Irrigation system and clip for a surgical instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9211373-B2
Application number	US-201113242106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2011
Priority date	Sep 23, 2011
Publication date	Dec 15, 2015
Grant date	Dec 15, 2015

Abstract

An irrigation system for a surgical instrument includes an irrigation tube arranged to convey an irrigation fluid and an irrigation clip structurally arranged to receive a portion of the irrigation tube. The irrigation clip includes a proximal portion, a distal portion, a body portion, and an arm portion. The arm portion is structurally configured to selectively attach the irrigation clip to the surgical instrument and to bias the irrigation clip toward the surgical instrument with a biasing force. The irrigation clip includes a tube locking portion structurally arranged to cooperate with the surgical instrument to engage the outer surface portion of the irrigation tube to inhibit rotation and axial displacement of the irrigation tube relative to the irrigation clip in response to the biasing force.

First claim

We claim:

1. An irrigation system for a surgical instrument, comprising:
an irrigation tube arranged to convey an irrigation fluid along and relative an exterior of the instrument, the irrigation tube having an outer surface portion;
an irrigation clip structurally arranged to receive a portion of the irrigation tube, the irrigation clip having a proximal portion, a distal portion, a body portion, and an arm portion, the arm portion structurally configured to selectively attach the irrigation clip to the surgical instrument and to bias the irrigation clip toward the surgical instrument with a biasing force,
wherein the irrigation clip includes a tube locking portion structurally arranged to cooperate with the surgical instrument to engage the outer surface portion of the irrigation tube to inhibit rotation and axial displacement of the irrigation tube relative to the irrigation clip in response to the biasing force; and
the body portion defines a passage extending therethrough for receipt of the irrigation tube therein, the passage being formed between a series of spaced, alternating offset upper and lower passage walls.

2. The irrigation system of claim 1 , wherein the tube locking portion comprises a tube receiving slot formed in the body portion and disposed to face the surgical instrument when the irrigation clip is attached to the surgical instrument, the portion of the irrigation tube being disposed within the slot.

3. The irrigation system of claim 2 , comprising a projecting locking feature disposed in the tube receiving slot, the irrigation tube being disposed within the tube receiving slot so that when the irrigation clip is attached to the surgical instrument, a portion of the outer surface of the irrigation tube presses against the surgical instrument to selectively clamp the irrigation tube between the surgical instrument and the projecting locking feature.

4. The irrigation system of claim 2 , wherein the tube locking portion comprises a locking tab displaceable relative to the body portion in response to the biasing force, the locking tab being arranged to engage and inhibit rotation of the surgical tube relative to the irrigation clip in response to the biasing force.

5. The irrigation system of claim 1 , wherein the tube locking portion comprises a locking tab displaceable relative to the body portion in response to the biasing force, the locking tab being arranged to engage and inhibit rotation and axial displacement of the surgical tube relative to the irrigation clip in response to the biasing force.

6. The irrigation system of claim 5 , wherein the locking tab comprises a protruding locking feature that engages the outer surface portion of the irrigation tube to inhibit axial displacement.

7. The irrigation system of claim 5 , wherein the locking tab comprises a first surface facing away from the body portion and an opposing second surface facing toward the irrigation tube, the first surface being configured to engage the surgical instrument when the irrigation system is attached to the surgical instrument to clamp the irrigation tube.

8. The irrigation system of claim 1 , comprising a tubular irrigation tip extending from the irrigation tube, the tubular irrigation tip having an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the irrigation tube and extendable from the distal portion of the irrigation clip.

9. The irrigation system of claim 8 , wherein the tubular irrigation tip comprises an annealed portion that can be flexed to direct irrigating fluid flow.

10. The irrigation system of claim 8 , wherein the tubular irrigation tip is telescopically adjustable in the passage relative to the body portion.

11. The irrigation system of claim 8 , wherein the arm portion of the irrigation clip comprises a first set of flexible arms and a second set of flexible arms, the first and second sets of flexible arms being arranged to snap the irrigation clip onto the surgical instrument.

12. The irrigation system of claim 1 , wherein the tube locking portion comprises a series of projections that engage the irrigation tube outer surface portion.

13. The irrigation system of claim 12 , wherein the projections are angled to inhibit axial movement more in one axial direction than in the opposing direction.

14. An irrigation system for connection to a surgical instrument comprising:
a body configured to support the irrigation system such that an irrigation fluid is carried along and relative to an exterior of the surgical instrument, the body defining a passage formed between a series of spaced, alternating offset upper and lower passage walls that extend between a distal portion and a proximal portion of the body for receipt of an irrigation tubing therein, the body having an outer side and an inner side, the inner side configured to face the surgical instrument when the body is connected to the surgical instrument, the inner side having an opening therein forming a tube receiving slot facing the inner side, the slot configured to receive the irrigation tubing;
means in the slot for engaging irrigation tubing within the slot and inhibiting rotation and axial displacement of irrigation tubing, wherein the means in the slot for engaging irrigation tubing within the slot and inhibiting rotation and axial displacement of the irrigation tubing includes a locking tab moveable within the slot to clamp an irrigation tube in the locking slot against the body; and
a first set of arms extending from the body, the arms being flexible and spaced apart to elastically flex when being applied around the surgical instrument and to snap onto the surgical instrument to bias the irrigation clip toward the surgical instrument with a biasing force.

15. The irrigation system of claim 14 , wherein the means in the slot for engaging irrigation tubing within the slot and inhibiting rotation and axial displacement of the irrigation tubing further includes a series of angled projections configured to engage the irrigation tube outer surface portion.

16. The irrigation system of claim 14 , wherein a depth of the slot is less than an outer diameter of the irrigation tubing.

17. An irrigation system for connection to a surgical instrument comprising:
a body configured to support the irrigation system such that an irrigation fluid is carried along and relative to an exterior of the surgical instrument, the body extending from a proximal end to a distal end and defining a passage extending along the body to receive an irrigation tube, the passage being formed between a series of spaced, alternating offset upper and lower passage walls, and the body having an inner side configured to face the surgical instrument and an opposed outer side;
a set of connecting arms extending from the body and configured to connect the body and the irrigation tube to the surgical instrument; and
an irrigation tube locking portion positioned relative to the passage and the irrigation tube, wherein the irrigation tube locking portion inhibits rotation and axial displacement of the irrigation tube relative to the body and surgical instrument.

18. The irrigation system of claim 17 , wherein the irrigation tube locking portion includes a plurality of projections extending into the passage in the body such that when the irrigation tube is disposed within the passage and the body is attached to the surgical instrument, a portion of an outer surface of the irrigation tube presses against the surgical instrument and the plurality of projections to selectively clamp the irrigation tube between the surgical instrument an

Assignees

• Dexter S Shane
• Sherry R Mitchell
• Medtronic Ps Medical Inc

Inventors

• Dexter S Shane
• Sherry R Mitchell

Classifications

• A61B2017/320084

  Irrigation sleeves · CPC title

• A61B2218/002

  Irrigation · CPC title

• A61B2217/007

  with irrigation system · CPC title

• A61M3/0279 Primary

  Cannula; Nozzles; Tips; their connection means · CPC title

• A61B17/14

  Surgical saws ({A61B17/1637 takes precedence;} dental saws for teeth A61C3/12) · CPC title