Grasper with magnetically-controlled positioning

Inventors

Rodriguez-Navarro, Alberto • Beeby, Ruth • Brunell, Steve • Fabro, Mariel

Assignees

Levita Magnetics International Corp

Abstract

Described here are devices, systems, and methods for providing remote traction to tissue. Generally, the systems may include a grasper and a delivery device configured to releasably couple to the grasper. The grasper may have a first jaw and a second jaw and a main body having a barrel portion. The barrel portion may have a lumen extending therethrough, and a portion of the delivery device may be advanced through the lumen to rotate one or both of the jaws. The delivery devices may include a handle, a shaft, and a distal engagement portion. The delivery devices may further include an actuation rod which may be advanced through a barrel portion of a grasper to actuate the grasper. In some instances, the delivery device may further include a locking sheath, wherein the locking sheath is configured to temporarily couple to a grasper.

Core Innovation

The disclosed invention provides a device for grasping tissue that includes a main body with a barrel portion having a lumen extending therethrough. A first jaw is rotatably coupled to the main body and a second jaw is provided, with the first jaw biased closed toward the second jaw. The first jaw is rotatably coupled about a pivot axis transverse to a longitudinal axis of the main body, and a proximal arm extends from the first jaw such that a force applied to the proximal arm opens the first jaw relative to the second jaw.

The device is described as using an actuation rod to apply force through the lumen to interact with the proximal arm and open the first jaw relative to the second jaw, with returning bias closing the first jaw when the actuation rod is removed. The mechanisms are further described with a torsional spring arrangement in which the first jaw is rotatably coupled to the main body via a torsional spring, and a force applied to the proximal arm overcomes the spring bias to open the first jaw relative to the second jaw.

The disclosed system is additionally described as magnetically controlled remote tissue traction, using a releasably coupled grasper and delivery device with a coupling magnet that can be retracted to decouple. The delivery device is described as including a locking sheath with an expandable distal portion that temporarily locks within the grasper lumen using internal projections/indentations, and as enabling attraction, lifting, repositioning, and holding of the grasper/tissue using an external magnetic control element.

Claims Coverage

The identified independent claims are directed to a tissue-grasping device with a rotatable, bias-closed jaw that is opened by force applied to a proximal arm, with an actuation-through-lumen approach and, in one independent claim, a torsional spring bias. Across the two independent claims, the inventive features are centered on the jaw-and-proximal-arm opening mechanism and the biasing/overcoming relationship.

Claim coverage focuses on a tissue-grasping device having rotatably coupled jaws that are biased closed and opened by force applied to a proximal arm, with one independent claim emphasizing the pivot-axis coupling and the other emphasizing a torsional spring bias that is overcome by proximal-arm force.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications