B2017/2901; A61B2017/2904; A61B2017/2926; A61B2017/2927; A61B2017/2929; A61B90/00; A61B90/03; A61B2090/033; A61B2090/034; A61B2090/038; A61B2217/00; A61B2217/002; A61B2217/005; A61B90/36; A61B90/37
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 79
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A surgical instrument comprising a stationary member disposed generally along an axis and including a bend region that angularly offsets a distal region of said member from said axis, and an assembly supported by said stationary member for carrying a surgical tool at said distal region, said assembly transmitting a first force applied at a proximal region of said instrument through said bend region to operate said surgical tool and transmitting a second force applied at said proximal region through said bend region to selectively change a rotational orientation of said surgical tool with respect to said stationary member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said first force and said second force are applied in different directions with respect to said axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said first force is applied axially.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said second force is applied rotationally with respect to said axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said assembly comprises a movable member at least a portion of which is relatively flexible for transmitting said second force through said bend region to change said rotational orientation of said surgical tool.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The instrument of claim 5 wherein said movable member is disposed coaxially with said stationary member and includes a relatively flexible regional axially aligned with said bend region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The instrument of claim 6 wherein said movable member is disposed within said stationary member and said relatively flexible region is disposed within said bend region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said assembly comprises a generally rigid movable member having a relatively flexible region in said bend region for transmitting said second force past said bend region to change said rotational orientation of said surgical tool.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The instrument of claim 8 wherein said movable member is relieved with a plurality of openings to provide said relatively flexible region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The instrument of claim 9 wherein said openings include a series of axially spaced, circumferentially extending slots.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
The instrument of claim 8 wherein said movable member carries at least one element of said surgical tool at a distal region thereof and supports said at least one element, said movable member applying said second force to said at least one element to rotate said at least one element with respect to said stationary member to change said rotational orientation of said surgical tool.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The instrument of claim 11 wherein said surgical tool comprises a second element carried by said assembly, said at least one element engaging said second element to cause said second element to rotate with said first element in response to said second force.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The instrument of claim 12 wherein said at least one element is stationary with respect to said second element when surgical tool is operated by applying said first force.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The instrument of claim 13 wherein said at least one element and said second element each comprises a jaw having tissue cutting edges, said second element being adapted to pivot with respect to said at least one element in response to said first force to move toward and closely past said at least one element thereby to cut tissue engaged by said cutting edges.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The instrument of claim 8 further comprising a handpiece at said proximal region of said instrument for supporting said movable member, and means carried by said handpiece for applying said second force to a proximal region of said movable member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
The instrument of claim 15 wherein said means for applying includes an actuator that is disposed on said handpiece and adapted to be manually rotated by a user of said instrument, said actuator being linked to said proximal region of said movable member thereby to apply said rotation to said movable member as said second force.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said assembly comprises a driver member at least a portion of which is relatively flexible for transmitting said first force through said bend region to operate said surgical tool.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The instrument of claim 17 wherein said driver member is disposed coaxially with said stationary member and includes a relatively flexible region axially aligned with said bend region.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The instrument of claim 18 wherein said driver member is disposed within said stationary member and said relatively flexible region is disposed within said bend region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said assembly comprises a driver disposed within said stationary member and that includes a generally rigid member having a relatively flexible region disposed within said bend region for transmitting said first force through said bend region to operate said surgical tool.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The instrument of claim 20 wherein said driver member includes a hollow tube a portion of which is relieved to provide said relatively flexible region.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The instrument of claim 21 wherein said first force is applied axially, said relieved portion being substantially noncompressible along said axis to transmit said first force translationally through said bend region to operate said surgical tool.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The instrument of claim 21 wherein said tube is relieved with an elongated opening in walls of said tube.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The instrument of claim 23 wherein said elongated opening extends a selected amount radially into said tube and axially along said tube.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The instrument of claim 24 wherein said elongated opening radially extends over at least 60% of a diameter of said tube.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The instrument of claim 24 wherein said elongated opening radially extends over at least 75% of a diameter of said tube.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The instrument of claim 24 wherein said elongated opening extends axially by an amount sufficient to remain at least partially disposed within said bend region during operation of said surgical tool.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
64 words
The instrument of claim 23 wherein said first force is applied axially to cause said driver member to slide axially within said stationary member, said driver member being radially disposed within said stationary member so that a portion of said tube that circumferentially bounds said elongated opening is disposed adjacent to a portion of said bend region that has a maximum radius of curvature.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
71 words
The instrument of claim 23 wherein said first force is applied to cause said driver member to slide axially within said stationery member, and said bend region is oriented to offset said surgical tool in a first direction from said axis, said driver member being radially disposed within said stationary member so that a portion of said tube that circumferentially bounds said elongated opening is disposed opposite to said first direction.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
41 words
The instrument of claim 20 wherein said surgical tool includes a first element adapted to be moved by said driver member with respect to a second element of said tool in response to said first force to operate said surgical tool.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
58 words
The instrument of claim 30 wherein said first element and said second element each comprises a jaw having tissue cutting edges, said first element being adapted to pivot with respect to said second element in response to said first force to move toward and closely past said second element thereby to cut tissue engaged by said cutting edges.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
39 words
The instrument of claim 31 wherein said driver member includes a passage disposed therein for transporting tissue fragments cut by said surgical tool through said instrument in response to suction applied to a proximal region of said driver member.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
35 words
The instrument of claim 31 wherein said first force is applied axially and said driver member is adapted to slide axially toward said distal region in response to said first force to close said jaws.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
41 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said assembly comprises a driver member disposed within said stationary member, said driver member being flexible relative to said stationary member for transmitting said first force past said bend region to operate said surgical tool.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
The instrument of claim 34 wherein said driver member comprises a flexible cable having a distal region that engages said surgical tool and a proximal region for receiving said first force.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
40 words
The instrument of claim 35 wherein said surgical tool includes a first element adapted to be moved by said cable with respect to a second element of said tool in response to said first force to operate said surgical tool.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
42 words
The instrument of claim 35 wherein said first element and said second element each comprises a jaw constructed to grasp or cut tissue, said first element being adapted to pivot with respect to said second element in response to said first force.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
The instrument of claim 37 wherein said first force is applied axially to pull said cable toward said proximal region of said instrument to close said jaws.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
40 words
The instrument of claim 17 further comprising a handpiece at said proximal region of said instrument for supporting said driver member, and means carried by said handpiece for applying said first force to a proximal region of said driver member.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
56 words
The instrument of claim 18 wherein said means for applying is adapted to be manually actuated by a user of said instrument to apply said first force to said driver member in a translational direction with respect to said axis to cause said driver member to slide within said stationary member and operate said surgical tool.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
66 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said assembly comprises a driver member at least a portion of which is relatively flexible for transmitting said first force through said bend region to operate said surgical tool, and a movable member at least a portion of which is relatively flexible for transmitting said second force through said bend region to change said rotational orientation of said surgical tool.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
59 words
The instrument of claim 41 wherein said second force is applied in a rotational direction with respect to said axis, said assembly being constructed to allow said movable member to rotate in response to said second force and change said rotational orientation of said surgical tool without disrupting the ability of said driver member to operate said surgical tool.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
29 words
The instrument of claim 42 wherein said driver member is rotatably decoupled from said surgical tool to remain substantially rotationally stationary as said movable member rotates said surgical tool.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
88 words
The instrument of claim 42 wherein said surgical tool includes a first element carried by and rotatably with said movable member and a second element actuated by said driver member with respect to the first element to operate said tool, said first element engaging said second element to cause said second element to rotate with said first element in response to said second force, said driver member being rotatably decoupled from said second element to remain substantially rotationally stationary as said first element and said second element rotate.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
36 words
The instrument of claim 44 further comprising a rotational joint disposed between a distal end of said driver element and said second element to allow said second element to rotate with respect to said driver element.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
30 words
The instrument of claim 42 wherein said driver member is rotatably coupled to said surgical tool to rotate with said surgical tool in response to rotation of said movable member.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
80 words
The instrument of claim 42 wherein said surgical tool includes a first element carried by and rotatable with said movable member and a second element actuated by said driver member with respect to the first element to operate said tool, said first element engaging said second element to cause said second element to rotate with said first element in response to said second force, said driver member being rotatably coupled to said second element to rotate with said second element.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
28 words
The instrument of claim 47 further comprising a handpiece disposed at said proximal region, said driver member including a proximal end that is rotatably mounted within said handpiece.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
57 words
The instrument of claim 1 further comprising a manual actuator coupled to a proximal region of said assembly for applying said first force to said assembly to operate said surgical tool, and means for decoupling said actuator from said assembly if said first force exceeds a threshold thereby to avoid applying excessive force to said surgical tool.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
64 words
The instrument of claim 49 wherein said means for decoupling includes a spring for coupling said actuator to said proximal region of said assembly, said spring being constructed to transmit said first force to said assembly if said first force is below said threshold and to compress in response to forces that exceed said threshold to avoid applying said excessive force to said assembly.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
84 words
A surgical instrument comprising a stationary member supporting a surgical tool at a distal region thereof, a rotatable member supported by said outer member for transmitting rotational force applied at a proximal end of said instrument to said surgical tool to selectively change a rotational orientation of said surgical tool with respect to said stationary member, and a driver member supported by said stationary member for transmitting an axial force applied at said proximal region to said surgical tool to operate said surgical tool.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
76 words
The instrument of claim 51 wherein said stationary member is generally disposed along an axis and includes a bend region to offset distal region from said axis, at least a portion of said rotatable member being relatively flexible to transmit said rotational force through said bend region to said surgical tool, and at least a portion of said driver member being relatively flexible to transmit said axial force through said bend region to said surgical tool.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
29 words
The instrument of claim 52 wherein said rotatable member includes a generally rigid tube disposed within said stationary member and having a flexible region disposed within said bend region.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
29 words
The instrument of claim 52 wherein said driver member includes a generally rigid tube disposed within said stationary member and having a flexible region disposed within said bend region.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
42 words
The instrument of claim 54 wherein said driver member provides a passage for transporting body material severed by said surgical instrument through said driver member and out of the body in response to suction applied at a proximal region of said instrument.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
13 words
The instrument of claim 52 wherein said inner member comprises a flexible cable.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
57 words
The instrument of claim 51 wherein said stationary member includes an open distal end, said rotatable member supporting said surgical tool distally of said distal end, and further comprising means for axially securing said surgical tool to said distal end without interfering with rotatable member changing said rotational orientation or said driver member operating said surgical tool.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
49 words
The instrument of claim 57 wherein said axially securing means includes a collar threadably received by said distal end for capturing at least a portion of said surgical tool, said collar axially securing said surgical took to said distal end and permitting said tool to rotate within said collar.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
38 words
The instrument of claim 51 further comprising means for allowing said surgical tool to be rotated by said rotatable member to change said rotational orientation without disrupting the ability of said driver member to operate said surgical tool.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
54 words
The instrument of claim 59 wherein said rotatable member includes a generally rigid tube having a flexible region disposed within said bend region, said means for allowing including means for rotatable decoupling said driver member from said surgical tool to allow said driver member to remain substantially rotationally stationary as said surgical tool rotates.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
41 words
The instrument of claim 59 wherein said rotatable member includes a flexible cable and said means for allowing includes means for rotatably coupling said driver member to said surgical tool to cause said flexible cable to rotate with said surgical tool.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
73 words
A surgical instrument comprising a stationary member disposed generally along an axis and including a bend region that angularly offsets a distal region of said stationary member from said axis, a surgical tool disposed at said distal region, and a movable member supported by said outer member, said movable member being constructed to transmit an axial force applied at a proximal region of said instrument through said bend regain to operate said tool.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
24 words
The instrument of claim 62 wherein said movable member is disposed to slide within said outer member in response to said applied axial force.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
36 words
The instrument of claim 63 wherein said movable member comprises a generally rigid member that includes a relatively flexible region disposed within said bend region, said flexible region transmitting said axial force through said bend region.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
38 words
The instrument of claim 64 wherein said flexible region has a length selected so that rigid regions of said movable disposed adjacent to said flexible region remain substantially outside of said bend region during operation of said tool.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
25 words
The instrument of claim 64 wherein said movable member comprises a hollow tube, a portion of said tube being relieved to provide said flexible region.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
20 words
The instrument of claim 66 wherein said tube is relieved with an elongated opening disposed in walls of said tube.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
18 words
The instrument of claim 67 wherein said elongated opening extends radially into said tube by a selected amount.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
21 words
The instrument of claim 68 wherein said elongated opening radially extends over at least 60% of a diameter of said tube.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
21 words
The instrument of claim 68 wherein said elongated opening radially extends over at least 75% of a diameter of said tube.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
39 words
The instrument of claim 67 wherein said elongated opening has a length selected so that rigid regions of said tube disposed adjacent to said elongated opening remain substantially outside of said bend region during operation of said surgical tool.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
45 words
The instrument of claim 67 wherein said tube is radially disposed within said stationary member so that a portion of said tube that circumferentially bounds said elongated opening is disposed adjacent to a portion of said bend region that has a maximum radius of curvature.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
52 words
The instrument of claim 67 wherein said bend region is oriented to offset said surgical tool in a first direction from said axis, said tube being radially disposed within said stationary member so that a portion of said tube that circumferentially bounds said elongated opening is disposed opposite to said first direction.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
36 words
The instrument of claim 62 wherein said surgical tool includes a first element that is moved by said movable member to cooperate with a second element of said surgical tool to sever material in the body.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
24 words
The instrument of claim 74 wherein said second element is stationary with respect to said first element and is carried by said stationary member.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
54 words
The instrument of claim 75 wherein said first element and said element each comprises a cutting jaw, said first element being pivotally mounted to said stationary member with respect to said second element and adapted to be moved toward and closely past said second element thereby to cut tissue engaged by said cutting jaws.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
30 words
The instrument of claim 62 further including a passage for allowing body material severed by said surgical tool to be transported through instrument by suction applied to said proximal region.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
14 words
The instrument of claim 77 wherein said passage is disposed in said movable member.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
23 words
The instrument of claim 62 further comprising an actuator constructed to allows an operator of said instrument to apply said axial force manually.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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