US 2002/0042607 A1 · Instrument stabilizer for through-a-port surgery

Abstract

An instrument stabilizer minimizes unwanted motion at the distal end of a surgical instrument by applying a damping force to the instrument. According to one embodiment, the instrument stabilizer preferably includes a cannula through which an instrument can extend, and a distal bushing adapted to contact the instrument. The instrument stabilizer also includes a proximal housing which includes a mechanism which applies a stabilizing or damping force to the proximal portion of the cannula. The mechanism which applies the force may be, by way of example, one or more of elastic bands, springs, struts, etc. When a surgical instrument is extended through the cannula and contacts the bushing, movement of the cannula and consequently the surgical instrument is damped by the stabilization force on the proximal portion of the cannula. In addition, a swivel device for angularly orienting the instrument stabilizer relative to a body of patient is also provided.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A stabilization device for a surgical instrument, said stabilization device using a vacuum to at least partially couple said stabilization device on the human body, said device comprising:

a) a proximal housing assembly having a lower surface defining a fluid path, said housing having an adapter to couple said fluid path to a vacuum source;
b) an element which is angularly movable within the housing;
and
c) a tubular member extending through said element, said tubular member having means for contacting the surgical instrument such that the surgical instrument is radially stabilized within said tubular member.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

09/893,141Filed 27 Jun 2001

Priority

11 Oct 2000

Published

11 Apr 2002

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

A61B 17/3417
Trocars; Puncturing needles: details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating
A61B 17/3421
Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating: cannulas
A61B 17/3462
Trocars; Puncturing needles: with means for changing the diameter or the orientation of the entrance port of the cannula, e.g. for use with…
A61B 2017/00243
Type of minimally invasive operation: cardiac

Family

Application09/686,696Continuation in part · filed 11 Oct 2000

Application09/686,530Continuation in part · filed 11 Oct 2000

Application09/733,493Continuation in part · filed 8 Dec 2000

Application09/733,498Continuation in part · filed 8 Dec 2000

Application09/733,503Continuation in part · filed 8 Dec 2000

Application09/741,387Continuation in part · filed 20 Dec 2000

Application09/893,141Continuation in part · filed 27 Jun 2001

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US 2002/0042603 A1Published application

US 2002/0042604 A1Published application