Articulating surgical instruments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016249901-A1
Application number	US-201615149413-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 9, 2016
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A surgical instrument and its method of use are disclosed. In one embodiment, the surgical instrument may include a handle and an elongated shaft assembly extending distally from the handle. The elongated shaft assembly may include an articulable portion with an articulation direction. The elongated shaft assembly may also include a tubular member with a flexible portion with a preferential bending direction and a direction of bending resistance. The tubular member may permit articulation of the elongated shaft assembly when the preferential bending direction is aligned with the articulation direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 - 30 . (canceled)

31 . A method of operating a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
displacing a first tubular member of an elongated shaft assembly, the first tubular member including a flexible portion with a preferential bending direction and a direction of bending resistance to selectively align the preferential bending direction of the first tubular member with an articulation direction of the an articulable portion of the elongated shaft assembly, wherein aligning the preferential bending direction of the first tubular member with the articulation direction of the articulable portion to permits articulation of the elongated shaft assembly.

32 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising displacing the first tubular member to selectively align the direction of bending resistance with the articulation direction of the elongated shaft assembly to prevent articulation of the elongated shaft assembly.

33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein displacing the first tubular member comprises rotating the tubular member.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein rotating the first tubular member comprises rotating the tubular member by 90°.

35 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the direction of bending resistance is parallel to a plane extending between a first spine and a second spine located on opposite sides of the first tubular member, and displacing the first tubular member includes aligning the plane with the articulation direction of the elongated shaft assembly.

36 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising axially displacing at least a portion of the elongated shaft assembly relative to a distal end of the first tubular member.

37 . The method of claim 31 , wherein displacing the first tubular member further comprising aligning the preferential bending direction of the first tubular member with at least one of a preferential bending direction of a second tubular member and a preferential bending direction of a third tubular member within the elongated shaft assembly to permit articulation of the elongated shaft assembly.

38 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising displacing the first tubular member to align the direction of bending resistance with at least one of the preferential bending direction of the second tubular member and the preferential bending direction of the third tubular member to prevent articulation of the elongated shaft assembly.

39 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising axially displacing a proximal end of the second tubular member relative to a proximal end of the third tubular member to articulate the elongated shaft.

40 . A method of operating a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
rotating a first tubular member of an articulable elongated shaft assembly including an articulable portion to selectively prevent articulation of the articulable portion of the elongated shaft assembly, wherein the first tubular member includes a first flexible portion with a first spine and a second spine that at least partially overlap the flexible portion of the elongated shaft assembly.

41 . The method of claim 40 , wherein rotating the first tubular member includes aligning the first and second spines with an articulation direction of the articulable portion of the elongated shaft assembly to selectively prevent articulation of the articulable portion of the elongated shaft assembly.

42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the elongated shaft assembly includes a second tubular member including a second flexible portion with a third spine, and wherein rotating the first tubular member includes aligning the first and second spines with the third spine to selectively prevent articulation of the articulable portion of the elongated shaft assembly.

43 . The method of claim 42 , further comprising axially displacing a proximal end of the first tubular member relative to a proximal end of the second tubular member to articulate the articulable portion of the elongated shaft assembly.

44 . The method of claim 43 , further comprising preventing relative axial movement of the first and second tubular members at a position distal from the first and second flexible portions.

45 . The method of claim 42 , wherein rotating the first tubular member rotates the first tubular member relative to a third tubular member of the elongated shaft assembly including a third flexible portion with a fourth spine.

46 . The method of claim 45 , further comprising axially displacing a proximal end of the second tubular member relative to a proximal end of the third tubular member to articulate the articulable portion of the elongated shaft assembly.

47 . The method of claim 46 , further comprising preventing relative axial movement of the second and third tubular members at a position distal from second and third flexible portions.

48 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the third tubular member includes a fifth spine, and wherein the fourth spine and the fifth spine are perpendicular to the first spine to permit articulation of the articulable portion of the elongated shaft assembly.

49 . The method of claim 48 , wherein rotating the first tubular member includes aligning the first and second spines with the fourth and fifth spines to selectively permit articulation of the articulable portion of the elongated shaft assembly.

50 . A method of operating a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
rotating a tubular member of an elongated shaft assembly between an articulable configuration and a non-articulable configuration to selectively permit or prevent articulation of the elongated shaft assembly.

51 . The method of claim 50 , wherein rotating the tubular member between the articulable configuration and the non-articulable configuration further comprises selectively aligning a direction of bending resistance and a preferential bending direction of the tubular member with an articulation direction of the elongated shaft assembly to selectively permit or prevent articulation of the elongated shaft assembly.

52 . The method of claim 51 , wherein the direction of the bending resistance is defined by a plane extending between a first spine and a second spine formed in a flexible portion of the tubular member.

53 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the first spine and the second spine are formed on opposing sides of the flexible portion of the tubular member.

Assignees

• Bard Inc C R

Inventors

• Ranucci Kevin J
• Cauldwell Nathan Stewart
• Felix Augustus

Classifications

• A61B2017/0647

  having one single leg, e.g. tacks · CPC title

• A61B17/29

  Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery · CPC title

• A61M25/0662

  Guide tubes · CPC title

• A61B1/0052

  Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles · CPC title

• A61B17/072

  for applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously · CPC title