Surgical therapeutic instrument

A surgical therapeutic instrument comprising:

• an inserting part to be inserted into a body;
• a therapeutic part provided at a distal tip of the inserting part and constructed to be openable and closable and to be turnable about at least one axis;
• a manipulating part provided in a proximal portion of the inserting part and constructed to be openable and closable and to be turnable about at least one axis;
• a plurality of transmission shafts constructed to be movable back and forth and to constitute a portion of the inserting part, the plurality of transmission shafts interconnecting the manipulating part and the therapeutic part to transmit a manipulating force applied at the manipulating part to the therapeutic part;
• a turning link mechanism including at least two of the plurality of transmission shafts, the therapeutic part and the manipulating part turning the therapeutic part in accordance with a turning manipulation of the manipulating part;
• an opening and closing link mechanism including at least one of the plurality of transmission shafts, the therapeutic part and the manipulating part opening and closing the therapeutic part in accordance with opening and closing manipulations of the manipulating part;
• a position restricting member provided in at least a portion of the inserting part to restrict a space between each of the plurality of transmission shafts;
• and
• joints provided in intermediate portions of the respective plurality of transmission shafts and constructed to be turnable in at least one direction.

A surgical therapeutic instrument comprising:

• an inserting part to be inserted into a body;
• a therapeutic part provided on a distal tip of the inserting part and having a movable portion;
• a manipulating part provided on a proximal side of the inserting part to manipulate the movable portion of the therapeutic part;
• a mechanical link mechanism having at least one transmission shaft for transmitting to the movable portion a driving force for manipulation applied at the manipulating part, the transmission shaft being disposed to extend through the inserting part;
• a supporting structure disposed in the inserting part for interconnecting the therapeutic part to the manipulating part;
• and
• a sheath externally covering the supporting structure.

A surgical therapeutic instrument comprising:

• an inserting part to be inserted into a body;
• a therapeutic part provided at a distal tip of the inserting part and constructed to be openable and closable and to be turnable about at least one axis;
• a manipulating part provided in a proximal portion of the inserting part and constructed to be openable and closable and to be turnable about at least one axis;
• a plurality of transmission shafts constructed to be movable back and forth and to constitute a portion of the inserting part, the plurality of transmission shafts interconnecting the manipulating part and the therapeutic part to transmit a manipulating force applied at the manipulating part to the therapeutic part;
• a turning link mechanism including at least two of the plurality of transmission shafts, the therapeutic part and the manipulating part turning the therapeutic part in accordance with a turning manipulation of the manipulating part;
• and
• an opening and closing link mechanism including at least one of the plurality of transmission shafts, the therapeutic part and the manipulating part opening and closing the therapeutic part in accordance with opening and closing manipulations of the manipulating part, wherein
• the inserting part having a supporting structure for supporting the transmission shafts along the longitudinal direction thereof, the inserting part further having a removable sheath for externally covering the transmission shafts and the supporting structure.

A surgical therapeutic instrument comprising:

• an inserting part to be inserted into a body;
• a therapeutic part provided on a distal tip of the inserting part and having a movable portion;
• a manipulating part provided on a proximal side of the inserting part for manipulating the movable portion of the therapeutic part;
• a link mechanism for transmitting to the movable portion a driving force for manipulation applied at the manipulating part;
• and
• a fixing mechanism for locking the movable portion of the therapeutic part to make the movable portion immovable.

A surgical therapeutic instrument comprising

• an inserting part to be inserted into a body;
• a therapeutic part provided at a distal tip of the inserting part and constructed to be openable and closable and to be turnable in at least two planes;
• a manipulating part provided in a proximal portion of the inserting part and constructed to be openable and closable and to be turnable in at least two planes;
• a driving part for interconnecting the manipulating part and the therapeutic part and for transmitting a manipulating force of the manipulating part to the therapeutic part for actuating the therapeutic part;
• and
• a turn restricting part for restricting a manipulation of the manipulating part in at least one plane by concave-and-convex engagement between a proximal side of the inserting part and the manipulating part,
• switching means for switching between a first state in which a turn of each of the manipulating part and the therapeutic part is allowed in at least two planes, and a second state in which a turn of each of the manipulating part and the therapeutic part is restricted in at least one plane by the turn restricting part.

A surgical therapeutic instrument comprising:

• an inserting part to be inserted into a body;
• a therapeutic part provided at a distal tip of the inserting part and constructed to be turnable about at least one axis, the therapeutic part having an external shape containing a substantially circular-arc-shaped portion substantially centered about a center of turning of the therapeutic part;
• a manipulating part provided at a proximal end of the inserting part and constructed to be turnable with respect to-the inserting part;
• and
• a turning link mechanism for turning the therapeutic part in accordance with a turning manipulation of the manipulating part.

A surgical therapeutic instrument comprising:

• an inserting part to be inserted into a body;
• a therapeutic part provided on a distal tip of the inserting part;
• a gripping portion provided in the therapeutic part and having a pair of therapeutic halves capable of being opened and closed about a turning shaft;
• gripping surfaces respectively formed on each of the pair of therapeutic halves which are constructed to be opposed to each other when the gripping portion is in a closed state, and not to be parallel to the turning shaft;
• and
• a manipulating part provided on a proximal side of the inserting part to manipulate the gripping portion.

A method of manipulating a surgical therapeutic instrument, comprising:

• manipulating a manipulating part to transmit a driving force to a transmission shaft;
• changing a direction of the transmission shaft to a restricted direction by a joint provided in the transmission shaft;
• transmitting the driving force to a therapeutic part through the transmission shaft which direction is changed in the restricted direction;
• and
• moving a movable portion of the therapeutic part by the transmitted driving force.

A method of manipulating a surgical therapeutic instrument, comprising, during cleaning of an inserting part of the surgical therapeutic instrument:

• removing a sheath disposed to cover the inserting part, and exposing an inside transmission shaft;
• cleaning the transmission shaft;
• and
• attaching the sheath to the inserting part after the cleaning step.

A method of manipulating a surgical therapeutic instrument, comprising the steps of:

• activating a fixing mechanism to make a movable portion of a therapeutic part immovable;
• inserting the surgical therapeutic instrument into a living body;
• deactivating the fixing mechanism and performing a surgical procedure;
• and
• activating the fixing mechanism;
• and
• withdrawing the surgical therapeutic instrument from the living body.