Laparoscopic surgical scaffold
Inventors
Sachs, Adam David • Khalifa, Sammy Mohsen • Greene, Barry Stuart
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9801618-B2
Publication Date
2017-10-31
Expiration Date
Abstract
A collapsible scaffolding can collapse for deployment to a laparoscopic surgical site through a trocar or the like, and can expand to provide a surface for organ retraction within a body cavity. In the expanded state, the scaffolding may assist a surgical procedure in a variety of ways, such as by providing a rigid structure upon which to secure retracted organs or surgical tools such as lights, cameras, and so forth.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a laparoscopic surgical scaffold or expandable structure configured to transition between a first state and a second state. A collapsed state minimizes a distance between a primary member and an ancillary member, and the second state maximizes the distance to form an expanded deployed working surface shaped and sized to support or retract an organ during a minimally-invasive surgical procedure. The first state is characterized by a maximum device cross section suitable for insertion through a trocar in a laparoscopic procedure on a human.
A primary member and an ancillary member, or two or more axial members and two or more lateral support members, are movably connected by a front hinge and a back hinge that collectively articulate in a plane of articulation. Flexure is facilitated in a direction perpendicular to the plane of articulation by a number of independent flexural structures in each member. Each independent flexural structure includes an opposing pair of axial protrusions extending toward one another across a gap within the plane of articulation when the flexural structure is unflexed.
The opposing pair of axial protrusions impose a flexural limit at a point where deflection of a corresponding independent flexural structure causes the opposing pair of axial protrusions to come in contact across the gap. The primary member and ancillary member, or the axial members, are constructed from a surgical material and are individually flexible in the direction perpendicular to the plane of articulation to a degree substantially conforming to a human abdomen. In one embodiment, the flexibility is configured to inhibit deflection greater than five degrees.
Claims Coverage
The provided material includes three independent claims (clm-00001, clm-00019, and clm-00021). Across these claims, the coverage centers on hinge-articulated transition between a trocar-insertable collapsed state and an expanded state, combined with independent flexural structures that use opposing axial protrusions across a gap to impose flexural limits in a direction perpendicular to the plane of articulation.
Hinge-articulated primary and ancillary members with perpendicular flexibility and trocar-suitable collapsed state
A device with a primary member and an ancillary member movably connected via a front hinge and a back hinge that collectively articulate in a plane of articulation; the members are constructed from a surgical material and are individually flexible perpendicular to the plane to a degree substantially conforming to a human abdomen; configured to transition between a first state minimizing inter-member distance and a second state maximizing inter-member distance, where the maximum device cross section in the first state is suitable for insertion through a trocar.
Flexural structures with opposing axial protrusions imposing a flexural limit across a gap
The device includes a number of independent flexural structures in each member to facilitate flexure in a direction perpendicular to the plane of articulation, where each independent flexural structure has an opposing pair of axial protrusions extending toward one another across a gap within the plane when unflexed, and the opposing axial protrusions impose a flexural limit when deflection causes contact across the gap.
Perpendicular flexure inhibition to a deflection limit
A device where the members are individually flexible in a direction perpendicular to the plane of articulation and configured to inhibit deflection greater than five degrees, while still transitioning between a first state minimizing distance and a second state maximizing distance with a trocar-suitable maximum device cross section in the first state.
Expandable structure supporting an organ with axial members and lateral support members
An expandable structure having an expanded state forming a plane shaped and sized to support an organ during a minimally-invasive surgical procedure and a collapsed state shaped and sized to fit through a trocar for delivery; the structure includes two or more axial members individually flexible perpendicular to the plane to conform to an abdominal cavity; two or more lateral support members; hinges coupling the lateral support members to the axial members to facilitate movement within the plane between expanded and collapsed states.
Hinge-movable axial and lateral supports with flexural limits perpendicular to the plane
The expandable structure includes independent flexural structures in each of the axial members to facilitate flexure in the direction perpendicular to the plane, with each independent flexural structure including an opposing pair of axial protrusions across a gap within the plane when unflexed, where the opposing pair of axial protrusions impose a flexural limit at a point where deflection causes the protrusions to come into contact across the gap.
Across clm-00001, clm-00019, and clm-00021, the main inventive theme is a minimally-invasive, trocar-deliverable structure that deploys by articulation in a plane via front and back hinges, while controlling perpendicular-direction flexure using independent flexural structures with opposing axial protrusions that impose flexural limits across a gap.
Stated Advantages
Provides a first state with a maximum device cross section suitable for insertion through a trocar in a laparoscopic procedure on a human.
Provides a second state forming an expanded deployed plane shaped and sized to support an organ during a minimally-invasive surgical procedure.
Facilitates controlled flexure in a direction perpendicular to the plane of articulation by imposing flexural limits through opposing axial protrusions contacting across a gap.
In one embodiment, inhibits deflection greater than five degrees to constrain perpendicular-direction flexure.
Documented Applications
Laparoscopic procedure on a human involving insertion through a trocar and deployment of the device for organ support during a minimally-invasive surgical procedure.
Minimally-invasive surgical procedure where an expanded state forms a plane shaped and sized to support an organ.
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