EP0669105A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Endoscopic resection instrument
Assignee: Smith and Nephew Inc
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Filing: 1995-02-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-02-22
Abstract
Abstract A surgical instrument includes a rigid member that has a bend region that angularly offsets a distal region from a proximal region mounted to a first section of a base; a surgical device extending distally from a second section of the base coaxially with the rigid member carries a surgical tool distal of the bend region, and is flexible at least in the bend region to transmit force applied at a proximal end of the surgical device through the bend region to operate the surgical tool; the first base section is rotatable with respect to the second base section, allowing the relative rotational orientation between the surgical tool and the bend region to be changed.
Inventors
- 👤 Graham Smith
- 👤 Peter M. Cesarini
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 02:04
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/320016; A61B17/32002; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/2901; A61B2017/2905; A61B2017/2926; A61B2017/2927; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61M25/0138
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A surgical instrument comprising a rigid member having a proximal region mounted to a first section of a base and a bend region that angularly offsets a distal region of said rigid member from said proximal region, a surgical device extending distally from a second section of said base coaxially with said rigid member, said surgical device carrying a surgical tool distal of said bend region and having a relatively flexible region at least in said bend region to transmit a force applied at a proximal end of said surgical device through said bend region to operate said surgical tool, said first section being rotatably mounted with respect to said second section to change a relative rotational orientation between said surgical tool and said bend region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
48 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said surgical device comprises a second member coaxially disposed within a first member, said first member being mounted to said second section of said base and said second member being movable with respect to said first member in response to said force.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The instrument of claim 2 wherein said first member is coaxially disposed within said rigid member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The instrument of claim 2 wherein said rigid member is coaxially disposed within said first member and said second member is coaxially disposed within said rigid member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The instrument of claim 2 wherein said second member and said first member are both relieved in said relatively flexible region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The instrument of claim 5 wherein said second member and said first member are both relieved with a series of axially spaced, circumferentially extending slots.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The instrument of claim 6 further including a first pliable sheath disposed to cover said slots of said second member, and a second pliable sheath disposed to cover said slots of said first member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The instrument of claim 2 wherein said second member is hollow and is adapted to receive suction at its proximal end and to transport body material cut by said surgical tool away from a surgical site while the instrument remains in situ for further cutting.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
The instrument of claim 2 wherein said surgical tool comprises a first opening in a distal region of said second member and a second opening in a distal region of said first member, an edge of said first opening being arranged to move toward and closely past an edge of said second opening in response to said force to cut tissue entering through said first and said second openings.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
The instrument of claim 9 wherein said force is a torque applied by a motor coupled to a proximal end of said second member, said relatively flexible region being configured to transmit said torque through said bend region to move said edge of said first opening with respect to said second opening.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said relative rotational orientation between said surgical tool and said bend region can be changed over a range of at least 360°.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said relative rotational orientation between said surgical tool and said bend region can be changed manually by a user of said instrument.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said first section of said base can be selectively rotated to a plurality of discrete positions with respect to said second section of said base, thereby to allow said relative rotational orientation between said surgical tool and said bend region to be selectively changed to a corresponding plurality of discrete relative rotational orientations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
The instrument of claim 3 wherein said second section further includes a plurality of flexible cantilevered fingers each of which corresponds to one of said discrete positions, said first section further including a plurality of mating regions, each of said mating regions engaging one of said fingers to maintain said discrete relative rotational orientation between said surgical tool and said bend region.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
215 words
A surgical instrument comprising an outer rigid tube having a proximal region mounted to a first section of a base and a bend region that angularly offsets a distal region of said outer tube from said proximal region, an intermediate tube having a proximal end mounted to a second section of said base, said second section of said base being rotatably mounted with respect to said first section of said base and said intermediate tube being disposed coaxially within said outer tube and carrying a first portion of a surgical tool distal of said bend region, said intermediate tube having a relatively flexible region at least in said bend region to transmit force applied at said second section of said base through said bend region to change a relative rotational orientation between said first portion of said surgical tool and said bend region, an inner tube disposed coaxially within said intermediate tube, said inner tube carrying a second portion of said surgical tool distal of said bend region and having a relatively flexible region at least in said bend region to transmit force applied at a proximal end of said inner tube through said bend region to move said second portion of said surgical tool with respect to said first portion of said surgical tool.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The instrument of claim 15 wherein said inner tube and said intermediate tube are both relieved in said relatively flexible region.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The instrument of claim 16 wherein said inner tube and said intermediate tube are both relieved with a series of axially spaced, circumferentially extending slots.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The instrument of claim 17 further including a first pliable sheath disposed to cover said slots of said inner tube, and a second pliable sheath disposed to cover said slots of said intermediate tube.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
88 words
The instrument of claim 15 wherein said first portion of said surgical tool comprises a first opening in a distal region of said intermediate tube and said second portion of said surgical tool comprises a second opening in a distal region of said inner tube, an edge of said second opening being arranged to move toward and closely past an edge of said first opening to cut tissue entering through said first and second openings in response to force applied at said proximal end of said inner tube.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
The instrument of claim 15 wherein said inner tube is hollow and is adapted to receive suction at its proximal end and to transport body material cut by said surgical tool away from a surgical site while the instrument remains in situ for further cutting.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
63 words
The instrument of claim 15 wherein said first section of said base can be selectively rotated to a plurality of discrete positions with respect to said second section of said base, thereby to allow said relative rotational orientation between said first portion of said surgical tool and said bend region to be selectively changed to a corresponding plurality of discrete relative rotational orientations.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
66 words
The instrument of claim 21 wherein said second section further includes a plurality of flexible cantilevered fingers each of which corresponds to one of said discrete positions, said first section further including a plurality of mating regions, each of said mating regions engaging one of said fingers to maintain said discrete relative rotational orientation between said first portion of said surgical tool and said bend region.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
259 words
A method of surgery for a joint space comprising introducing into said joint from outside said joint via a puncture wound in the flesh: a first conduit for introducing fluid from a fluid source, a visualization instrument, and a surgical instrument comprising a rigid member having a proximal region mounted to a first section of a base and a bend region that angularly offsets a distal region of said rigid member from said proximal region, a surgical device extending distally from a second section of said base coaxially with said rigid member, said surgical device carrying a surgical tool distal of said bend region and having a relatively flexible region at least in said bend region to transmit a force applied at a proximal end of said surgical device through said bend region to operate said surgical tool, said first section being rotatably mounted with respect to said second section to change a relative rotational orientation between said surgical tool and said bend region; introducing fluid through said first conduit into said joint to distend said joint and to provide a clear field for viewing through said visualization instrument, positioning said visualization instrument to enable observation of the area of said joint to be surgically treated, and on the basis of said visual observation, positioning said surgical instrument adjacent to said area of said joint and applying a force at a proximal end of said surgical device to operate said surgical tool to cut degenerated cartilage and synovial tissue of the joint exposed to said implement through said opening.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of rotating said first section with respect to said second section to change said relative rotational orientation between said surgical tool and said bend region.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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