|Publication number||US8043328 B2|
|Application number||US 10/871,617|
|Publication date||Oct 25, 2011|
|Priority date||Aug 29, 2001|
|Also published as||US6755338, US20030045900, US20040243176, US20120010652, WO2003101313A1|
|Publication number||10871617, 871617, US 8043328 B2, US 8043328B2, US-B2-8043328, US8043328 B2, US8043328B2|
|Inventors||Kevin F. Hahnen, Richard A. Hillstead, Bryan D. Knodel|
|Original Assignee||Richard A. Hillstead, Inc.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (163), Referenced by (85), Classifications (14), Legal Events (2)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/942,236 which was filed on Aug. 29, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,174, to which this application claims priority.
The present invention relates in general to medical instruments suitable for endoscopic or laproscopic applications, and capable of passing through a trocar or similar device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel hydraulically actuated medical instrument suitable for stapling or other desired endoscopic or laproscopic applications.
Surgical instruments, such as staplers, graspers, scissors, coagulators and the like, suitable for endoscopic or laproscopic applications in which the device is inserted through a cannula or trocar, are well known. As described in more detail below, the present invention, in its most preferred embodiment, is directed to an endoscopic stapler particularly suited for minimally invasive surgery, such as for isolating the left a trial appendage on human hearts. Such procedures are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,234, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/315,601, filed on May 20, 1999 to Aaron V. Kaplan, both of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Also, endoscopic medical instruments are often of complicated construction, especially when the instrument is articulated to allow the handle and/or end effector to pivot or rotate. Typically, a mechanical linkage extends between the handle and end effector to allow operator actuation of the end effector. When the instrument is of the type that permits articulation, the mechanical linkage must accommodate the articulation. This often results in a design that is relatively complicated, that is costly to manufacture and/or that may still experience limitations regarding the degree or direction of articulation.
The mechanical linkage also may limit the shape, or configuration of the shaft and/or the ability of the shaft to be flexible so as to navigate a path within the body cavity during the medical procedure.
Other complications of a mechanical linkage may also arise relative to the shape and configuration of the end effector. The mechanical linkage must interface with the end effector so as to permit relative movement of the jaws in addition to driving of the staples. This can result in a complex attachment between the end effector and mechanical linkage that is expensive to make and difficult to assemble.
The present invention may be generally embodied in a hydraulically actuated medical device of a type suitable for endoscopic or laproscopic procedures and which includes, in one embodiment, an elongated shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, an end effector at the distal end of the elongated shaft, a handle portion at the proximal end of the elongated shaft, and a fluid flow path extending between the handle and the end effector.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the end effector is elongated and at least a portion of the end effector extends at an angle to another portion of the end effector to make the end effector suitable for particular procedures. For example, the end effector may be continuously curved along its length so as to contact the tissue that is being stapled or otherwise treated in an arc. Any curved configuration of the end effector, such as lateral, vertical or complex, is contemplated by the present invention and intended to be within the above reference to one portion of the end effector extending to an angle to another portion. Also, the end effector may have at least two straight portions, one of which extends at a fixed or variable angle to the other portions.
It is possible for the end effector to be flexible along its entire length or a portion thereof and/or to employ suitable inner malleable shape-retaining elements. The end effector may be made of any polymer or metallic substance or other suitable materials as well as a combination thereof. The end effector is preferably preformed to exhibit a desired configuration corresponding to a specific medical procedure.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, at least a portion of the shaft may be flexible so that the shaft may be manually configured into a particular non-straight shape (such as a curved, offset, fixed or variable angle), which one portion of the shaft extends at an angle relative to another portion. The shaft may be flexible along its entire length or a substantial portion thereof to provide for a variety of shapes and configurations of the shaft, as will be described below.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the elongated shaft may include a flexible outer shaft having at least one inner hydraulic fluid flow path extending between the handle portion and the end effector through the elongated shaft. At least a portion of the shaft is manually movable to a direction in which it extends at an angle to another portion of the shaft. It is contemplated that numerous shapes and configurations of the shaft are possible and may depend on the particular medical procedure employed, the area of the body involved in the medical procedure, and the method of approach utilized as well as other factors.
The shaft may be flexible along its entire length or any portion thereof. The shaft may be resilient, have shape retaining characteristics or it may be capable of freely conforming to the shape configuration of the pathway defined by its surroundings such as, for example, a trocar, introduction sleeve or a channel defined within the patient. Where the shaft is capable of shape retention, the shape and configuration of the shaft may be deformed, for example, manually by the operator, and the shape is retained until repositioned or, alternately, via control wires extending from the handle, through the shaft which can control the direction, shape and configuration of the shaft.
The shaft may be comprised of a suitable plastic polymeric material, metal, other suitable materials or a combination thereof. The material may also be manufactured into a preformed configuration using heat-forming techniques such as, for example, thermoforming which allows a shaft made of plastic in part or in whole to be preformed into a particular shape or corresponding to a specific medical procedure. Other methods may also be used, such as conventional shape forming methods, to form metallic materials into a particular shape. The outer shaft also may have a generally fluted, accordion, corrugated or undulating shape-retaining surface.
In another aspect of the present invention the shaft may be comprised of an outer flexible shaft and an inner metallic element extending along the shaft between the handle portion and the end effector. The inner malleable element preferably is capable of shape retention and can be manually moved or deformed into a desired configuration where at least a portion of the shaft extends at an angled direction relative to another portion of the shaft. Manual movement allows deflection or angling of the shaft along one or more portions of the shaft and is preferably provided at the distal portion of the shaft which is inserted into the patient's body. Manual movement can be effectuated in one or more planes relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The shape and configuration of the shaft may be set, for example, directly by hand or indirectly using control rods. It is contemplated that the metallic element may be in the form of, for example, a metal rod, a spiral wound wire, as well as other malleable shape retention members or configurations.
Other features and aspects of the present invention are set forth in the following detailed description and claims.
indicated encircled area.
Although the present invention is illustrated in the context of an endoscopic stapler, the present invention is not, in its broader aspects, limited to a stapler or to a particular type of end effector. Accordingly, it should be understood that the following description of the present invention in its present and preferred stapler construction is for the purposes of illustration, and not for the purposes of limiting various aspects of the present invention to the specific structure or form shown in the drawings.
Turning first to a brief overview of the illustrated instrument, as shown in
The barrel portion 106 comprises a hollow elongated cylindrical barrel 116 may be made of suitable metal, although rigid plastic may also be used. The barrel is sufficiently small to allow introduction of the instrument through the lumen of a trocar or other introductory device employed in the surgical procedure for access through the skin of the patient to the surgical site. The barrel 116 contains the fluid flow tubing 118 and 120 of the hydraulic actuation systems for, respectively, closing the distal effector jaws and firing staples. In addition, the barrel contains a balloon retractor subassembly, generally at 122 in
The effector or implement end 104 of the instrument may be seen in
The end effector assembly of
Turning now to
It is contemplated that the hydraulic fluid used in these systems will be water or a combination of water-alcohol mixture to prevent the growth of organisms within the hydraulic fluid. Incompressible liquids are the preferred hydraulic fluid, but other liquids, and possibly even gases, could also be used as the hydraulic fluid, if so desired.
The clamping piston is moved forward, in a distal direction, by pivoting of clamp lever 144 toward the fixed pistol grip 110. Clamp lever 144 is pivotally mounted on cylindrical boss 146 that extends from the inside surface of handle shell 108. The clamp lever includes a raised arcuate segment that carries a series of gear teeth 148 on its upper surface, which engage with the teeth of the clamping piston gear rack 136, forming a rack and pinion arrangement. Upon pivoting of the clamping lever rearwardly, the clamping piston is forced forward or distally into bore 132, pressurizing the liquid located within the closed hydraulic system for the clamping action.
To lock the clamp lever in the clamped position, the handle assembly includes a release button 150. The release button has a proximal external thumb release tab 152 and a distal nose 154 that cooperates with upper surfaces 156 of the clamp lever that flank the gear teeth 148. The release button 150 is pivotally mounted on a cylindrical boss 158 (extending from the inside surface of housing shell 108) intermediate the thumb tab and the nose piece so that downward pressure on the thumb tab raises the nose piece. Coil spring 160 is attached to the release button to bias the nose downwardly. As will be described in more detail later, when the clamp lever is pulled to the clamping position, the nose of release button 150 falls into a locking notch 162 in the clamp lever to hold it in the clamped position. After the jaws are clamped, the next action required of the surgeon is to fire the staples so that they extend through and clench the tissue that is gripped between the closed jaws. To carry out this action, the handle assembly includes a firing trigger 164 and a safety latch 166. The firing trigger is also pivotally mounted on boss 146 of the handle. As can be seen in
The firing trigger is biased by torsion spring 170 to an extended firing position. However, until firing is needed, the trigger is held in retracted position within the handle by the safety latch 166. The safety latch 166 includes laterally extending wings 172 that extend through access openings or windows 174 in each side of the handle body 112.
The safety latch is also pivotally mounted to the body and biased by a spring wire 176 to a latched position, where it retains the firing trigger in an inaccessible retracted position within the handle until the surgeon wishes to fire the staples. At that time, the firing trigger is deployed by pushing on the end of one of the wings 172 that extends through side window in the handle. This action pivots the safety latch to a release position, allowing the firing trigger to deploy downwardly, due to the bias of torsion spring 170. The surgeon may then squeeze the firing trigger, causing gear teeth 258 on the upper surface of the firing trigger to move the staple firing piston forward, pressurizing the hydraulic fluid within the staple firing hydraulic circuit. The details of the various clamping and staple firing actions is shown more clearly in later drawings, where extraneous parts or pieces have been removed to clarify an understanding of the different operations of the illustrated device.
Turning now to the distal or effector end of the instrument 100, the parts of the distal end may first be seen in
The lower jaw 124 includes a bent u-shaped sheet metal channel 180 that includes an inclined slot 182 in each side wall and a pivot opening 184 in each side wall, where the upper jaw is pivotally attached to the lower jaw. The proximal end of the channel 180 is also formed into an articulation joint or knuckle, generally at 128, for pivotally joining, via pivot pin 129, with the distal end of the barrel or shaft 116.
The lower jaw includes a replaceable staple supply cartridge, generally at 186, which fits into a unshaped bent metal receiver 188 located within channel 180. The staple cartridge includes a side recess 189 for receiving a locator tab on the upper jaw where the jaws are clamped together. The lower jaw also includes a balloon housing 190 for housing the staple actuation balloon 192. The balloon terminates in a rounded balloon tip 194 for engaging against a wedge 196 in the staple cartridge. Axial expansion of the balloon forces the wedge through the staple cartridge, the sloped forward surface of wedge 196 forcing the staples upwardly out of the cartridge.
The upper jaw 126 of the end effector includes an anvil body 198 that has pivot openings 200 for pivotal attachment to the lower jaw pivot openings 184 by pivot pin 202. The anvil body 198 also includes a pair of slots 204 that cooperate with inclined slots 182 in the lower jaw, via slide pin 206, for relative opening and closing of the jaws. The anvil body further includes a staple cartridge locator tab 207, for insertion into the side recess 189 of the staple cartridge for positively locating the staple cartridge when the jaws close.
The upper jaw 126 also includes a nose piece 208 that has a central bore 210 for receiving piston 212. The piston 212 cooperates with a linkage 214 to open and close the jaws. More specifically, piston rod 216 extends through linkage eye 218 and through a coil spring 220 and into the nose piece bore 210 (with bushing 211 closing the proximal end of the nose piece bore except for a small hydraulic fluid port in the bushing). The linkage 214 includes pivot openings 222 that cooperate, via slide pin 206, with the slots 204 in the anvil body and inclined slots 182 in the lower jaw channel, as will be described in more detail later. Finally, the upper jaw includes an anvil former 224 which has concave pockets for receiving and bending over the staples to clench tissue gripped between the jaws, and a torsion spring 226 for laterally biasing the jaws to a angle position relative to the barrel 116.
The balloon retraction subassembly 122 located within the barrel includes a balloon retractor tube 234 extending longitudinally within the barrel and closed at each end by a bushing 236. Hydraulic fluid from the staple firing piston communicates with the interior of the balloon retractor tube through tubing 120 that is attached to a hydraulic fluid port in the proximal bushing 236. The hydraulic fluid path extends through the distal end bushing 236 to an extension of tubing 120 that continues to the proximal end of balloon 192, located in the lower jaw of the effector assembly.
The balloon retractor tube 234 encloses, as best seen in
In the position illustrated in
The proximal end of the nose piece is closed by a bushing 211, to which the hydraulic tubing 118 is attached. The fluid space 250 located between bushing 211 and piston 212, in normal operation, will be filled with hydraulic fluid. Upon pressurization of the hydraulic fluid, the piston will be moved distally or forwardly (to the left in
The forward or distal end of the nose piece is slotted on the underside to receive the eye 218 of linkage 214. As the piston moves to the left, action of the slide pin 206 moving along slots 204 in the upper jaw anvil body and 182 in the lower jaw channel pull the slots together, closing the jaws. Movement of the piston also compresses the coil spring 220 that extends between an inner shoulder 252 on the nose piece and the linkage eye 218. Accordingly, in the event of failure of the hydraulic clamping system, the spring 220 will move the piston 212 to a jaw-open position.
In the fully clamped position, the gear teeth 140 on the upper end of the clamp lever 144 have advanced the clamping piston 136 more completely in the compressed direction (to the left in the drawing), creating increased pressure in the clamping hydraulic circuit and further compressing piston coil spring 140.
As shown in
When it is desired to open the jaws, the above described action is reversed. The thumb tab 152 on the release button 150 is depressed, raising the nose 154 of the release button from the lock-out notch 162 in the clamp lever, and allowing the clamp lever to rotate clockwise to the open position. The bias of the compressed springs 220 in the upper jaw and 140 in the handle force the clamping piston 136 outwardly of the bore 130 in the hydraulic cylinder block to a low pressure position, where it was initially, as seen in
Turning now to the stapling action, the hydraulic circuit of the stapling action may be seen in
The handle mechanism by which the staple firing sequence occurs is perhaps best seen in
To hold the firing trigger in a retracted and inaccessible position until after the surgeon is satisfied with the clamping, the present invention employs the safety latch 166. As seen in
As described briefly earlier, the safety latch includes a pair of wings 172 extending laterally from the body 266, and through windows 174 in the side walls of the handle. When the surgeon is satisfied with the clamping action, he or she may, by pushing on the end of the wings protruding through the window, pivot the safety latch clockwise to remove the latch tongue 272 from the firing trigger window 274, and allow the firing trigger to deploy under the biasing force of the torsion spring 170.
In the deployed position, the firing trigger is accessible to the surgeon for executing the firing action of the staples. Similar to the clamping action, pulling on the trigger causes, through the meshing of gear teeth 258 and the teeth of the staple firing piston rack, the staple firing piston to move distally to compress the hydraulic fluid in the firing piston bore 134 and to compress the coil spring 142 that surrounds the firing piston. As hydraulic pressure is increased by the movement of the piston in the handle, the increased pressure is transmitted to the balloon 192 through the hollow tube 120, the balloon retractor tube 234, and tubing extension.
The staple firing sequence in the distal lower jaw is most easily understood by reference to
Within the staple cartridge, as is well known in the prior art, each staple 286 is located atop a driver 288, and the drivers are aligned in a generally axial direction. As the wedge is forced forward or distally through the cartridge, the drivers are forced up the ramp surface of the wedge, ejecting the staples and forcing them against the anvil former that is located in the upper jaw.
The balloon 192 has a fluted wall which allows it to be repeatedly expanded and retracted. As shown in
There is yet one additional safety feature associated with the firing of the staples in the instrument 100. Turning to
As best seen in
Slidably mounted over the ball is a socket 298, also formed by joining two halves, which includes a distal bore 300 for fixedly receiving the proximal end of the barrel or shaft 116. The proximal inside surface of the socket is curved to match the hemispherical shape of the ball, forming a relatively tight but still slidable frictional fit between the ball and socket. For locking engagement of the proximal end of the shaft into the socket, each socket half includes a inwardly extending tab 302, which enters a mating slot 228 in the proximal end of the barrel. This serves to lock the barrel or shaft in a fixed position relative to the socket. Accordingly, with this construction, the handle may be pivoted relative to the barrel or shaft in any direction for up to about 20 degrees.
As clear from the description, the end effector of the present invention is also articulated relative to the barrel or shaft. As best seen in
For particular application of this device to the isolation of the atrial appendage, torsion spring 226 is located on the vertical pin, biasing the jaws at a lateral angle of about 30 degrees relative to the barrel, although other degrees of biasing may be employed, if desired. The spring allows the jaws and barrel to be in alignment as they pass through the trocar in the patient and to the treatment site, but as the distal end of the instrument emerges from the trocar, the jaws move to the angled position to which it is predisposed by the torsion spring.
The end effector may also be mounted for articulation in other directions, such as vertically or at another angle. Also, the articulation joint between the barrel and end effector may be a gimbal or ball and socket type joint, such as used between the barrel and handle, for 360° of articulation. With such a joint, control wires extending from the handle, through the barrel and to the end effector could be used to control the direction and amount of articulation of the end effector to effect precise changes or adjustments to the position of the end effector, as may be required for particularly delicate medical procedures.
The flexible outer shaft 404 includes a proximal end, generally indicated at 408, and a distal end, generally indicated at 410. The elongated shaft defines a longitudinal shaft axis, generally indicated at 412, at the distal end thereof. At least a portion of the shaft may be manually moveable to a direction in which it extends at an angle to another portion of the shaft. For example, the shaft 106 may be shaped from the straight orientation as illustrated in
The flexible outer shaft 404 is preferably made of a polymer which is flexible along its length or, alternately, may be made of a metallic material and/or other suitable materials as well as a combination of any of the aforementioned materials such as where the shaft has a multi-layered construction. It is contemplated that the polymeric material may be resilient, so that it tends to return to its original shape, may be capable of shape retention whereby the flexible outer shaft will remain in the configuration in which it is positioned, or may be made of a material which allows the shaft to be freely conforming to the pathway defined by the surrounding environment. Where the shaft is capable of shape retention, the shaft may be manually moveable by the operator such as prior to insertion of the instrument into a patient or directly or indirectly at any time thereafter. Where the shaft is resilient or freely conforming, movement of the shaft may effectuated by exterior surfaces such as, for example, trocars or insertion sleeves which have the desired angled configuration acting upon at least a portion of the shaft so as to manually move, bias, flex or bend the shaft along that portion.
As best shown in
The shaft may further comprise a structure analogous to the overlapping spiral shell of BX electrical cable, which allows the shaft to flex relatively freely while protecting the inner conduit. In BX electrical cable, the outer armor shell is cross-sectionally S-shaped, with adjoining spiral sections interlocking, as illustrated in
In addition to those shapes shown in
Although the instruments in
The control rods 510 allow for manipulation of the shaft configuration from the handle portion 102 of the instrument. Movement of the knobs 512 at the handle portion effectuates movement of the shaft along at least a portion of the shaft. Tension, rotation or compression and/or any combination of these forces may be applied to the control rods by the control member. For example, in
In fact, any number of different end effector orientations are contemplated without departing from the present invention.
It is contemplated, however, that other angles may be utilized depending on the desired configuration for the medical procedure. The end effector may be angled relative to other directions and degrees so that virtually unlimited configurations are possible for at least a portion of the end effector relative to another portion of the end effector and/or the shaft assembly.
The configuration illustrated in
As particularly illustrated in
As compared to
As previously mentioned, it is contemplated that a variety of other orientations are possible. For example, the end effector assembly may be curved along its length or a portion thereof to the right or to the left, upwards or downwards, or any combination thereof. Although the angle of curvature is shown as generally being an acute angle, other angles are also possible. In addition, the degree and sharpness of the curvature may vary. In addition, either or both of the upper and lower jaws may be comprised of a rigid material or, alternatively, may be flexible so as to allow manual movement of at least a portion of the end effector assembly relative to another portion.
As can be seen from the above description, the present invention has several different aspects and features, which are not limited to the specific device shown in the attached drawings or to the specific procedures discussed. Various of these features may be embodied in other devices for carrying out other procedures, including but not limited to stapling, cutting, grasping, coagulating or other surgical procedures.
Although shown in a manual form, for direct control by the surgeon, the present invention is also applicable in robotically controlled procedures. The hydraulic actuation of the present invention particularly lends itself to small diameter instruments, multi-axis articulation and large force (e.g., clamping or cutting force) generation, which are not only advantageous in manual applications but are also particularly useful in robotic applications, where the instrument operation is remotely controlled through a robotic controller module or unit.
In a robotic application, for example, the end effector assembly could be attached, by way of an elongated shaft, with a remote hydraulic pressure source. The hydraulic pressure source (which may include multiple independent hydraulic pressure sources) could be remotely controlled via electronic or electromechanical controller operated by programmable microprocessor alone or in combination with manual control or voice control commands or both, as already known in the art of remote robotic control.
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|International Classification||A61B17/28, A61B17/072, A61B17/00|
|Cooperative Classification||A61B2017/07214, A61B2017/07221, A61B17/07207, A61B2017/00539, A61B2017/2904, A61B2017/2905, A61B2017/2927, A61B2017/00557, A61B2017/00398|
|Oct 8, 2009||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: RICHARD A. HILLSTEAD, INC., GEORGIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:CEREBRAL VASCULAR APPLICATIONS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:023344/0021
Effective date: 20090928
|Apr 27, 2015||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4