4944 results about "Distal portion" patented technology

A surgical severing and stapling instrument, suitable for laparoscopic and endoscopic clinical procedures, clamps tissue within an end effector of an elongate channel pivotally opposed by an anvil. An E-beam firing bar moves distally through the clamped end effector to sever tissue and to drive staples on each side of the cut. The E-beam firing bar affirmatively spaces the anvil from the elongate channel to assure properly formed closed staples, especially when an amount of tissue is clamped that is inadequate to space the end effector. In particular, an upper pin of the firing bar longitudinally moves through an anvil slot and a channel slot is captured between a lower cap and a middle pin of the firing bar to assure a minimum spacing. Forming the E-beam from a thickened distal portion and a thinned proximal strip enhances manufacturability and facilitates use in such articulating surgical instruments.

A powered surgical stapler is disclosed. The stapler includes a housing, an endoscopic portion extending distally from the housing and defining a first longitudinal axis, a drive motor disposed at least partially within a housing and a firing rod disposed in mechanical cooperation with the drive motor. The firing rod is rotatable by the motor about the first longitudinal axis extending therethrough. The stapler also includes an end effector disposed adjacent a distal portion of the endoscopic portion. The end effector is in mechanical cooperation with the firing rod so that the firing rod drives a surgical function of the end effector. The stapler further includes a control system having a plurality of sensors coupled to the drive motor, the firing rod, the loading unit and the end effector, the plurality of sensors configured to detect operating parameters thereof. The control system also includes a microcontroller coupled to the plurality of sensors and being configured to determine operating status of the powered surgical stapler as a function of the detected operating parameters.

A stapler for ejecting at least one staple of resilient thermoplastic material having a base member and two legs extending from the base member to sharp ends and wherein the legs include overlapping distal portions for engaging body tissue. The stapler includes a pair of jaws movable between open and closed positions, a handle and trigger assembly for controlling operation of the jaws, an elongated tubular structure connecting the handle and trigger assembly to the jaws, an ejector for ejecting at least one staple from one of the jaws against the other of the jaws, and posts for holding normally overlapping distal portions of legs of the staple generally parallel until after the staple is ejected from the stapler.

The present invention includes a surgical stapler having a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a cutting member having a cutting surface, wherein the cutting member is relatively movable with respect to the anvil and the staple cartridge. In at least one embodiment, the anvil is movable between an open position and a partially-closed position. When the anvil is in its partially-closed position, the anvil and the staple cartridge can be configured to capture tissue therebetween without fully compressing the tissue. In at least one embodiment, the anvil includes a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a middle portion intermediate the proximal portion and the distal portion. In these embodiments, the tissue can be captured between the proximal and distal portions of the anvil before the middle portion of the anvil is brought into contact with the tissue.

A surgical instrument including a handle assembly, a first endoscopic portion, a motor, and a first end effector is disclosed. The first endoscopic portion is selectively connectable to a distal portion of the handle assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The first endoscopic portion includes a housing adjacent its proximal portion and includes an actuation member. The motor is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the housing of the first endoscopic portion and is operatively connected to the actuation member for moving the actuation member substantially along the longitudinal axis. The first end effector is selectively connectable to a distal portion of the first endoscopic portion and is configured to perform a first stapling function.

An endoscope with guiding apparatus is provided. The endoscope has an elongate body with a steerable distal portion, an automatically controlled portion, a flexible and passively manipulated proximal portion, and an externally controlled and manipulatable guiding apparatus. The guiding apparatus may be positioned within the endoscope or may be positioned adjacent to the endoscope. An interlocking device is provided to slidably interlock the guiding apparatus and the endoscope. When the guide is in a flexible state, it can conform to a curve or path defined by the steerable distal portion and the automatically controlled portion. The guide can then be selectively rigidized to assume that curve or path. Once rigidized, the endoscope can be advanced along the guide in a monorail or “piggy-back” fashion so that the flexible proximal portion follows the curve held by the guide until the endoscope reaches a next point of curvature within a body lumen.

An ultrasonic clamp coagulator assembly that is configured to permit selective cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue during surgical procedures. An elongated portion of the instrument can be configured for endoscopic applications and has an outside diameter of less than 6 mm. The construction includes a clamping mechanism, including a clamp arm pivotally mounted at the distal portion of the instrument, which is specifically configured to create a desired level of tissue clamping forces, exceeding 4 pounds when the trigger is fully closed. The clamping mechanism includes a two-piece pad design and pad material that enables the higher tissue clamping forces and a force-limiting mechanism that effectively smooths out abusive tissue forces. The assembly also features hand activation configured to provide an ergonomical grip and operation for the surgeon. Hand switches are placed in the range of the natural swing of the surgeon's thumb, whether gripping the surgical instrument right-handed or left handed.

A powered surgical stapler is disclosed. The stapler includes a housing, an endoscopic portion extending distally from the housing and defining a first longitudinal axis, a drive motor disposed at least partially within a housing and a firing rod disposed in mechanical cooperation with the drive motor. The firing rod is rotatable by the motor about the first longitudinal axis extending therethrough. The stapler also includes an end effector disposed adjacent a distal portion of the endoscopic portion. The end effector is in mechanical cooperation with the firing rod to fire a surgical fastener. The stapler further includes a current sensor configured to measure a current draw on the motor and a controller configured to determine whether the surgical fastener is successfully deployed based on the current draw on the motor.

An electro-polymeric articulated endoscope and method of insertion are described herein. A steerable endoscope having a segmented, elongated body with a manually or selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled proximal portion can be articulated by electro-polymeric materials. These materials are configured to mechanically contract or expand in the presence of a stimulus, such as an electrical field. Adjacent segments of the endoscope can be articulated using the electro-polymeric material by inducing relative differences in size or length of the material when placed near or around the outer periphery along a portion of the endoscope.

A steerable, tendon-driven endoscope is described herein. The endoscope has an elongated body with a manually or selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled, segmented proximal portion. The steerable distal portion and the segment of the controllable portion are actuated by at least two tendons. As the endoscope is advanced, the user maneuvers the distal portion, and a motion controller actuates tendons in the segmented proximal portion so that the proximal portion assumes the selected curve of the selectively steerable distal portion. By this method the selected curves are propagated along the endoscope body so that the endoscope largely conforms to the pathway selected. When the endoscope is withdrawn proximally, the selected curves can propagate distally along the endoscope body. This allows the endoscope to negotiate tortuous curves along a desired path through or around and between organs within the body.

A surgical instrument with articulated jaw structure includes a frame and two jaws. The jaws have proximal portions that are mounted to each other for movement in a substantially parallel relation between a fully open position wherein the jaws are separated for receiving tissue therebetween and an approximated position wherein the jaws are closer together. Preferably, the jaws are in the fully open position when the distal portion of at least of the jaws is located in an extended position and are in the approximated position when the distal portion of the extended jaw or jaws is located in a retracted position. The surgical instrument may further include a detachable knife assembly and knife actuating mechanism.

A surgical stapler comprising a handle assembly, an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly, and a head portion disposed adjacent a distal portion of the elongated body portion and including an anvil assembly and a shell assembly. The anvil assembly is movable in relation to the shell assembly between spaced and approximated positions. The anvil assembly has an anvil head and a plurality of projections extending proximally of the anvil head, the projections engageable with a portion of the shell assembly.

A surgical stapling instrument comprising a handle assembly having a proximal end, an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly, a head portion disposed adjacent a distal portion of the elongated body portion and including an anvil assembly and a shell assembly. The shell assembly includes a shell and a staple guide housing a plurality of staples. A flexible engagement structure attaches the staple guide to the shell.

A surgical instrument for surgically joining tissue is provided. The surgical instrument includes a handle assembly that includes an actuator member. An end effector is operatively disposed adjacent a distal portion of an elongated shaft of the surgical instrument. The end effector includes a first jaw member pivotably disposed with respect to a second jaw member. The end effector is movable between a first position where the jaw members are spaced from one another, and a second position where the jaw members are in an approximated position. Each of the first and second jaw members includes a respective longitudinal track. An actuation assembly is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the end effector, wherein actuation of the actuation member causes the actuation assembly to translate from a distal portion of the end effector towards a proximal portion of the end effector through the tracks in the first and second jaw members.

Instrument introducers are disclosed which facilitate the insertion of a surgical instrument into a cavity or a body of a patient. In one embodiment, the instrument introducer includes a hollow elongate cylindrical body including a distal end portion terminating in a distal edge and a proximal end portion, the cylindrical body defining a central longitudinal axis, and an elastomeric cap secured to the distal end portion of the cylindrical body, the cap including a distal end wall having an outer terminal edge and an annular side wall depending from the outer terminal edge thereof. The distal end wall includes an aperture formed therein, wherein a center of the aperture is coaxially aligned with the central longitudinal axis.

A surgical apparatus is disclosed. An actuation mechanism is operable from a proximal portion of the surgical apparatus and a tool assembly is pivotally positioned on a distal portion of the surgical apparatus. The tool assembly is movable between a first position in which the tool assembly is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the surgical apparatus, and a second position in which the tool assembly is pivoted away from the longitudinal axis of the surgical apparatus. An articulation mechanism is positionable to move the tool assembly between the first and second positions. A drive mechanism includes a first shaft operably engaged with a second shaft at an articulation joint. The drive mechanism is configured to transfer rotational motion from the first shaft to the second shaft.

A remotely deflectable electrophysiology / ablation catheter of the type intended for placing into an interior passage of the heart is disclosed. The distal end of this elongated tubular catheter has a pair of tension / compression members each with a flattened end portion connected to the distal electrode and extending through the catheter casing and attached to a user moveable actuator for effecting the tension / compression thereon for remotely curling the distal end of the catheter. Spaced ring electrodes are provided adjacent the distal electrode. A permanent bend is pre-formed in the casing and tension / compression members adjacent the ring electrodes about an axis perpendicular to the elongated tension / compression members. Movement of the remote actuator causes the distal portion of the catheter to curl into a lariat in a plane perpendicular to the axis along the elongated catheter casing, thus permitting electrical mapping or ablation with the distal and / or ring electrodes about the inner surface of the heart passage into which the lariat is formed and situated. The lariat can achieve a curvature greater than 360 degrees and at a significantly reduced radius to allow insertion of the catheter distal end into passages of reduced dimension.

A surgical instrument is provided for use in endoscopic or laparoscopic procedures. The instrument includes a handle portion, an endoscopic portion extending from the handle portion, an articulating section pivotably connected to a distal end portion of the endoscopic portion, and a retractor assembly operatively associated with the articulating section. Structure is provided for manipulating the articulating section relative to the longitudinal axis of the endoscopic portion within an angular degree of rotation. An injection port may also be provided to deliver fluids through the endoscopic portion to the operative site.

An ultrasonic clamp coagulator assembly that is configured to permit selective cutting, coagulation, and fine dissection required in fine and delicate surgical procedures. The assembly includes a clamping mechanism, including a clamp arm cam-mounted at the distal portion of the instrument, which is specifically configured to create a desired level of tissue clamping forces. The balanced blade provides a functional asymmetry for improved visibility at the blade tip and a multitude of edges and surfaces, designed to provide a multitude of tissue effects: clamped coagulation, clamped cutting, grasping, back-cutting, dissection, spot coagulation, tip penetration and tip scoring. The assembly also features hand activation configured to provide an ergonomical grip and operation for the surgeon. Hand switches are placed in the range of the natural axial motion of the user's index or middle fingers, whether gripping the surgical instrument right-handed or left handed.

An endoscope having a guide tube is described herein. The assembly has an endoscope which is slidably insertable within the lumen of a guide tube. The guide tube is configured to be rigidizable along its entire length from a relaxed configuration. The endoscope has a steerable distal portion to facilitate the steering of the device through tortuous paths. In the relaxed configuration, a portion of the guide tube is able to assume the shape or curve defined by the controllable distal portion of the endoscope. Having assumed the shape or curve of the endoscope, the guide tube may be rigidized by the physician or surgeon to maintain that shape or curve while the endoscope is advanced distally through the tortuous path without having to place any undue pressure against the tissue walls.

An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue has a handle portion and a body extending distally from the handle portion and defining a longitudinal axis. The apparatus also has a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the body, and a jaw assembly mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the body. The jaw assembly includes first and second jaw portions movable between a spaced-apart and an approximated position. The apparatus also has a wedge plate longitudinally movable between the first and the second jaw portions, and a clip pusher configured to individually distally advance a surgical clip to the jaw assembly while the jaw portions are in the spaced apart position. The apparatus still further has an actuator at least partially disposed within the body and longitudinally movable in response to actuation of the handle portion and a jaw closure member positioned adjacent the first and second jaw portions to move the jaw portions to the approximated position.

An introducer assembly for use with a surgical stapler is provided. The introducer assembly includes an elongated main body portion, one or more mounting mechanisms associated with the main body portion, and a plurality of petals or fingers positioned at a distal end of the elongated main body portion. The one or more mounting mechanisms are adapted to detachably mount with respect to the surgical stapler. The plurality of petals or fingers define a distal junction and a proximally-directed mounting member that is adapted to detachably engage a distal portion of the surgical stapler. The plurality of petals or fingers define an inner region that accommodates a distal end of the surgical stapler. The distal junction and the proximally-directed mounting member associated with the plurality of petals or fingers are adapted to disengage upon application of a requisite proximally-directed force to the elongated body portion. Methods and combinations that utilize the introducer are also disclosed.

For positioning a surgical instrument at a surgical site, an elongate tubular structure is coupled to the distal portion of a robotic arm. This structure is adapted to be inserted in the body cavity of a patient and is adapted to receive the surgical instrument and serve as a guide for the surgical instrument into the patient's body. The robotic arm may have a parallelogram center of motion linkage and actuators for driving various degrees of freedom of movement of the arm and the surgical instrument. The robotic arm may be remotely controlled by an operator manipulating an input device.

A surgical instrument is disclosed. Various embodiments include an elongated shaft that defines a central axis and has a distal end portion that is configured to operably support a circular staple cartridge therein. At least one detection member may be operably supported within the elongated shaft. Each detection member may have a distal portion that is radially deployable away from the central axis upon application of a deployment motion thereto. The distal end portions may have a bumper or light mounted thereto.

An endoscope includes a slender insertion section of which the distal portion incorporates an image capturing device, and the back end of this insertion section is provided with an operating section to be gripped. A cable section is provided wherein a light guide cable for transmitting illumination light, and a signal cable connected to the image capturing device are integrally or separately extended from the operating section, and the connector of the edge portion of the cable section is freely detachably mounted to each of a light source device and a signal processing device. A mounting / detaching portion for freely detachably connecting a first unit serving as an insertion section side and a second unit serving as a cable section side is provided around between the distal end of the operating section and the proximal end thereof.

Instrument introducers and methods of using the same are provided to facilitate the introduction of a surgical instrument into a cavity or a body opening of a patient. The instrument introducers include a body portion defining a lumen therethrough, a flexible distal end portion having a distal orifice, a proximal end portion having a proximal orifice, and at least one fold formed in at least the distal end portion.

A surgical instrument comprising a handle portion, an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle portion, and a tool adjacent the distal portion of the elongated body portion and having at least one jaw movable to a clamping position to clamp tissue. A tactile feedback system includes an expandable member extending from the handle portion, the expandable member providing a tactile indicator of a tissue parameter of tissue clamped by the least one jaw.

An ultrasonic clamp coagulator assembly that is configured to permit selective cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue during surgical procedures. An elongated portion of the instrument can be configured for endoscopic applications and has an outside diameter of less than 6 mm. The construction includes a clamping mechanism, including a clamp arm pivotally mounted at the distal portion of the instrument, which is specifically configured to create a desired level of tissue clamping forces, exceeding 4 pounds when the trigger is fully closed. The clamping mechanism includes a two-piece pad design and pad material that enables the higher tissue clamping forces and a force-limiting mechanism that effectively smooths out abusive tissue forces. The assembly also features hand activation configured to provide an ergonomical grip and operation for the surgeon. Hand switches are placed in the range of the natural swing of the surgeon's thumb, whether gripping the surgical instrument right-handed or left handed.

The invention is a stapler device comprising an anvil and staple cartridge located in the distal tip of an endoscopic device. The staple cartridge is comprised of a fixed proximal portion and a moveable distal portion, which slides into said fixed portion. Means are provided for moving the anvil back and forth, such that the anvil pushes against the distal face of the staple cartridge thereby pushing the moveable portion of the staple cartridge into the fixed portion and causing the staples to be ejected from said staple cartridge passively without said staples moving. The stapler of the invention has two embodiments, a side fastening embodiment and a front fastening embodiment. The endoscopic device that comprises the stapler can be used to perform many different stapling tasks, e.g. closure of a hole in the wall of an internal organ.