Surgical instrument, handle for a surgical instrument and surgical instrument system

A handle for use with a minimally invasive surgical instrument, the handle comprising:

• a first handle part comprising a substantially cylindrical bore having a longitudinal axis for receiving a surgical instrument;
• a second handle part attached to the first handle part for pivotal movement relative to the first handle part;
• and
• wherein the first handle part further comprises a locking member extending through the substantially cylindrical bore that can be moved between first and second positions in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the locking member delimits an opening having a first portion with dimensions the same as or larger than the diameter of the substantially cylindrical bore and an adjoining second portion with at least one dimension smaller than the diameter of the substantially cylindrical bore, wherein in the first position the first portion is aligned with the substantially cylindrical bore and in the second position the second portion is aligned with the substantially cylindrical bore;
• and
• wherein the first handle part further comprises a latch mechanism at the end of the substantially cylindrical bore.

A surgical instrument system for use in minimally invasive surgery, wherein the system comprises:

• a surgical instrument comprising:
• an outer shaft having proximal and distal ends, a longitudinal axis, and a through bore extending from the proximal end to the distal end;
• an inner shaft having proximal and distal ends positioned within the through bore and extending proximally beyond the proximal end of the outer shaft;
• and
• an operative portion comprising a first part attached to the distal end of the outer shaft and a second part attached to the distal end of the inner shaft;
• wherein
• a portion of the outer shaft towards the proximal end of the outer shaft has an external surface comprising two opposed flat surfaces which are substantially parallel to each other;
• and
• a handle comprising:
• a first handle part comprising a substantially cylindrical bore for receiving a part of the outer shaft and the inner shaft;
• a second handle part attached to the first handle part for pivotal movement relative to the first handle part;
• and wherein
• the first handle part further comprises a locking member extending through the substantially cylindrical bore that can be moved between first and second positions in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the locking member delimits an opening having a first portion with dimensions the same as or larger than the diameter of the substantially cylindrical bore and an adjoining second portion with a dimension corresponding to the distance between the two opposed flat surfaces, wherein in the first position the first portion is aligned with the substantially cylindrical bore and in the second position the second portion is aligned with the substantially cylindrical bore such that when the proximal end of the surgical instrument is inserted into the substantially cylindrical bore and the locking member is moved into the second position, the two opposed flat surfaces are engaged by the second portion;
• wherein the proximal end of the inner shaft of the surgical instrument comprises an end portion with a maximum external dimension in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis greater than the maximum external dimension of an adjoining portion of the inner shaft, wherein a latch surface substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis extends between the end portion and the adjoining portion;
• and wherein the first handle part further comprises a latch mechanism at the end of the substantially cylindrical bore for engaging the latch surface.