Axially reciprocating microsurgical instrument with radially compressed actuator handle

Inventors

Hanlon, Matthew A. • Ormsby, Richard P.

Assignees

Synergetics Inc

Abstract

A microsurgical instrument has a pair of operative surgical surfaces that are moved relative to each other in shearing or grasping procedures performed by the instrument. The instrument has a handle containing an elongate center rod with a ring mounted for reciprocating movement on the rod. A tube is secured to the ring and a shaft extends through the tube and is secured to the rod. The handle also includes a plurality of resilient arms that extend along the length of the rod and engage against a sliding surface of the ring on the rod. The plurality of actuator arms are alternatively manually compressed radially inwardly by the surgeon's hand and released by the surgeon's hand to allow the arms to flex radially inwardly and outwardly. The inward and outward movement of the plurality of arms reciprocates the ring on the handle rod and causes the tube and shaft to move axially relative to each other.

Core Innovation

The disclosure describes an axially reciprocating microsurgical instrument in which a ring is mounted on a rod for axially reciprocating movement between first and second positions along the rod length. The ring includes a sliding surface that faces axially toward the rod proximal end, and the ring is movable toward the rod proximal end to the first position and toward the rod distal end to the second position. A conical sliding surface on the ring is also described, providing a defined interaction surface for actuation.

The instrument includes a handle on the rod with a plurality of arms that are circumferentially spaced around the rod, with interior surfaces and exterior surfaces that are radially opposite sides of the interior surfaces. Axially extending slots are positioned between the interior and exterior surfaces of adjacent arms, and the plurality of arms extend axially from the rod proximal end along the rod to free distal ends. The free distal ends include surfaces positioned in a same radial plane as the sliding surface on the ring, and the distal-end surfaces are shaped to provide sliding engagement with the ring sliding surface during ring reciprocation.

In described embodiments, the ring reciprocation moves a tube and a shaft or fiber axially so that operative distal surfaces are opened and closed in response to the relative motion. The disclosure also describes that geometry and hardness/material choices reduce friction and wear, and that rounded exterior arm shaping avoids finger pinching. A spring return allows reverse ring motion upon release, enabling movement between the first and second positions without requiring continuous manual compression.

Claims Coverage

The partial claims content includes two independent claims. Each independent claim focuses on the same overall surgical instrument architecture: a rod-mounted axially reciprocating ring interacting with a multi-arm handle whose distal surfaces are positioned for sliding engagement with the ring sliding surface, with claim-dependent refinements adding specific engagement relationships and structural variants.

Together, the independent claims cover a surgical instrument in which an axially reciprocating ring having a proximal-facing sliding surface is actuated by a multi-arm handle whose circumferentially spaced arms with axially extending slots present continuous rounded or convex distal surfaces positioned in a same radial plane to face and slidably engage the ring sliding surface. Dependent claims further narrow the engagement relationship and specify structural construction options.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications