Self-actuating grasping device

Inventors

Jen, Jimmy • Chang, Kenneth Chih-Ping • Purdy, Craig • Zaretzka, Gary Daniel • Lee, Po-Hua

Assignees

Prodeon Medical Corp

Abstract

An self-actuating grasping device and corresponding method of using the grasping device for retrieving a foreign object from a location in a patient's body. The grasping device has a handle with a self-actuating mechanism, an actuator on the handle coupled to an actuator wire, an elongated shaft member extending distally from the handle with the actuation wire coaxially disposed therein and opposing jaws at a distal end of the elongated shaft member that are coupled to the actuation wire and pivot between open and closed configurations. The self-actuating mechanism has a bias that imparts a closing force to the opposing jaws through the actuation wire. Actuation of the actuator is configured to impart an opening force to the opposing jaws through the actuation wire.

Core Innovation

The document describes a self-actuating medical grasping device configured for retrieving a foreign object from a patient body. The device includes a handle with a self-actuating mechanism, an actuator on the handle coupled to an actuator wire, and an elongated shaft member extending distally from the handle with the actuator wire coaxially and longitudinally disposed therein.

Opposing jaws are pivotally attached to a distal end of the elongated shaft member and coupled to the actuator wire. The jaws pivot between an open configuration and a closed configuration in response to proximal and distal longitudinal movement of the actuator wire inside the elongated shaft member, with a plunger extending coaxially within a barrel of the handle and coupled to the actuator wire.

The plunger, when in a proximal position by a spring, causes the actuator wire to be pulled proximally to impart a closing force sufficient to maintain the opposing jaws in the closed configuration, and actuation of the actuator moves the plunger to a distal position to impart an opening force that overcomes the closing force and pivots the opposing jaws to the open configuration. The device is disclosed for atraumatic retrieval and compatibility with cystoscopes, and variants include a rotating link, a direct connection to a cystoscope, a telescoping lockable barrel extension, and an optional irrigation port.

The disclosed use includes advancing the device through a lumen of a medical device until the opposing jaws are adjacent to the foreign object, positioning the foreign object within a range of the opposing jaws when the opposing jaws are in the open configuration, applying the closing force with the self-actuating mechanism to secure the foreign object, and withdrawing the grasping device to retrieve the foreign object. Additional disclosed structural features include jaw interlock and a gap in a fully closed state for secure retrieval, along with low friction materials for a shaft liner.

Claims Coverage

The partial content includes two independent claims, with three inventive features centered on a self-actuating plunger/spring mechanism and actuator-wire driven pivoting jaws transitioning between an open configuration and a closed configuration.

Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage is the self-actuating grasping device architecture in which a spring-biased plunger drives closing via proximal actuator-wire movement, while actuator actuation moves the plunger distally to drive opening via distal actuator-wire movement, together with a retrieval method that advances through a lumen, opens jaws to position the object, secures it with the self-actuating closing force, and withdraws to retrieve.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications