# US 12,758,666 B2 · Flushing systems for surgical instruments

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,758,666 B2
- Document ID: US12758666B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/531,554
- Filed: 2023-12-06
- Published: 2025-06-12
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2023-12-06
- Assignees: Cilag GmbH International
- Applicants: Cilag GmbH International
- Inventors: John A. Hibner; Daniel Mumaw; Janna B. Volz; Clinton W. Denlinger; Robert M. Householder; Julie A. Hoover; Joseph M Nath; Nicholas Seipelt; Konstantin G. Zabotkin; Scott D. Harrington; Reid Butler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12758666B2

## CPC

- A61L 2/18: Liquid substances
- A61L 2/26: Accessories
- A61L 2103/15: Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps
- A61L 2202/123: Connecting means
- A61L 2202/17: Combination with washing or cleaning means
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)

## Abstract

A surgical tool includes a drive housing, a shaft extending distally from the drive housing, a distal seal arranged at a distal end of the shaft, and a flush tube extending from the drive housing within the shaft and terminating proximal to the distal seal. A flushing fluid conveyed distally through the flush tube is discharged from the flush tube and impinges upon the distal seal. A proximal drain is arranged within the drive housing and in fluid communication with an annulus defined between the flush tube and an inner wall of the shaft. The flushing fluid discharged from the flush tube circulates proximally within the annulus to the proximal drain to be discharged from the drive housing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A surgical tool, comprising:
a drive housing;
a shaft extending distally from the drive housing;
a distal seal arranged at a distal end of the shaft;
a flush tube extending from the drive housing within the shaft and terminating proximal to the distal seal, wherein a flushing fluid conveyed distally through the flush tube is discharged from the flush tube and impinges upon the distal seal; and
a proximal drain arranged within the drive housing and in fluid communication with an annulus defined between the flush tube and an inner wall of the shaft,
wherein the flushing fluid discharged from the flush tube circulates proximally within the annulus to the proximal drain to be discharged from the drive housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The surgical tool of claim 1, further comprising:
an end effector operatively coupled to the distal end of the shaft; and
a wrist interposing the end effector and the distal end of the shaft, wherein the distal seal is mounted to the wrist.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the proximal drain includes:
an upper housing in fluid communication with the annulus; and
an outlet port extending from the upper housing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The surgical tool of claim 3, wherein the shaft is operatively coupled to the upper housing within the drive housing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The surgical tool of claim 4, wherein a driven gear is mounted to the shaft within the drive housing, and a proximal end of the driven gear extends into an interior of the upper housing and thereby operatively couples the shaft to the upper housing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The surgical tool of claim 3, wherein the upper housing defines:
a housing central aperture sized to receive the flush tube extending through the upper housing; and
a plurality of housing cable apertures sized to receive a corresponding plurality of drive cables extending from the drive housing and through the distal seal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The surgical tool of claim 6, further comprising a drain sleeve received within the upper housing and providing:
a sleeve central aperture coaxially alignable with the housing central aperture to receive the flush tube;
a plurality of sleeve cable apertures coaxially alignable with the plurality of housing cable apertures; and
a drain aperture alignable with the outlet port to allow the flushing fluid entering the proximal drain to flow into the outlet port.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The surgical tool of claim 7, wherein each sleeve cable aperture exhibits a diameter smaller than a diameter of each housing cable aperture to sealingly engage an outer circumference of each drive cable.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The surgical tool of claim 3, wherein the proximal drain further includes a skirt extending from the outlet port and past a bottom of the drive housing.

### Claim 10

A method of flushing a surgical tool, comprising:
conveying a flushing fluid into a flush tube arranged within a shaft extending distally from a drive housing of the surgical tool;
discharging the flushing fluid from the flush tube proximal to a distal seal arranged at a distal end of the shaft;
impinging the flushing fluid on the distal seal and portions of the shaft and thereby removing debris and bioburden from the distal seal;
circulating the flushing fluid back to the drive housing within an annulus defined between the flush tube and an inner wall of the shaft;
receiving the flushing fluid at a proximal drain arranged within the drive housing and in fluid communication with the annulus; and
discharging the flushing fluid from the drive housing via the proximal drain.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the proximal drain includes an upper housing in fluid communication with the annulus, and an outlet port extending from the upper housing, the upper housing defining a housing central aperture sized to receive the flush tube extending through the upper housing, and a plurality of housing cable apertures sized to receive a corresponding plurality of drive cables extending from the drive housing and through the distal seal, the method further comprising:
receiving the flushing fluid from the annulus at the upper housing; and
discharging the flushing fluid from the proximal drain at the outlet port.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein a drain sleeve is received within the upper housing and provides a sleeve central aperture coaxially alignable with the housing central aperture to receive the flush tube, and a plurality of sleeve cable apertures coaxially alignable with the plurality of housing cable apertures, the method further comprising:
sealingly engaging an outer surface of the flush tube with the sleeve central aperture; and
sealingly engaging an outer surface of each drive cable with the plurality of sleeve cable apertures.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein a skirt extends from the outlet port and past a bottom of the drive housing, the method further comprising forming a sealed engagement against a tool driver of a robotic manipulator with the skirt when the drive housing is removably attached to the tool driver.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
introducing a tool into the annulus through the proximal seal; and
advancing the tool distally to the distal seal within the annulus.