| Articulating endoscopic accessory channel -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  Articulating endoscopic accessory channelUSPTO Application #: 20070225562Title: Articulating endoscopic accessory channel Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for controlling movement of a working end of a surgical device. In one embodiment, methods and devices are provided for moving an end effector on a distal end of a surgical fastening device. Movement can include rotational movement of the end effector about an axis of the shaft, articulation of the end effector relative to the shaft, and actuation of an end effector, e.g., closing, firing, and/or cutting. In other embodiments, a single cable actuator is provided and is movable between a first position, in which it is effective to rotate an end effector without actuating (i.e., closing and firing) the end effector, and a second position, in which it is effective to actuate the end effector without rotating the end effector. In other aspects, methods and devices are provided for moving a flexible neck formed on a distal end of an accessory channel for use with an endoscope. Movement of the flexible neck can be used to control positioning of a tool extending through the flexible neck. (end of abstract) Agent: Nutter Mcclennen & Fish LLP - Boston, MA, US Inventors: James T. Spivey, Mark S. Ortiz, Frederick E. Shelton USPTO Applicaton #: 20070225562 - Class: 600121000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Surgery, Endoscope, With Protective Sheath The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070225562. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates broadly to methods and devices for controlling movement of a working end of a surgical device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Endoscopic surgical instruments are often preferred over traditional open surgical devices since the use of a natural orifice tends to reduce the post-operative recovery time and complications. Consequently, significant development has gone into a range of endoscopic surgical instruments that are suitable for precise placement of a working end of a tool at a desired surgical site through a natural orifice. These tools can be used to engage and/or treat tissue in a number of ways to achieve a diagnostic or therapeutic effect. [0003] Endoscopic surgery requires that the shaft of the device be flexible while still allowing the working end to be articulated to angularly orient the working end relative to the tissue, and in some cases to be actuated to fire or otherwise effect movement of the working end. Integration of the controls for articulating and actuating a working end of an endoscopic device tend to be complicated by the use of a flexible shaft and by the size constraints of an endoscopic instrument. Generally, the control motions are all transferred through the shaft as longitudinal translations, which can interfere with the flexibility of the shaft. There is also a desire to lower the force necessary to articulate and/or actuate the working end to a level that all or a great majority of surgeons can handle. One known solution to lower the force-to-fire is to use electrical motors. However, surgeons typically prefer to experience feedback from the working end to assure proper operation of the end effector. The user-feedback effects are not suitably realizable in present motor-driven devices. [0004] Accordingly, there remains a need for improved methods and devices for controlling movement of a working end of an endoscopic surgical device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] In one embodiment, a surgical device is provided having an elongate shaft with a proximal end having a handle movably coupled thereto, and a distal end having a flexible neck extending therefrom. The handle and the flexible neck can be operatively associated such that movement of the handle is effective to cause the flexible neck to articulate in multiple planes. In certain exemplary embodiments, movement of the handle can be mimicked by the flexible neck. The device can also include an actuator extending between the handle and the flexible neck and configured to transfer movement from the handle to the flexible neck. [0006] The handle of the device can have a variety of configurations, but in one embodiment the handle can be adapted to articulate relative to the proximal end of the elongate shaft. For example, the handle can be coupled to the proximal end of the elongate shaft by a joint, such as a ball and socket joint, a hinge joint, or a flexing joint. The actuator of the device can also have a variety of configurations, and in one embodiment the actuator can be at least one cable extending along a length of the elongate shaft. For example, the device can include a plurality of cables extending along a length of the shaft and equally spaced apart from one another around a circumference of the actuator. The cables are configured to slide relative to an axis of the elongate shaft and to apply tension to the elongate shaft to cause at least a portion of the elongate shaft to flex and bend. The handle and/or the cables can also optionally include a locking mechanism associated therewith and configured to maintain the handle and/or cables in a fixed position. In an exemplary embodiment, the elongate shaft is configured to passively flex and bend when it is inserted through a tortuous lumen. [0007] The elongate shaft can also have a variety of configurations, but in one embodiment the device can be in the form of a surgical stapler and the elongate shaft can include an end effector coupled to a distal end of the flexible neck and adapted to engage tissue and deliver at least one fastener into the engaged tissue. The handle and the end effector can be coupled such that movement of the handle is mimicked by the end effector. For example, the handle can be coupled to the proximal end of the elongate shaft by a joint, such as a ball and socket joint, a hinge joint, and a flexing joint, and the flexible neck can be formed on or coupled to the end effector to allow the end effector to proportionally mimic movement of the handle. The device can also include an actuator extending between the handle and the end effector and configured to transfer movement from the handle to the flexible neck. The actuator can be, for example, a plurality of cables extending along a length of the elongate shaft. The cables can be equally spaced apart from one another around a circumference of the elongate shaft. [0008] In another embodiment, the device can be in the form of an accessory channel and the elongate shaft can be in the form of a tube having an inner lumen adapted to receive a tool therethrough. The flexible neck extending from the distal end of the elongate tube can be configured to flex to orient a tool extending through the elongate tube. The flexible neck can have a variety of configurations, but in one embodiment it includes a plurality of slits formed therein to facilitate flexion thereof. The slits can be configured to cause the flexible neck to flex into a desired orientation. For example, the flexible neck can include a distal region of slits and a proximal region of slits, and the slits can be configured such that tension applied to the flexible neck will cause the flexible neck to bend at the proximal and distal regions. A handle can be coupled to the proximal end of the elongate tube, and it can operatively associated with the flexible neck such that movement of the handle is mimicked by the flexible neck. The handle can also have a variety of configurations, and in one embodiment the handle can include a stationary member and a movable member adapted to articulate relative to the stationary member. The movable member can be coupled to the stationary member by a joint, such as a ball and socket joint, a hinge joint, and a flexing joint. In use, the accessory channel can be configured to releasably attach to an endoscope. For example, a mating element can be formed on and extend along a length of an external surface thereof for mating to a complementary mating element formed on a sleeve adapted to receive an endoscope. The device can also include an actuator extending between the handle and the flexible neck. The actuator can be configured to transfer movement from the handle to the flexible neck. In certain exemplary embodiments, the actuator is in the form of at least one cable extending along a length of the elongate tube. Where the actuator includes multiple cables, the cables are preferably equally spaced apart from one another around a circumference of the elongate tube. The cables can extend along the elongate tube using various techniques. For example, the elongate tube can include at least one lumen formed in a sidewall thereof and extending along the length thereof, and the cable(s) can be slidably disposed within the lumen(s). The device can also include a locking mechanism positioned to engage at least one of the handle and the cable(s) to lock the handle and the cable(s) in a fixed position. [0009] The present invention also provides an endoscopic system having an elongate sleeve configured to be disposed around an endoscope, and an accessory channel removably matable to the elongate sleeve. The accessory channel can have an inner lumen extending therethrough between proximal and distal ends thereof for receiving a tool, a flexible portion formed on a distal portion thereof and being made flexible by a plurality of slits formed therein, and at least one handle coupled to the proximal end thereof and operatively associated with the flexible portion such that the handle(s) is configured to cause the flexible portion to articulate in at least one plane. The handle(s) can be operatively associated with the flexible portion by at least one cable, and the handle(s) can be configured to axially move the cable(s) relative to the accessory channel to cause the cable(s) to apply tension to the flexible portion of the accessory channel such that the flexible portion articulates in at least one plane. In one embodiment, the device can include a single handle configured to cause the flexible portion to articulate in multiple planes. The single handle can include a stationary member coupled to the proximal end of the accessory channel, and a movable member configured to articulate relative to the stationary member. The single handle and the flexible portion can be operatively associated such that movement of the single handle is mimicked by the flexible portion. In another embodiment, the handle can include a first member configured to cause the flexible portion to articulate in a first plane, and a second member configured to cause the flexible portion to articulate in a second plane. In particular, the handle can include a stationary member coupled to the proximal end of the accessory channel, and the first and second members can be rotatably coupled to the stationary member. The device can further include a first spool coupled to the first member and having at least one cable extending therefrom and coupled to the flexible portion, and a second spool coupled to the second member and having at least one cable extending therefrom and coupled to the flexible portion. The first and second members can be effective to rotate the first and second spools and thereby move the cables axially to cause the flexible portion to articulate. [0010] The surgical devices disclosed herein can also include a variety of other features. For example, the device can include an optical image gathering unit disposed on a distal end of the elongate shaft. The optical image gathering unit can be adapted to acquire images during endoscopic procedures. An image display screen can be disposed on a proximal portion of the device and adapted to communicate with the optical image gathering unit to display the acquired images. In other embodiments, the end effector of the device can include a cartridge removably disposed therein and containing a plurality of staples for stapling tissue and a blade for cutting stapled tissue. [0011] In other aspects, a surgical method is provided and includes inserting an elongate shaft into a body lumen to position a flexible neck coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft adjacent to tissue to be treated, and moving a handle pivotally coupled to a proximal end of the elongate shaft to cause the flexible neck to mimic the motion of the handle. The flexible neck can mirror movement of the handle, or movement of the flexible neck can directly correspond to movement of the handle. In certain exemplary embodiments, the movement is proportional. [0012] In one exemplary embodiment, an end effector coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft is positioned adjacent to tissue to be fastened, and a handle pivotally coupled to a proximal end of the elongate shaft is moved to cause the end effector to proportionally mimic the motion of the handle. The end effector can mirror movement of the handle, or movement of the end effector can directly correspond to movement of the handle. In an exemplary embodiment, the handle is pivotally articulated about the proximal end of the elongate shaft to cause the end effector to mimic the motion of the handle. The method can further include engaging tissue between opposed jaws of the end effector, and driving at least one fastener from the end effector into the tissue. Tissue can be engaging by moving a translating member formed on the handle from a first position to a second position to close the opposed jaws, and the fasteners can be fired by rotating a rotatable member formed on the handle to actuate a driver mechanism disposed within the end effector to cause the driver mechanism to drive a plurality of fasteners into the tissue. In another embodiment, prior to moving the translating member from the first position to the second position, the rotatable member can be rotated to rotate the end effector relative to the flexible neck without actuating the driver mechanism. [0013] In yet another aspect, the elongate shaft can be in the form of an accessory channel that is slidably mated to an endoscope disposed within a body cavity to position a distal end of the accessory channel in proximity to a distal end of the endoscope. A tool is inserted through a lumen in the accessory channel such that the tool extends distally beyond the distal end of the accessory channel, and a handle coupled to a proximal end of the accessory channel can be moved to cause a flexible neck on the distal end of the accessory channel to articulate, thereby causing a working end of the tool to be oriented in a desired position. The handle can be moved by pivotally articulating the handle relative to the accessory channel, or alternatively is can be moved by rotating at least one rotatable member on the handle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [0015] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of one embodiment of a surgical stapling and cutting device, showing a working end of the device in an initial position; [0016] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the surgical stapling and cutting device of FIG. 1A, showing the working end of the device in an articulated position; [0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a flexible neck of the device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B; [0018] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a distal portion of the device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, showing an end effector and the flexible neck of FIG. 2 coupled thereto; [0019] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken across line 3B-3B of the end effector shown in FIG. 3A; [0020] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a proximal portion of the device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, showing a handle movably coupled to a proximal end of a shaft of the device; Continue reading... Full patent description for Articulating endoscopic accessory channel Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Articulating endoscopic accessory channel patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Articulating endoscopic accessory channel or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Endoscope and display device Next Patent Application: Insertion portion of an endoscope Industry Class: Surgery ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Articulating endoscopic accessory channel patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 2.86795 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Tyco , Unilever , Warner-lambert , 3m |
||
