Occlusion ring applicator

Claim 2

A ring applicator device for use in applying an elastic occluding ring to an anatomical tubular structure which comprises an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, said inner cylinder being slidably disposed within said outer cylinder, forceps means slidably disposed within said inner cylinder and operating slide means operatively associated with the forceps means and the inner and outer cylinders for distally displacing the forceps means relative to the inner cylinder and the forceps means and the inner cylinder relative to the outer cylinder as the result of a single continuous movement of said operating slide means toward the distal end of the ring applicator.

Claim 3

The ring applicator device of claim 1, wherein connecting means provide communication between the operating slide means and the forceps means independent of the inner and outer cylinders, said forceps means thereby being capable of independent movement in both the proximal and distal directions relative to the inner and outer cylinders.

Claim 4

The ring applicator device of claim 2, wherein the inner cylinder is provided with a means for engaging the connecting means independent of the outer cylinder, said inner cylinder thereby being capable of independent movement in the distal direction relative to the outer cylinder.

Claim 5

The ring applicator device of claim 3, wherein the forceps means contain a shaft portion and the inner and outer cylinders are provided with first and second operating slots, respectively, said connecting means extending through said first and second operating slots and into engaging relationship with said shaft portion.

Claim 6

The ring applicator of claim 4, wherein the first operating slot is shorter than said second operating slot and the means for engaging said connecting means is the distal end of the first operating slot.

Claim 7

The ring applicator of claim 4 wherein the first operating slot is shorter than said second operating slot and extends to the distal end of the inner cylinder, and the means for engaging said connecting means is said distal end of the inner cylinder.

Claim 8

The ring applicator device of claim 1, wherein a spring means is attached to the distal end portion of the inner cylinder, said spring means being compressed by the movement of the forceps means and the inner cylinder in the distal direction relative to the outer cylinder.

Claim 9

The ring applicator device of claim 1, wherein an optical viewing means and an illuminating means are combined with the ring applicator device.

Claim 10

The ring applicator devoce of claim 8, wherein the optical viewing means and illuminating means is a laparoscope.

Claim 11

The ring applicator of claim 9, wherein the laparoscope is provided with an operating channel, said operating channel receiving the ring applicator device and said optical viewing means being offset from said operating channel and the ring applicator device disposed therein.

Claim 12

The ring applicator device of claim 1, wherein said device is made of a metallic material.

Claim 13

The ring applicator device of claim 1, wherein said device is made of a plastic material, the walls of said cylinders acting to transmit light from a light source to the abdominal cavity.

Claim 14

A ring applicator device for use in applying an elastic occluding ring to an anatomical tubular structure which comprises an inner cylinder provided with a first operating slot and an outer cylinder provided with a second operating slot which is longer than said first operating slot, said inner cylinder being slidably disposed within said outer cylinder, forceps means slidably disposed within said inner cylinder, said forceps means containing a shaft portion which has an engageable end portion, and an operating slide means disposed on said outer cylinder, said operating slide means provided with connecting means which extends from the operating slide, through said first and second operating slots and into engaging relationship with said engageable end portion.

Claim 15

A ring applicator device for use in applying an elastic occluding ring to an anatomical tubular structure which comprises an inner cylinder provided with a first operating slot and an outer cylinder provided with a second operating slot which is longer than said first operating slot, said inner cylinder being slidably disposed within said outer cylinder, forceps means slidably disposed within said inner cylinder, said forceps means containing a shaft portion which has an engageable end portion, and an operating slide means disposed on said outer cylinder, said operating slide means provided with connecting means which extends from the operating slide, through said first and second operating slots and into engaging relationship with said engageable end portion.

Claim 16

The ring applicator device of claim 13, wherein when the operating slide means is in its forward extended position the proximal end portion of the inner cylinder extends beyond the proximal end portion of the outer cylinder and the forceps means extends from the end portion of the inner cylinder.

Claim 17

The ring applicator device of claim 14, wherein the front end of the first and second slots are in alignment so that as the operating slide means is drawn toward the distal end of the device, the forceps means is drawn into the inner cylinder and the connecting means engages the rear end portion of the first operating slot which moves the inner cylinder in the distal direction relative to the outer cylinder.

Claim 18

The ring applicator device of claim 13, wherein the engageable end portion of said shaft is an aperture and the connecting means is a locking screw which extends from the operating slide means through said first and second operating slots and into screw engagement with said aperture.

Claim 19

The ring applicator device of claim 13, wherein a thumb ring is provided at the distal end of the device.

Claim 20

The ring applicator device of claim 17, wherein a spring is provided between the thumb ring and the distal end of the inner cylinder.

Claim 21

The ring applicator device of claim 13, wherein the forceps means are spring-loaded so that they spring open when they are displaced from the proximal end of the inner cylinder.

Claim 22

The ring applicator device of claim 13 wherein the operating slide means is provided with a groove for receiving the fingers of the operator.

Claim 23

The ring applicator device of claim 13, wherein an optical viewing means and an illuminating means are combined with the ring applicator device.

Claim 24

The ring applicator device of claim 21, wherein the optical viewing means and illuminating means is a laparoscope.

Claim 25

The ring applicator device of claim 13, wherein a culdoscope is combined with the ring applicator, said culdoscope and ring applicator being in juxtaposition with respect to each other.

Claim 26

The ring applicator device of claim 22, wherein the laparoscope contains an operating channel for receiving the ring applicator device.

Claim 27

The ring applicator device of claim 24, wherein the optical viewing means is off-set with respect to the operating channel of the laparoscope.

Claim 28

The ring applicator device of claim 13, wherein the forceps means are canted from the axial direction of the ring applicator device.

Claim 29

The ring applicator device of claim 13, wherein a handle means is provided at the distal end of the device.

Claim 30

A ring applicator device for use in applying an elastic occluding ring to an anatomical tubular structure which comprises a cylinder-type element, the proximal end portion of said cylinder-type element being adapted to receive said elastic occluding ring, forceps means associated with said cylinder-type element and operative to grasp the anatomical tubular structure and draw it inside said cylinder-type element to form a bend therein, a ring pushing means movably and operatively associated with said cylinder-type element for displacing the elastic occluding ring from said cylinder-like element to a position around said bend, thereby forming a closed loop in said anatomical tubular structure and operating slide means operatively associated with the cylinder-like element, the forceps means and the ring pushing means for effecting relative movement therebetween, whereby both the forceps means and the cylinder-like element are distally displaced relative to the ring pushing means as a result of a single continuous movement of said operating slide means in the distal direction and thereafter the forceps means is displaced in the proximal direction to release the occluded anatomical tubular structure from the ring applicator device.

Claim 31

A ring applicator device for use in applying an elastic occluding ring to an anatomical tubular structure which comprises a cylinder-type element, the proximal end portion of said cylinder-type element being adapted to receive said elastic occluding ring, forceps means associated with said cylinder-type element and operative to grasp the anatomical tubular structure and draw it inside said cylinder-type element to form a bend therein, a ring pushing means movably and operatively associated with said cylinder-type element for displacing the elastic occluding ring from said cylinder-like element to a position around said bend, thereby forming a closed loop in said anatomical tubular structure and operating slide means operatively associated with the cylinder-like element, the forceps means and the ring pushing means for effecting relative movement therebetween, whereby both the forceps means and the cylinder-like element are distally displaced relative to the ring pushing means as a result of a single continuous movement of said operating slide means in the distal direction and thereafter the forceps means is displaced in the proximal direction to release the occluded anatomical tubular structure from the ring applicator device.

Claim 32

The ring applicator of claim 28, wherein the ring pushing means is an additional cylinder-like element within which said cylinder-like element is slidably disposed.

Claim 33

In a surgical ligating instrument for tubal ligation within the human and/or animal body by the application of at least one elastic ring to an anatomical tube, the combination which comprises: (a) an elongated inner member having a forward end and a rearward end and having a grasping means at its forward end constructed and arranged for grasping the anatomical tube to be ligated, (b) tube means adapted to fit slidably over said member (a) with close sliding fit therebetween, (c) said tube means (b) having a surface adjacent its forward end over which an elastic ring is adapted to fit in a tensioned condition, (d) manually engageable actuating means operatively connected to said member (a) to slide it rearwardly within said tube means (b), (e) means operative upon retraction of said member (a) relative to tube means (b) to actuate said grasping means to grasp the anatomical tube to be ligated and to draw it rearwardly into tube means (b), (f) ejecting means operative upon further retraction of said member (a) concurrently with said tube means (b) to eject said elastic ring from the surface of tube means (b) while said anatomical tube to be ligated extends into said tube means (b), thereby releasing said tensioned ring into a position surrounding said anatomical tube and effecting tubal ligation, and, (g), means for detecting said further retraction of said member (a) comprising a resistance means operatively associated with said manually engageable actuating means (d) for imposing thereon a manually detectable progressively increasing resistance to said further retraction of said member (a) relative to said tube means (b) prior to the ejection of the elastic ring.

Claim 34

In a surgical ligating instrument for tubal ligation within the human and/or animal body by the application of at least one elastic ring to an anatomical tube, the combination which comprises: (a) an elongated inner member having a forward end and a rearward end and having a grasping means at its forward end constructed and arranged for grasping the anatomical tube to be ligated, (b) tube means adapted to fit slidably over said member (a) with close sliding fit therebetween, (c) said tube means (b) having a surface adjacent its forward end over which an elastic ring is adapted to fit in a tensioned condition, (d) manually engageable actuating means operatively connected to said member (a) to slide it rearwardly within said tube means (b), (e) means operative upon retraction of said member (a) relative to tube means (b) to actuate said grasping means to grasp the anatomical tube to be ligated and to draw it rearwardly into tube means (b), (f) ejecting means operative upon further retraction of said member (a) concurrently with said tube means (b) to eject said elastic ring from the surface of tube means (b) while said anatomical tube to be ligated extends into said tube means (b), thereby releasing said tensioned ring into a position surrounding said anatomical tube and effecting tubal ligation, and, (g), means for detecting said further retraction of said member (a) comprising a resistance means operatively associated with said manually engageable actuating means (d) for imposing thereon a manually detectable progressively increasing resistance to said further retraction of said member (a) relative to said tube means (b) prior to the ejection of the elastic ring.

Claim 35

The instrument defined in claim 30, wherein a stop means is provided in a position to prevent further retraction of said member (a) after said elastic ring (c) has been ejected in response to said further retraction of said member (a).

Claim 36

The instrument defined in claim 31, wherein said ejecting means (f) comprises an outer tube within which said tube means (b) is slidably arranged.

Claim 37

The instrument defined in claim 32, wherein said resistance means normally positions the forward end of outer tube rearwardly of the forward end of tube means (b).

Claim 38

The instrument defined in claim 30, wherein said resistance means includes a mechanical spring.

Claim 39

The instrument defined in claim 34, wherein said spring is substantially helical and biases said tube means (b) toward said grasping means, and wherein said further retraction compresses said spring.

Claim 40

The instrument defined in claim 35, wherein the forward end of said spring abuts the rearward end of said tube means (b) and wherein a handle is attached to the rearward portion of said outer tube, and wherein said manually engageable actuating means (d) is attached to said inner member (a), and engageable upon tube means (b) whereby said spring may be compressed by relative movement between said handle and said manually engageable actuating means (d).

Claim 41

The instrument defined in claim 36, wherein said handle includes a curved hole adapted for operation by insertion of the surgeon's thumb.

Claim 42

The instrument defined in claim 36, wherein said handle has a substantially flat rearward surface.

Claim 43

In a surgical ligating instrument for tubal ligation within the body by the application of at least one elastic ring, the combination which comprises: (a) a straight, elongated rod having forceps means at its forward end and having a rearward end spaced from said forward end, (b) a straight, elongated inner tube closely slidably fitted over said rod (a), (c) a straight, elongated outer tube closely slidably fitted over said inner tube (b), (d) yieldable means providing an progressively increasing yielding resistance connecting outer tube (c) to inner tube (b) with the forward end of inner tube (b) projecting forwardly beyond the forward end of outer tube (c), and (e) manually operable means connected to said rod (a) for moving said rod (a) independently of said inner tube (b) without encountering said yielding resistance, said manually operable means (e) also connected to said tube (b) to retract said tube (b) and rod (a) against said yielding resistance after said independent movement of rod (a), but prior to the ejection of said elastic ring.

Claim 44

In a surgical ligating instrument for tubal ligation within the body by the application of at least one elastic ring, the combination which comprises: (a) a straight, elongated rod having forceps means at its forward end and having a rearward end spaced from said forward end, (b) a straight, elongated inner tube closely slidably fitted over said rod (a), (c) a straight, elongated outer tube closely slidably fitted over said inner tube (b), (d) yieldable means providing an progressively increasing yielding resistance connecting outer tube (c) to inner tube (b) with the forward end of inner tube (b) projecting forwardly beyond the forward end of outer tube (c), and (e) manually operable means connected to said rod (a) for moving said rod (a) independently of said inner tube (b) without encountering said yielding resistance, said manually operable means (e) also connected to said tube (b) to retract said tube (b) and rod (a) against said yielding resistance after said independent movement of rod (a), but prior to the ejection of said elastic ring.

Claim 45

The instrument defined in claim 39, wherein said manually operable means (e) extends outside said outer tube (c) and wherein both said inner tube (b) and said outer tube (c) are provided with openings permitting said independent movement, and wherein said manually operable means includes a connection extending inwardly through said openings.

Claim 46

The instrument defined in claim 40, wherein said inner tube opening includes a stop member engageable by said connection to limit independent movement of said rod (a) rearwardly of said inner tube (b).

Claim 47

The instrument defined in claim 39, wherein said outer tube includes a stop positioned for limiting rearward movement of said inner tube (b) relative to said outer tube (c).

Claim 48

The instrument defined in claim 41, wherein said outer tube includes a stop limiting rearward movement of inner tube (b) relative to outer tube (c), and wherein said outer tube stop is spaced rearwardly of said inner tube stop, whereby in a single rearward movement of said manually operable means (e) said rod (a) moves rearwardly of both tubes (b) and (c), then the rod (a) and inner tube (b) move rearwardly in unison, and then said motion in unison is stopped.

Claim 49

The instrument defined in claim 39, including means for disassembling said rod and said tubes each from each other for separate cleaning and sterilization.

Claim 50

The instrument defined in claim 40, wherein said openings are slotted openings.

Claim 51

The instrument defined in claim 45, wherein said yieldable means (d) interconnecting tube (c) to tube (b), also predetermines the spacing of said slotted openings, and wherein the slotted opening in outer tube (c) extends rearwardly of the slotted opening of inner tube (b), whereby the slotted opening of inner tube (b) provides a stop which is contacted by said connection.

Claim 52

The instrument defined in claim 39, wherein said outer tube (c) includes connecting means for connection to an optical viewing device having a viewing bore substantially parallel to said rod (a).

Claim 53

The instrument defined in claim 39, wherein said yieldable means is a substantially helical compression spring abutting the rearward portion of said inner tube (b).

Claim 54

The instrument defined in claim 39, wherein an elastic occluding ring is stretched and maintained under tension upon the forward end of inner tube (b), and wherein said ring is expelled from inner tube (b) upon movement of inner tube (b) rearwardly into outer tube (c) by contact of said ring with the forward end of outer tube (c).

Claim 55

The instrument defined in claim 49, wherein said forward end of inner tube (b) projects forwardly of the front end of outer tube (c) by a distance greater than the thickness of said elastic occluding ring.

Claim 56

The instrument defined in claim 40, wherein said connection is threaded to said manually operable means (e).

Claim 57

The instrument defined in claim 51, wherein said connection includes a projection which extends into a cavity formed in said rod.

Claim 58

The instrument defined in claim 51, wherein said projection has a cylindrical outer surface and said cavity is correspondingly shaped.

Claim 59

In a surgical ligating instrument for tubal ligation within the body by the application of at least one elastic ring to an anatomical tube, the combination which comprises: (a) a straight, elongated rod having grasping means at its forward end and having a rearward end spaced from said forward end, (b) a straight, elongated inner tube closely slidably fitted over said rod (a) and having a surface adjacent its forward end over which an elastic ring is adapted to fit in a tensioned condition, (c) a straight, elongated outer tube closely slidably fitted over said inner tube (b), (d) manually engagable actuating means operatively connected to said rod (a) to slide it rearwardly within said inner tube (b) and thus actuate such grasping means to grasp the anatomical tube to be ligated and to draw it rearwardly into said inner tube (b), (e) means to stop the rearward movement of rod (a) in inner tube (b) when the grasped anatomical tube has been retracted into the forward end of the inner tube (b) and to provide for the further retraction thereafter of rod (a) and inner tube (b) in fixed relationship to each other within outer tube (c), (f) spring means at the rearward end of inner tube (b) adapted to impose a manually detectable progressively increasing resistance upon said further retraction of said rod (a) and inner tube (b) relative to said outer tube (c) and prior to the ejection of said elastic ring, and (g) ejecting means operative upon said further retraction to eject said elastic ring from the surface of said tube (b) while said anatomical tube to be ligated extends into said tube (b), thereby releasing said tensioned ring into a position surrounding said anatomical tube and effecting tubal ligation.

Claim 60

In a surgical ligating instrument for tubal ligation within the body by the application of at least one elastic ring to an anatomical tube, the combination which comprises: (a) a straight, elongated rod having grasping means at its forward end and having a rearward end spaced from said forward end, (b) a straight, elongated inner tube closely slidably fitted over said rod (a) and having a surface adjacent its forward end over which an elastic ring is adapted to fit in a tensioned condition, (c) a straight, elongated outer tube closely slidably fitted over said inner tube (b), (d) manually engagable actuating means operatively connected to said rod (a) to slide it rearwardly within said inner tube (b) and thus actuate such grasping means to grasp the anatomical tube to be ligated and to draw it rearwardly into said inner tube (b), (e) means to stop the rearward movement of rod (a) in inner tube (b) when the grasped anatomical tube has been retracted into the forward end of the inner tube (b) and to provide for the further retraction thereafter of rod (a) and inner tube (b) in fixed relationship to each other within outer tube (c), (f) spring means at the rearward end of inner tube (b) adapted to impose a manually detectable progressively increasing resistance upon said further retraction of said rod (a) and inner tube (b) relative to said outer tube (c) and prior to the ejection of said elastic ring, and (g) ejecting means operative upon said further retraction to eject said elastic ring from the surface of said tube (b) while said anatomical tube to be ligated extends into said tube (b), thereby releasing said tensioned ring into a position surrounding said anatomical tube and effecting tubal ligation.

Claim 61

In a surgical ligating instrument for tubal ligation within the body by the application of at least one elastic ring, the combination which comprises: (a) a straight, elongated rod having forceps means at its forward end and having a rearward end spaced from said forward end, (b) a straight, elongated inner tube closely slidably fitted over said rod (a), (c) a straight, elongated outer tube closely slidably fitted over said inner tube (b), (d) yieldable means providing a yielding resistance connecting outer tube (c) to inner tube (b) with the forward end of inner tube (b) projecting forwardly beyond the forward end of outer tube (c) and (e) manually operable means for movement of said rod (a) relative to said inner tube (b) and said outer tube (c) without encountering said yielding resistance and for movement of said inner tube (b) relative to said outer tube (c), said yieldable means adapted to impose a manually detectable progressively increasing in resistance upon retraction of said inner tube (b) relative to said outer tube (c) and prior to the ejection of said elastic ring.

Claim 62

In a surgical ligating instrument for tubal ligation within the body by the application of at least one elastic ring, the combination which comprises: (a) a straight, elongated rod having forceps means at its forward end and having a rearward end spaced from said forward end, (b) a straight, elongated inner tube closely slidably fitted over said rod (a), (c) a straight, elongated outer tube closely slidably fitted over said inner tube (b), (d) yieldable means providing a yielding resistance connecting outer tube (c) to inner tube (b) with the forward end of inner tube (b) projecting forwardly beyond the forward end of outer tube (c) and (e) manually operable means for movement of said rod (a) relative to said inner tube (b) and said outer tube (c) without encountering said yielding resistance and for movement of said inner tube (b) relative to said outer tube (c), said yieldable means adapted to impose a manually detectable progressively increasing in resistance upon retraction of said inner tube (b) relative to said outer tube (c) and prior to the ejection of said elastic ring.