Method of endoscopically removing tissue

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9402645-B2
Application number	US-201213596782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2012
Priority date	May 26, 2004
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A method of endoscopically removing tissue including providing a surgical cutting instrument including a first elongated member having a cutting tip, a second tubular member forming a cutting window, and a handpiece. The first elongated member is co-axially disposed within the second tubular member such that the cutting tip is exposed at the cutting window and combines to define a cutting implement. The first and second members are coupled to the handpiece. The method includes grasping the handpiece, deploying the instrument such that the cutting implement is adjacent a target site with the cutting window positioned at a first spatial orientation relative to the handpiece, rotating the cutting window relative to the handpiece such that the cutting window is positioned at a second spatial orientation, and moving the first elongated member relative to the second tubular member such that the cutting tip removes tissue from the target site.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of endoscopically removing tissue from a target site of a patient by a user having first and second hands, the method comprising:
a) providing a surgical cutting instrument including a first elongated member having a cutting tip, a second tubular member forming a cutting window, and a handpiece, wherein the first elongated member is co-axially disposed within the second tubular member such that the cutting tip is exposed at the cutting window and combines to define a cutting implement, and further wherein the first and second members are coupled to the handpiece;
b) grasping the handpiece with the user's first hand;
c) deploying the surgical cutting instrument such that the cutting implement is adjacent the target site with the cutting window positioned at a first spatial orientation relative to the handpiece;
d) rotating the cutting window relative to the handpiece while the cutting implement is maintained at the target site such that the cutting window is positioned at a second spatial orientation relative to the handpiece, wherein step d) is characterized by the user's first hand continuing to grasp the handpiece and the user's second hand not manually applying a rotational force to the surgical instrument; and
e) moving the first elongated member relative to the second tubular member such that the cutting tip removes tissue from the target site.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step d) is characterized by the user's second hand not grasping the surgical cutting instrument.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second tubular member is affixed to a hub, and further wherein step d) is characterized by the user not grasping the hub.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein step d) further includes operating an actuator about a rotational axis with the user's first hand, wherein the rotational axis is perpendicular to an axis of the hub.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein step d) further includes operating an actuator with the user's first hand while continuing to grasp the handpiece.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the actuator is a wheel.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the actuator is a slide.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the actuator is a switch electrically connected to a motor.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein step d) further includes operating a foot switch electrically connected to a motor.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
positioning a visualization instrument to enable observation of the target site prior to step d); and
registering a position of the cutting implement relative to the target site via the visualization instrument with the cutting window at the first spatial orientation;
wherein step d) is characterized by maintaining the registration while rotating the cutting window to the second spatial orientation.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first elongated member and the second tubular member provide a common bend along a longitudinal length thereof, and wherein step c) is characterized by the bend being positioned at a first bend spatial orientation relative to the handpiece, and further wherein step d) is characterized by the bend moving to a second bend spatial orientation relative to the handpiece.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first elongated member and the second tubular member provide a common bend along a longitudinal length thereof, and wherein step c) is characterized by the bend being positioned at a first bend spatial orientation relative to the handpiece, and further wherein step d) is characterized by the bend not moving from the first bend spatial orientation.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the surgical instrument further includes a third tubular member within which the second tubular member is disposed, wherein the third tubular member defines the bend, and further wherein step d) is characterized by the third tubular member remaining stationary.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first elongated member remains stationary with rotation of the second tubular member in step d).

15. A method of endoscopically removing tissue from a target site of a patient by a user having first and second hands, the method comprising:
a) providing a surgical cutting instrument including:
1) a first elongated member having a proximal section and a distal section having a cutting tip;
2) a second tubular member having a proximal region including a hub and a distal region forming a cutting window, wherein the first elongated member is co-axially disposed within the second tubular member such that the cutting tip is exposed at the cutting window, wherein the cutting tip is not exposed distal the cutting window;
3) a third tubular member having a proximal region and a distal region terminating in a distal end, the third tubular member forming a bend along a longitudinal length thereof, wherein the second tubular member is disposed within the third tubular member and the cutting window is distal the distal end, wherein the first elongated member and the second tubular member are adapted to conform to the bend defined by the third tubular member;
4) a handpiece; and
5) an actuator assembly coupling the hub to the handpiece;

b) grasping the handpiece with the user's first hand;
c) deploying the surgical cutting instrument such that the cutting implement is adjacent the target site with the cutting window positioned at a first spatial orientation relative to the handpiece;
d) operating the actuator assembly with the user's first hand to rotate the cutting window relative to the handpiece while the cutting implement is maintained at the target site such that the cutting window is rotated about the bend and is positioned at a second spatial orientation relative to the handpiece, wherein step d) is characterized by the user's first hand continuing to grasp the handpiece and the user's second hand not manually applying a rotational force to the surgical instrument; and
e) moving the first elongated member relative to the second and third tubular members such that the cutting tip removes tissue from the target site.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein step e) includes operating a motor assembly separate from the actuator assembly to cause movement of the first elongated member.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein step d) further includes maintaining the spatial location of the bend.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein step d) further includes operating the actuator about a rotational axis, wherein the rotational axis is perpendicular to an axis of the hub.

Assignees

• Norman Gerould W
• Slenker Dale E
• Adams Kenneth M
• Cleveland John T
• Medtronic Xomed Inc

Inventors

• Norman Gerould W
• Slenker Dale E
• Adams Kenneth M
• Cleveland John T

Classifications

• A61B2017/2924

  Translation movement of handle without rotating movement · CPC title

• A61B2017/2904

  curved, but rigid · CPC title

• A61B2017/2927

  the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft · CPC title

• A61B2017/291

  the position of the handle being adjustable with respect to the shaft · CPC title

• A61B2017/2923

  Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion · CPC title