Surgical device for stabilizing or immobilizing moving tissue

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10098623-B2
Application number	US-201414774858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A surgical device for stabilizing or immobilizing moved tissue or for positioning organs, especially a part of a beating heart, includes a flexible arm, especially a link arm, fixed or fixable to a base member which arm can be brought into different positions and/or attitudes and at the free end of which at least one retaining element is arranged, and comprising a tightening mechanism by which the arm can be fixed at a desired position. The tightening mechanism is tightened and/or released by means of a manually controllable external power source.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A surgical device for stabilizing or immobilizing moving tissue, or for positioning organs or for positioning and holding surgical instruments and apparatuses during surgical intervention, comprising:
a base member adapted to be fastened to a retaining device provided in or at an operation site by a fastening portion;
a flexible arm adapted to be fastened to the base member which arm can be brought into different positions and/or attitudes and at a free end of which at least one retaining element is arranged; and
a tightening mechanism by which the arm can be fixed in a desired position and which includes:
a pull rope which is guided through a plurality of link elements of the arm that are movable relative to one another and by which the link elements can be frictionally braced against each other; and
an actuating mechanism for actuating the pull rope, wherein the surgical device has a modular design and the arm is mechanically connectable to and disconnectable from the base member without using tools,
the tightening mechanism is automatically tightened by a spring mechanically coupled to the pull rope to exert tension force on the pull rope, and the tightening mechanism is released by means of a power source through which the actuating mechanism can be actuated, and
the actuating mechanism comprises a setting element which can be brought into an extended position by means of the power source so that, when a mechanical connection between the arm and the base member is made, at the same time the pull rope is coupled to the setting element of the actuating mechanism.

2. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the power source is outside the base member.

3. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the power source can be controlled via at least one actuating element which is manually operable and arranged on a distal and/or proximal side of the arm and/or on the base member.

4. The surgical device according to claim 3 , wherein
the power source is a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure source or an electric power source;
the actuating mechanism is a cylinder-piston mechanism to be actuated hydraulically, pneumatically or by an electric motor; and
a fluid control valve for controlling a fluid pressure acting on the cylinder-piston mechanism or an electric control device for controlling an electric power acting on the electric motor for moving the cylinder-piston mechanism can be controlled via the at least one actuating element.

5. The surgical device according to claim 4 , wherein each of the link elements includes a central pull rope passage for the pull rope and at least one eccentrically arranged recess for a control line between the at least one actuating element and the fluid control valve or the electric control device.

6. The surgical device according to claim 5 , wherein the central pull rope passage and the at least one recess are provided in a rotary disk rotatably supported in the link element or
the link elements include an anti-rotation protection comprising engaged locking elements so as to restrict twisting of the link elements around the pull rope.

7. The surgical device according to claim 4 , wherein between the at least one power source and the base member an adapter unit is interconnected which is connected via detachable lines on one side to the base member and on an opposite side to the at least one power source.

8. The surgical device according to claim 7 , wherein the fluid control valve or the electric control device is arranged in the adapter unit.

9. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the power source in the form of a self-sustained energy storage unit can be detachably inserted in the arm or is integrated in the same so that, when the mechanical connection is made between the arm and the base member, at the same time the base member and the energy storage unit are interconnected.

10. The surgical device according to claim 9 , wherein
the energy storage unit is fixedly integrated in the arm, wherein the arm is designed for single use and the energy stored in the energy storage unit can only be used and/or is designed only for a period of use between a first coupling of the arm to the base member and a first decoupling of the arm from the base member.

11. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining element is provided with a universal adapter.

12. A surgical working arm for being arranged on a base member of a surgical device according to claim 1 to be fastened to a retaining device provided in or at an operation site by a fastening portion for stabilizing or immobilizing moving tissue or for positioning organs the working arm comprising:
a flexible link arm adapted to be brought into different positions which includes a plurality of strung link elements movable relative to one another and formed to be complementary;
at least one retaining element arranged at a distal end of the link arm; and
a coupling portion for mechanical and functional connection of the working arm to the surgical device, wherein a pull rope which is guided through the link elements and by which the link elements can be frictionally braced against each other includes a proximal connecting portion which can be connected to and disconnected from a tightening mechanism provided in the surgical device without using tools.

13. The surgical working arm according to claim 12 comprising:
an actuating element provided at the distal end of the link arm for controlling the tightening mechanism provided in the surgical device; and
control lines extending inside the link arm which connect the actuating element to interfaces provided in the coupling portion for transmission of control signals or instructions to the surgical device.

14. The surgical working arm according to claim 12 , wherein the retaining element is provided with a universal adapter.

15. The surgical working arm according to claim 12 , wherein an energy storage unit can be detachably inserted into the working arm or is integrated in the same, such that, when a mechanical and functional connection of the working arm to the surgical device is made, the surgical device can be supplied with energy from the energy storage unit.

Assignees

• Aesculap Ag

Inventors

• Vogtherr Robert
• Seyfried Dominik
• Elisch Andreas
• Beck Thomas
• Genoni Michele
• Weisshaupt Dieter
• Morales Pedro

Classifications

• A61B2017/0243

  for immobilizing local areas of the heart, e.g. while it beats · CPC title

• A61B2017/00535

  pneumatically or hydraulically operated (A61B2017/22051, A61B2090/401 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2017/00314

  Separate linked members · CPC title

• A61B2017/0046

  with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable · CPC title

• A61B2090/508

  with releasable brake mechanisms · CPC title