Surgical instrument with stick-on fiber-optic viewing system and method of using

Claim 1

A viewing optics kit for use with any one of a variety of tools and instruments having an exterior surface, a length, a profile, and a working element, the kit comprising the combination of: (a) a fiber-optic bundle including a plurality of elongated, flexible image fibers having first and second ends with an objective lens attached to said first end and a connector attached to said second end for mating with a viewing device, said plurality of image fibers being contained within a flexible sheath; (b) a pressure-sensitive adhesive on said flexible sheath adapted to secure said fiber-optic bundle to the exterior surface of a selected one of said variety of tools and instruments with said fiber-optic bundle following and conforming to the profile of said selected one of said tools and instruments over substantially its entire length and with said objective lens positioned in viewing relation to said working element; and (c) an enclosure containing said fiber-optic bundles and a locating means adapted to fit said instrument for accurately fixing the position of said objective lens on said distal end of said fiber-optic bundle to ensure that said lens will be properly focused so as to include at least a portion of said instrument's working element in its field of view.

Claim 15

A method of performing a surgical procedure comprising the steps of: (a) surgically creating an opening leading to a surgical site; (b) providing a surgical instrument having an elongated rigid shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, there being a working element at said distal end of said shaft for manipulating tissue, a handle element affixed to said proximal end of said shaft; (c) providing an elongated, flexible fiber-optic assembly, said assembly including a plurality of image fibers with an objective lens at the distal end of said image fibers for defining a field-of-view; (d) affixing said fiber-optic assembly to said rigid shaft along substantially the entire length thereof using a double-sided, pressure-sensitive adhesive strip adapted to be secured to said fiber-optic assembly such that said working element falls within said field-of-view; (e) accurately fixing the position of said objective lens on said distal ends of said image fibers to ensure that said lens will be properly focused so as to include at least a portion of said instrument's working element in its field-of-view; (f) connecting a proximal end of said image fibers to a viewing device; and (g) inserting said surgical instrument into said opening and advancing said working element to said surgical site while observing said viewing device.

Claim 16

A method of performing a surgical procedure comprising the steps of: (a) surgically creating an opening leading to a surgical site; (b) providing a surgical instrument having an elongated rigid shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, there being a working element at said distal end of said shaft for manipulating tissue, a handle element affixed to said proximal end of said shaft; (c) providing an elongated, flexible fiber-optic assembly, said assembly including a plurality of image fibers with an objective lens at the distal end of said image fibers for defining a field-of-view; (d) affixing said fiber-optic assembly to said rigid shaft along substantially the entire length thereof using a double-sided, pressure-sensitive adhesive strip adapted to be secured to said fiber-optic assembly such that said working element falls within said field-of-view; (e) accurately fixing the position of said objective lens on said distal ends of said image fibers to ensure that said lens will be properly focused so as to include at least a portion of said instrument's working element in its field-of-view; (f) connecting a proximal end of said image fibers to a viewing device; and (g) inserting said surgical instrument into said opening and advancing said working element to said surgical site while observing said viewing device.