# US 11,304,766 B2 · Sheath for surgical instrument > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,304,766 B2 - Document ID: US11304766B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/381,323 - Filed: 2019-04-11 - Published: 2019-10-03 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-12 - Assignees: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Inventors: William J. Park; S. Christopher Anderson; Thomas G. Cooper; Matthew R. Williams - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304766B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/35: for telesurgery - A61B 46/10: specially adapted for instruments{, e.g. microscopes} - A61B 46/13: the drapes entering the patient's body - A61B 90/04: {Protection of tissue around surgical sites against effects of non-mechanical surgery, e.g. laser surgery (protection of eyes against laser radiation A61F9/022)} - A61B 17/3474: {Insufflating needles, e.g. Veress needles} - A61B 18/1445: {at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod} - A61B 2018/00083: {low, i.e. electrically insulating} - A61B 2090/0813: {Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A surgical apparatus comprises an instrument shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, an end effector coupled to the distal end of the shaft, and a sheath disposed on an external surface of the instrument shaft. The sheath has a first section made of ePTFE and a second section made of a second material, wherein the second section provides a friction seal with the shaft, and wherein the ePTFE is gas-permeable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical apparatus, comprising: an instrument shaft comprising a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; an end effector coupled to the distal end portion of the shaft; and a sheath covering an external surface of the instrument shaft, wherein: a first section of the sheath is made of a single layer of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and is gas-permeable, wherein the gas permeability of the first section permits permeation of gas through the ePTFE between an interior and an exterior of the sheath so as to permit equalization of pressure between the interior and exterior of the sheath after insertion of the shaft covered by the sheath into an environment at a surgical insufflation gas pressure, a second section of the sheath extends from the first section proximally along the shaft, the second section of the sheath being more rigid than the first section of the sheath, and the sheath engages with the instrument shaft to provide a seal with the instrument shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second section comprises fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second section comprises polyether block amide (PEBA). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first section of the sheath and the second section of the sheath overlap, the seal being located at the overlap. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a transmission mechanism coupled to the proximal end portion of the instrument shaft; and one or more drive tendons mechanically coupling a backend transmission mechanism to the end effector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The surgical apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sheath extends from a position proximate the transmission mechanism distally along the instrument shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sheath further comprises a retaining structure shaped to releasably mate with a feature on the instrument shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The surgical apparatus of claim 7, wherein: the retaining structure or the feature comprises one or more ridges; and the other of the retaining structure or the feature comprises one or more grooves to receive the one or more ridges. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sheath comprises a colorant that reduces saturation of contrast when the sheath is imaged through an endoscopic camera. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein an interior surface of the sheath is coated with a disinfectant agent or an anticoagulant agent. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first section of the sheath comprises pores that open or close during a bending movement of the first section of the sheath to retain a diameter of the first section when bent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the sheath further comprises a retaining cuff at a distal end portion of the sheath; and the retaining cuff is engageable with the instrument shaft to secure the sheath on the instrument shaft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The surgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas permeability of the first section permits permeation of surgical insufflation gas through the ePTFE between the interior and the exterior of the sheath. ### Claim 14 A sheath for a surgical apparatus, the sheath comprising: a hollow tubular body configured to surround a surgical apparatus and provide a barrier to infiltration of liquid and biomaterial into the surgical apparatus; and a retaining cuff attached to an end portion of the hollow tubular body, wherein the retaining cuff comprises fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP), wherein the hollow tubular body comprises: a first portion comprising a single layer of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), and a second portion comprising FEP or PEBA, wherein the first portion is permeable to surgical insufflation gas so as to permit an equalization of pressure between a surgical insufflation gas pressure external to the sheath and a pressure internal to the sheath initially lower than the surgical insufflation gas pressure external to the sheath. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The sheath of claim 14, wherein the hollow tubular body comprises a colorant sufficient to reduce saturation of contrast when the hollow tubular body is imaged through an endoscopic camera. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The sheath of claim 14, wherein an interior surface of the hollow tubular body is coated with a disinfectant agent or an anticoagulant agent. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The sheath of claim 14, wherein: the hollow tubular body comprises pores that open or close during a bending movement of the hollow tubular body to retain a diameter of the hollow tubular body when bent.