Grasper with magnetically-controlled positioning
Inventors
Rodriguez-Navarro, Alberto • Beeby, Ruth • Brunell, Steve • Fabro, Mariel
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12329402-B2
Publication Date
2025-06-17
Expiration Date
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
A minimally invasive remote tissue traction system is disclosed that includes a grasper having a main body with a barrel portion and a lumen extending therethrough. The grasper includes a first jaw rotatably coupled to the main body and a second jaw, with the first jaw biased closed toward the second jaw. The grasper also includes a proximal arm extending from the first jaw, where the first jaw is opened relative to the second jaw by advance of an actuation rod through the lumen.
A delivery device is provided with an actuation rod advanceable through the lumen and configured to open the first jaw relative to the second jaw. The delivery device includes a distal engagement portion configured to releasably couple to the barrel portion of the grasper. A coupling magnet is configured to decouple the grasper from the distal engagement portion when the coupling magnet is retracted relative to the distal engagement portion, enabling decoupling followed by remote manipulation.
To maintain selective engagement during delivery, an expandable locking sheath is described as being configured to lock the grasper in place, including an internal projection/indentation interlock between the locking sheath and the actuation rod. Lumen diameter segmentation and expandable/distal engagement geometry are described as influencing coupling and decoupling. After decoupling from the delivery device, the grasper can be repositioned/held using external magnetic control, and multiple grasper jaw actuation mechanisms are described, including proximal arm lever/cam configurations and an eccentric cam member, with optional jaw engagement features such as jaw teeth/projections, recesses, and atraumatic coatings.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims, each covering a tissue-grasping system with a grasper, an actuation rod delivered through a lumen to open a rotatable biased jaw, and a coupling/retention arrangement between the delivery device and the grasper. Independent claims differ in the coupling/decoupling structure emphasized: one relies on a coupling magnet for decoupling from a distal engagement portion, while the other specifies a torsional-spring jaw coupling and magnet-attraction/holding of the barrel portion when the spring bias is overcome.
Biased rotatable jaw grasper with lumened barrel
A grasper comprising a main body comprising a barrel portion having a lumen therethrough, a first jaw rotatably coupled to the main body, a second jaw, and a proximal arm extending from the first jaw, wherein the first jaw is biased closed toward the second jaw.
Actuation rod opening via lumen with distal engagement portion
A delivery device comprising an actuation rod that is advanceable through the lumen and configured to open the first jaw relative to the second jaw; a distal engagement portion configured to releasably couple to the barrel portion of the grasper; and a coupling magnet configured to decouple the grasper from the distal engagement portion when the coupling magnet is retracted relative to the distal engagement portion.
Torsional-spring jaw opening overridden by proximal arm force
The system includes wherein the first jaw is rotatably coupled to the main body via a torsional spring, and the grasper is configured such that a force applied to the proximal arm overcomes a spring bias to open the first jaw relative to the second jaw.
Coupling magnet attracts and holds barrel portion when bias is overcome
The delivery device comprises a coupling magnet, and at least a portion of the barrel portion is configured to be attracted and held by the coupling magnet when the force applied to the proximal arm overcomes the spring bias.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive structure is a tissue-grasping system where a delivery device advances an actuation rod through a lumen to open a first jaw biased closed toward a second jaw, combined with a coupling/retention arrangement using a coupling magnet. One claim emphasizes decoupling of the grasper from a releasably coupled distal engagement portion by retracting the coupling magnet, while the other emphasizes torsional-spring jaw coupling and magnet-attraction/holding of a portion of the barrel portion when the spring bias is overcome.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Remote tissue traction/manipulation using a minimally invasive remote tissue traction system and external magnetic control for repositioning/holding a decoupled grasper.
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