Surgical instrument

Abstract

The invention relates to a hand surgery instrument. The hand surgery instrument has a seal for an optical device which is easy to manufacture and inexpensive to manufacture and can be thoroughly cleaned. This is achieved by a hand surgery instrument having a body with a shaft. In the instrument, the body has at least one channel-like bore for an optical device. The bore can be incorporated into a tube section in the proximal direction, so that a telescope comprising the optical device can be mounted in the distal direction of the instrument through the tube section and the bore. The distal end of the body can be coupled with the shaft of the optical device and the proximal end can be coupled with the telescope. The longitudinal axis of the instrument can be defined by the bore and the tube section. It is a key feature that a sealing body with a concentric sealing lip is arranged axially with respect to the longitudinal axis in the proximal direction, whereby the sealing lip is oriented in the proximal direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a hand surgical instrument. Background Technology

[0002] For urological applications, treatments, or procedures on the human abdomen, handheld surgical instruments such as endoscopes, cystoscopes, and electrocautery scopes are known to be used. Instruments are guided through a tubular axis, first passing through an opening in the body of the person to be treated and positioned at the intended application location. Depending on the application or instrument, various working instruments are guided through the axis, such as forceps, scissors, clamps, electrode holders, etc. As a supplement to or alternative to the aforementioned instruments, an optical system may be guided through the axis into the body to provide visual control of the treatment.

[0003] This optical system utilizes an eyepiece and / or camera as a telescope, guiding the optics through the instrument from the proximal end, so that the distal end of the optics is brought to the distal region of the axis for observation of the area directly in front of the axis. For this purpose, the optics are first guided through a bridging element or body of the instrument. This body may have a tube segment that guides the optics through the body or extends into the body as an aperture. The distal end of this body may be coupled to the axis. The optics, or a telescope containing the optics, may be attached to the proximal end or the tube segment. For this purpose, it is conceivable that an optical plate is associated with the proximal end of the body or the tube segment.

[0004] During a patient's treatment, the area or space within the patient's body to be treated is filled with fluid. To ensure that the pressure of the fluid within the body remains stable, it is important that all openings of the instrument are properly sealed. On the one hand, the seals prevent fluid from escaping from the body. However, at the same time, they also prevent any external contamination from entering the body through the instrument. Furthermore, these seals must be designed in such a way that, for example, the working instrument, and also the optics for the treatment to be performed, can move back and forth in the axial direction of the instrument.

[0005] Known solutions for sealing rod-shaped optics against a tube section or body provide an annular seal arranged around the optics, which has a sealing lip wrapped around the circumference of the optics. Known embodiments exist in which the sealing lip is reinforced by a metal ring. This known seal is located in the body or in the optical plate near the proximal end of the tube section. Using such an annular seal is disadvantageous because, viewed in the axial direction, impurities can accumulate in front of and behind the sealing lip, requiring greater effort to remove or being impossible to remove at all. This makes the cleaning and reprocessing of such instruments extremely costly. Due to the geometry of the known seal, it is almost impossible to see from the outside whether the cleaning meets high requirements. Another disadvantage of the known annular seal is that the sealing lip folds forward and backward when the optics are pulled back and forth within the tube section or body. This can lead to increased mechanical wear. To prevent this, the seal is reinforced with a metal ring. However, this design is difficult to manufacture and therefore very expensive. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Based on this, the object of the present invention is to produce a hand surgical instrument in which a simple, inexpensive and thoroughly clean seal can be produced for optical devices.

[0007] Therefore, a hand surgical instrument is provided, which may be, for example, an endoscope, cystoscope, resection scope, etc., having a body with an axis. In this instrument, the body has at least one channel-like hole for an optical system. This hole can be incorporated into a segment in the proximal direction, such that a telescope including optics can be mounted through the segment and hole in the distal direction of the instrument. The distal end of the body can be coupled to the axis of the optics, and the proximal end can be coupled to the telescope. The longitudinal axis of the instrument can be defined by the hole and the segment. A key feature is that a sealing body with a concentric sealing lip is axially arranged to the longitudinal axis in the proximal direction, whereby the sealing lip is oriented proximally. The sealing body is used to form a moderately tight connection between the instrument or body and the optics or telescope. Unlike the prior art, the sealing ring does not enclose the rod-shaped optics. Instead, in this invention, the sealing body forms a sealed connection with the surface of the telescope attached to the body. Once the telescope including the optics comes into contact with the instrument, or the rod-shaped optics is pushed into the segment and hole, the concentric sealing lip is pressed or pressed against the surface of the telescope. This means there is no longer any direct contact between the seal and the rod-shaped optics, which reduces the mechanical load on the sealing lip. Furthermore, the described shape of the seal means that every area around it can be easily accessed and inspected, allowing for simple and cost-effective post-treatment cleaning or reprocessing.

[0008] Preferably, the sealing body is positioned proximally in front of or at the opening of the tube section used to receive the optics. Specifically, the sealing body is integrated into the optical plate, which is connected to or can be coupled to the proximal end of the tube section. Thus, the seal between the instrument and the optics is precisely positioned at a location where a known seal is also arranged. Therefore, it is conceivable that existing systems can be easily converted by replacing the sealant with the sealing body. It has been shown that sealing at this location is particularly simple and effective. Furthermore, this area is particularly easy to clean because it has no dead space, undercut, etc.

[0009] Preferably, the invention specifies that the concentric sealing lip of the sealing body protrudes proximally beyond the optical plate, or is flush with the optical plate, or is offset proximally relative to the optical plate. It can be specified that the sealing lip protrudes proximally beyond the optical plate by tens of millimeters or 1 to 2 millimeters, such that when coupled with the telescope, a force must be applied to make the telescope contact the optical plate against the spring force of the elastic sealing lip. The force applied within the sealing body and the associated mechanical tension ensure a sufficient seal between the aforementioned components throughout the treatment. At the end of the treatment or when the telescope is disengaged from the optical plate, the mechanical pre-tension force of the sealing body is used to guide the telescope out of the instrument. Due to the pre-tension force, the sealing body pushes the telescope out of the instrument after the locking mechanism is released. The aim is that the concentric sealing lip is reversible and returns to its original shape after being deformed by applied force. This means that the sealing body can be used many times without losing its sealing performance.

[0010] Another preferred embodiment specifies that the concentric sealing lips of the seal are aligned with the longitudinal axis, i.e., converge toward the longitudinal axis. This shape of the sealing lip means that when the telescope is engaged with the instrument, the inner diameter of the annular or concentric sealing lip decreases, thus generating a spring force. A sealing effect is then created between the slightly inwardly pressed sealing lip and the telescope.

[0011] Similarly, another preferred embodiment may specify that the concentric sealing lip diverges outward away from the longitudinal axis. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the sealing lip increases when the telescope is mounted inside the instrument or when the two components are pressed together. A sealing effect is formed between the inner wall of the sealing lip and the surface of the telescope. In this design example, the preload or elastic effect acts axially outward. Once the connection between the instrument and the telescope is released again, the sealing lip relaxes in the opposite direction.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the inner diameter of the sealing body can be specified to be larger than the inner diameter of the pipe section and / or the optical device. Therefore, no seal is required between the sealing body and the optical device.

[0013] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention may specify that the inner wall of the seal is conical in the direction distal to the opening of the pipe section, thereby reducing the diameter of the inner wall distally. This conical design facilitates the insertion of optical devices into the pipe section or instrument. The conical seal acts like a ramp and guides the optical device into the pipe section even with slight insertion deviation.

[0014] Finally, it can be preferably specified that the seal is made of plastic, elastomer, fluororubber (FKM), or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). These materials have proven to be particularly suitable because they meet the requirements for materials used in the medical field, have high mechanical resistance, and can be produced at low cost. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. This shows:

[0016] Figure 1 This is a diagram of hand surgical instruments.

[0017] Figure 2a This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the sealed body without a telescope.

[0018] Figure 2b This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a sealed body with a telescope.

[0019] Figure 3a A schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a sealed body without a telescope; and

[0020] Figure 3b This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a sealed body with a telescope.

[0021] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0022] 10 Hand surgical instruments

[0023] 11-axis

[0024] 12 Bridging components

[0025] 13 Proximal

[0026] 14. Remote

[0027] 15 Proximal

[0028] 16 Optical Components

[0029] 17 Pipeline Section

[0030] 18. Longitudinal axis

[0031] 19 holes

[0032] 20 main body

[0033] 21. Remote

[0034] 22 telescopes

[0035] 23 Optical Plate

[0036] 24 Sealing body

[0037] 25 Sealing Lip

[0038] 26. Proximal direction

[0039] 27 Sealing body

[0040] 28 sockets

[0041] 29 Opening

[0042] 30 diameter

[0043] 31 Contact surface

[0044] 32 Inner wall

[0045] 33 Sealing surface

[0046] 34. Latch device

[0047] 35 Sealing Lip Detailed Implementation

[0048] Figure 1 A highly schematic hand surgical instrument 10 is shown. This hand surgical instrument 10 may be, for example, an endoscope, cystoscope, resection scope, or a similar instrument used for minimally invasive treatment of a patient.

[0049] The hand surgical instrument 10 described herein essentially consists of a tubular shaft 11 and a bridging element 12. For treating a patient, the instrument 10 is guided into an opening within the patient's body via the distal end 21 of the shaft 11. The bridging element 12 is located externally to the main body. Some embodiments of the instrument may provide various working instruments, such as filaments, probes, clamps, catheters, stents, electrodes, flexible instruments, etc., to be introduced into the body via the shaft 11 through the bridging element 12. Figure 1 In the case of the device shown, for clarity, only the optical element 16 is inserted into the shaft 11 via the bridging element 12.

[0050] Shaft 11 can be connected via its proximal end 13 to the distal end 14 of the body 20 of the bridging member 12. For example, screw fasteners, snap fasteners, bayonet fasteners, or clamping rings can be used for this purpose. The proximal end 15 of the body 20 has a tube segment 17 to which an optical plate 23 is attached. A telescope 22 with optics 16 can be coupled to the optical plate 23. An eyepiece or camera can be attached to the telescope 22, allowing the surgeon to observe the area to be operated on via a rod-lens system. As an alternative to the rod-lens system, optical fibers can also be used as the imaging device.

[0051] Within the body 20, in the embodiment of the hand surgical instrument 10 shown here, there is an aperture 19. The aperture 19 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis 18 and serves to receive a rod-shaped optics 16. The aperture 19 extends out of the body 20 into a tube segment 17, which is an extension of the aperture 19 along the longitudinal axis 18. The optics 16 can be, for example, a rod-shaped lens system (not shown). This rod-shaped lens system extends from the proximal end 15 of the bridging member 12 to the distal end 14 and is further guided through the entire shaft 11 to the distal end 21 of the shaft 11, where the rod-shaped lens system points towards the area to be treated.

[0052] During treatment, the body of the person being treated is filled with a medium, preferably a liquid, to expand the interior of the body under pressure, providing sufficient space for the surgeon to perform the treatment. All openings must be closed to prevent the medium or liquid from escaping from the body. This also includes openings for the instruments used. An annular cavity extends from the distal end 21 to the proximal end 15 between the shaft and the optics 16. To close this cavity, the invention provides a seal 24 disposed at the proximal end 15. This seal 24 has concentric sealing lips 25 oriented in a proximal direction 26.

[0053] Figure 2a , Figure 2b , Figure 3a and Figure 3b Two possible embodiments of the seals 24 and 27 according to the invention are shown. For clarity, only a portion of the tube segment 17 and the optical plate 23 are shown as a cross-sectional view. Figure 2a In the illustrated embodiment, the seal 24 is arranged in a socket 28 within an optical plate 23. The optical plate 23 is arranged on a tube segment 17 such that the seal 24 is located directly on or in front of the tube segment 17. The seal 24 is substantially annular and has a central opening 29. The optics 16 can be pushed through this central opening 29 into the tube segment 17 in a proximal direction 26. For this purpose, the minimum inner diameter 30 of the seal 24 corresponds at least to the diameter of the tube segment 17.

[0054] In the proximal direction 26, the sealing body 24 has a concentric sealing lip 25 that extends in a wedge shape in cross-section in the proximal direction 26, i.e., beyond the contact surface 31 of the optical plate 23. This protrusion can be tens of millimeters up to 1 mm to 2 mm. However, embodiments in which the sealing lip 25 protrudes beyond the contact surface 31 by more than 2 mm are also conceivable. Due to the wedge-shaped design of the sealing lip 25, the wall thickness of the sealing body 24 or the sealing lip 25 tapers in the proximal direction 26. According to this embodiment, the sealing lip 25 is concentrically oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axis 18, i.e., inwardly.

[0055] The inner wall 32 of the sealing body 24 is conical in the direction of the tube section 17 and tapers gradually from the opening 29 to the minimum inner diameter 30. This conical design of the inner wall 32 is to ensure that the optical device 16 can be inserted into the tube section in a simple and reliable manner.

[0056] The seal 24 is made of an elastic material. Plastics and elastomers are particularly suitable, preferably fluororubber (FKM) or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). The advantage of these irreversible elastic materials is that they return to their original shape after deformation. If now, as... Figure 2b As shown, a telescope 22 with optics 16 is inserted into the bridging member 12 or the shaft 11, and the sealing surface 33 of the telescope 22 engages with the contact surface 31, causing the sealing body 24 or concentric sealing lip 25 to deform. During this process, the sealing body 24 or concentric sealing lip deforms towards the longitudinal axis 18 via the sealing surface 33, reducing the opening 29 of the sealing body 24. During this deformation, mechanical tension is generated within the sealing body 24, causing the sealing lip 25 to press against the sealing surface 33. This pressing of the sealing lip 25 against the sealing surface 33 creates a sufficient seal in the annular space between the shaft 11 and the optics 16, preventing any liquid from escaping. To ensure this tightness is maintained during treatment, the optical plate 23 is detachably connected to the telescope 22 via a latching device 34.

[0057] Once the procedure is complete, the latching device 34 can be released and the contact surface 31 removed from the sealing surface 33. The surgeon is assisted by the pre-tension force of the deformed sealing lip 25, which pushes the sealing surface 33 open in the proximal direction 26.

[0058] The use of this seal 24 is particularly advantageous because, on the one hand, it provides the necessary seal to prevent media leakage, and on the other hand, it is particularly easy and thorough to clean. It is conceivable that the seal 24 can be easily removed from the socket 28, for example, and replaced as needed.

[0059] Figure 3aAnother embodiment of the seal 27 is schematically shown. This seal 27 differs from the seal 24 only in the shape of the sealing lip 35. Because all other features shown are similar to... Figure 2a The embodiments shown are the same, therefore the same reference numerals are used and reference is made to the above description.

[0060] Unlike sealing lip 25, sealing lip 35 is not oriented towards the longitudinal axis 18, but rather points concentrically outward, thereby widening the opening 29. In this embodiment of the seal 27, when the sealing surface 33 of the telescope 22 contacts the contact surface 31 of the optical plate 23, the wedge-shaped sealing lip 35 is pressed outward, i.e., concentrically away from the longitudinal axis 18. This state is... Figure 3b This is schematically shown. Similarly, mechanical tension is generated within the sealing body 27 or sealing lip 35, which presses the sealing lip 35 against the sealing surface 33. The mechanical tension is sufficient to create adequate tightness between the bridging member 12 and the telescope 22. Here, after processing and after releasing the latching device 34, the mechanical force released from the sealing surface 33 pushes it along the proximal direction 26.

[0061] This design example of seal 27 proves to be as advantageous as the previously described design example. Seal 27 also produces a high level of tightness and allows for simple and thorough cleaning.

Claims

1. A hand surgical instrument (10), particularly an endoscope, cystoscope, or resection endoscope, said hand surgical instrument having a body (20) having at least one channel-like hole (19) for an optical device (16), wherein the hole (19) is incorporated into a tube segment in a proximal direction (26), and wherein a distal end (14) of said body (20) is connectable to an axis (11) for said optical device (16), and a proximal end (15) of said body (20) is connectable to a telescope (22), wherein a longitudinal axis (18) of said hand surgical instrument (10) extends axially through said hole (19) and said tube segment (17), characterized in that, The sealing bodies (24, 27) are arranged axially relative to the pipe segment (17) along the longitudinal axis (18) in the proximal direction (26) and have concentric sealing lips (25, 35) oriented in the proximal direction (26).

2. The hand surgical instrument (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing bodies (24, 27) are arranged in the proximal direction (26) in front of or at the opening of the tube segment (17) for receiving the optical device (16).

3. The hand surgical instrument (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The sealing bodies (24, 27) are integrated into the optical plate (23), which is connected to or can be coupled to the proximal end of the tube segment (17).

4. The hand surgical instrument (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The concentric sealing lips (25, 35) of the sealing body (24, 27) protrude beyond the optical plate (23) in the proximal direction (26), or the concentric sealing lips (25, 35) are flush with the optical plate (23), or the concentric sealing lips (25, 35) are offset relative to the optical plate (23) in the proximal direction (26).

5. The hand surgical instrument (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The concentric sealing lips (25, 35) are designed to be reversible and return to their original shape after being deformed by applied force.

6. The hand surgical instrument (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The concentric sealing lip (25) converges toward the longitudinal axis (18).

7. The hand surgical instrument (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The concentric sealing lip (35) radiates outward away from the longitudinal axis (18).

8. The hand surgical instrument (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The inner diameter (30) of the sealing body (24, 27) is greater than the inner diameter of the pipe section (17) and / or the optical device (16).

9. The hand surgical instrument (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The inner wall (32) of the sealing body (24, 27) is conical in the direction distal to the opening of the pipe section (17), and the diameter of the inner wall (32) decreases in the direction distal to the opening.

10. The hand surgical instrument (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sealing bodies (24, 27) are formed of plastic, elastomer, fluororubber (FKM) or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

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