US 12,714,455 B2Granted

Ultrasonic surgical instrument with a mid-shaft closure system and related methods

AssigneeCilag GmbH International

InventorsCharles J. Scheib, Andrew T. Beckman, Travis M. Schuh, Benjamin D. Dickerson

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprises a shaft assembly including a waveguide, and an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft assembly and including an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The instrument also comprises a base translatably coupled to shaft assembly. The base includes a first mechanical input and a second mechanical input. The instrument further comprises a closure actuation mechanism operatively connected between the first mechanical input and the clamp arm and configured to actuate the clamp arm from an open position toward a closed position upon selective drive of the first mechanical input. The instrument also includes an insertion actuation mechanism operatively connected between the second mechanical input and the shaft assembly and configured to actuate the shaft assembly from a proximal position toward a distal position upon selective drive of the second mechanical input for insertion of the end effector.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a shaft assembly including a waveguide configured to connect to an ultrasonic transducer;
(b) an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector includes:
(i) an ultrasonic blade acoustically coupled with the waveguide and configured to be driven by the waveguide with ultrasonic energy, and
(ii) a clamp arm movably secured relative to the ultrasonic blade and configured to move from an open position configured to receive a tissue toward a closed position configured to clamp the tissue against the ultrasonic blade;
(c) a base translatably coupled to the shaft assembly such that the shaft assembly is configured to move from a proximal position toward a distal position relative to the base, wherein the base includes:
(i) a first mechanical input, and
(ii) a second mechanical input;
(d) a closure actuator operatively connected between the first mechanical input and the clamp arm and configured to actuate the clamp arm from the open position toward the closed position upon selective drive of the first mechanical input;
and
(e) an insertion actuator operatively connected between the second mechanical input and the shaft assembly and configured to actuate the shaft assembly from the proximal position toward the distal position upon selective drive of the second mechanical input for insertion of the end effector,
wherein the clamp arm is configured to translate distally relative to the base to a clamp arm over-extended position when the clamp arm moves from the open position to the closed position.

8 more elements

An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a proximal housing;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the proximal housing, wherein the shaft assembly comprises:
(i) a static tube fixed against movement relative to the proximal housing, and
(ii) a dynamic tube translatable relative to the static tube;
(c) an ultrasonic transducer supported by the proximal housing;
(d) a waveguide acoustically coupled with the ultrasonic transducer and extending distally through the dynamic tube of the shaft assembly;
(e) an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) an ultrasonic blade acoustically coupled with the waveguide, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is configured to drive the waveguide and the ultrasonic blade with ultrasonic energy, and
(ii) a clamp arm movable relative to the ultrasonic blade from an open position to a closed position, wherein the dynamic tube is configured to translate relative to the static tube to actuate the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic blade;
and
(f) a base translatably coupled to the shaft assembly, wherein the base comprises:
(i) a first mechanical input configured to cause the dynamic tube to translate relative to the static tube to actuate the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic blade, and
(ii) a second mechanical input configured to cause the shaft assembly to translate relative to the base,
wherein at least one of the dynamic tube or the proximal housing translates such that:
the dynamic tube is configured to translate distally relative to the static tube when actuating the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic blade from the open position to the closed position,
the dynamic tube is configured to translate proximally relative to the static tube while the clamp arm is in the closed position, or
the proximal housing is configured to translate distally to a proximal housing over-extended position when the clamp arm moves from the open position to the closed position.

14 more elements

A method of using an ultrasonic surgical instrument including a shaft assembly having a dynamic tube and a static tube, an end effector having an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm, and a base, the method comprising:

(a) translating the shaft assembly relative to the base, wherein the act of translating the shaft assembly relative to the base includes rotating a spool to pay in one of a proximal insertion cable or a distal insertion cable and to pay out the other of the proximal insertion cable or distal insertion cables, wherein the act of translating the shaft assembly relative to the base includes translating the ultrasonic blade relative to the base to an ultrasonic blade over-extended position;
and
(b) actuating the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic blade, wherein the act of actuating the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic blade includes manipulating at least one closure pulley to cause a change of length of a closure cable within the base to thereby translate the dynamic tube relative to the static tube.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/589,601Filed 28 Feb 2024 · continuation
Priority: 22 Oct 2020
Published: US 2024/0197356 A120 Jun 2024
Granted: 25 Aug 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A61B 17/320092
Using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic: with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
A61B 34/30
Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery: surgical robots
A61B 34/71
Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery: manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
A61B 2017/00402
Using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids: piezo electric actuators

Family

Application17/077,110Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Oct 2020
US 2024/0197356 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Jun 2024
US 11,944,341 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2022/0125468 A1Published application
US 12,714,455 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.