Laparoscopic suturing instrument with manual drive
Inventors
Martin, David T. • White, William J. • Brik, Robert • Daniel, Matthew Rohr • Prenger, Daniel J.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9277916-B2
Publication Date
2016-03-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
A suture needle driving instrument comprises a shaft, an end effector, and a handle assembly. The end effector is located at the distal end of the shaft and includes a pair of grasping arms operable to grasp and release a needle. The handle assembly comprises a trigger-operated actuation assembly that is operable to rotate a second grasping arm relative to the shaft. The trigger-operated actuation assembly may include a trigger and a trigger gear assembly that is operable to rotate the second grasping arm. A clutch assembly may also be included to selectively couple a drive shaft associated with the second grasping arm to another shaft. The handle assembly may further include a toggle actuation assembly that is operable to grasp and release a needle with the grasping arms. A locking feature may be included to prevent use of the toggle actuation assembly until trigger-operated actuation assembly has been operated.
Core Innovation
An apparatus includes a shaft with a distal end and a proximal end and an end effector at the distal end. The end effector comprises a first needle grasping member and a second needle grasping member, each operable to grasp and release a suture needle, and the apparatus includes a handle assembly coupled to the proximal end of the shaft.
The handle assembly comprises a trigger-operated actuation assembly that actuates the first needle grasping member to selectively grasp and release the suture needle and actuates the second needle grasping member to selectively grasp and release the suture needle. The trigger-operated actuation assembly also rotates the second needle grasping member relative to the shaft and the first needle grasping member about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft as the first needle grasping member remains stationary.
The handle assembly further includes a toggle actuation assembly that is operable to transfer needle grip by coordinated actuation of the first and second needle grasping members using first and second drive shafts and associated jaws. A locking feature selectively locks the toggle actuation assembly to prevent toggle actuation until trigger actuation is performed, and the described mechanical implementation includes trigger gear assemblies, clutch assemblies, and drive trains.
The described instrument is a laparoscopic suture-needle driving instrument for trocar-based minimally invasive surgery, with the distal end effector configured for needle trajectory plane relationships. The description states that the instrument can accommodate and correct off-plane needle deviation and enable larger effective needle radius, including for a curved needle with orbital motion while supporting suture needle rotation and transfer between grasping members.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides three independent claim sets that define inventive features centered on first and second needle grasping members at a distal end, trigger-operated actuation that rotates the second needle grasping member relative to the shaft while the first remains stationary, and toggle actuation that transfers needle grip between the first and second grasping members using independent drive structures.
Trigger-operated rotation with stationary first grasping member
A trigger-operated actuation assembly actuates the first needle grasping member and the second needle grasping member to selectively grasp and release the suture needle, and rotates the second needle grasping member relative to the shaft and the first needle grasping member about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft as the first needle grasping member remains stationary.
Toggle actuation assembly that transfers grasp using coordinated drive shafts
A toggle actuation assembly is operable to grasp and release the suture needle with the first needle grasping member and the second needle grasping member using coordinated actuation of first and second drive shafts and associated jaws.
First and second grasping members with jaw translation driven by longitudinal actuation through drive shafts and outer sheaths
A first needle grasping member includes a first jaw, a second jaw translatable relative to the first jaw, a first outer sheath supporting the first jaw and the second jaw and fixedly coupled to the shaft, and a first drive shaft extending through the first outer sheath and rotatable relative to the first outer sheath; a second needle grasping member includes a third jaw, a fourth jaw translatable relative to the third jaw, a second outer sheath supporting the third jaw and the fourth jaw and rotatably coupled to the shaft, and a second drive shaft extending through the second outer sheath and rotatable relative to the second outer sheath.
Independent trigger and toggle control of drive members for outer sheaths and drive shafts
A handle assembly coupled to the proximal end of the shaft includes a trigger-operated actuation assembly and a toggle actuation assembly, where the trigger-operated actuation assembly is operable to rotate the second outer sheath and the second drive shaft substantially simultaneously, and where the toggle actuation assembly is operable to rotate the first drive shaft independently relative to the first outer sheath and rotate the second drive shaft independently relative to the second outer sheath.
Across the independent claims, the apparatus is defined by an end effector with first and second needle grasping members that grasp and release a suture needle, a trigger-operated actuation assembly that rotates the second needle grasping member relative to the shaft while the first remains stationary or substantially simultaneously rotates the second outer sheath and second drive shaft, and a toggle actuation assembly that transfers grip by coordinated drive member movements. Additional independent-claim structure specifies independent rotational control of the first and second drive shafts relative to respective outer sheaths.
Stated Advantages
Accommodating and correcting off-plane needle deviation.
Enabling larger effective needle radius.
Documented Applications
Trocar-based minimally invasive surgery using the laparoscopic suture-needle driving instrument.
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