Endoscopic surgical instrument with acute angle orientation

An endoscopic surgical instrument manually manipulatable by a human surgical operator, comprising:

• an elongated surgical instrument housing having a central axis and a first end for introduction into the human body through a surgical incision;
• a surgical instrument body disposed within said housing movable relative to said housing and having one end extendable through the first end of said instrument housing;
• a grip rigidly joined to said housing;
• and
• a manipulator movably coupled to said housing and operatively connected to said instrument body for controlling relative movements between said housing and said body, said manipulator including first and second members, the first member being secured to said grip and said body, and the second of said members having an opening therethrough for receipt of the thumb or other fingers of the surgical operator, the first and second members being pivotally joined at a point whereby the second of said members may be pivotally manipulated relative to said first member and transversely to said central axis.

An endoscopic surgical instrument manually manipulatable by a human surgical operator, comprising:

• an elongated surgical instrument housing having a central axis and a first end for introduction into the human body through a surgical incision;
• a surgical instrument body disposed within said housing movable relative to said housing and having one end extendable through the first end of said instrument housing;
• a grip rigidly joined to said housing;
• a finger activatable pivot pivotally coupled to the housing and operatively connected to the instrument body, said pivot being disposed in a slot in the housing wherein a forward surface is exposed forward of said grip and an opposing rearward surface is exposed rearward of said grip;
• a biasing member coupled between said pivot and said housing for maintaining said pivot in a neutral position intermediate a forward position and a rearward position, wherein said pivot is movable by a finger of said operator engaging said rearward surface from said neutral position to said forward position, and said pivot is movable by another finger of said operator engaging said forward surface from said neutral position to said rearward position, said movement of said pivot causing said body to move relative to said housing;
• and
• means rotatably securing said housing to said grip whereby said housing at the first end may be selectively rotated up to 360 degrees around said instrument body.

An endoscopic surgical instrument manually manipulatable by a human surgical operator, comprising:

• an elongated surgical instrument housing having a first end for introduction into the human body through a surgical incision;
• a surgical instrument body disposed within said housing movable relative to said housing and having one end extendable through the first end of said instrument housing;
• a grip rigidly joined to said housing;
• and
• a finger activatable pivot coupled to said housing and operatively connected to said instrument body, said pivot being disposed in a slot in the housing wherein a forward surface is exposed forward of said grip and an opposing rearward surface is exposed rearward of said grip;
• and
• a biasing member coupled between said pivot and said housing for maintaining said pivot in a neutral position intermediate a forward position and a rearward position, wherein said pivot is movable by a finger of said operator engaging said rearward surface from said neutral position to said forward position, and said pivot is movable by another finger of said operator engaging said forward surface from said neutral position to said rearward position, movement of said pivot causing said instrument body to move relative to said housing.

An endoscopic surgical instrument manually manipulatable by a human surgical operator, comprising:

• an elongated surgical instrument housing having a central axis and having a first end for introduction into the human body through a surgical incision;
• a surgical instrument body disposed within said housing;
• a grip rigidly joined to said housing and having a grip axis that intersects the central axis of the housing to define an acute angle between the grip axis and the housing;
• and
• a manipulator movably coupled to said housing and operatively connected to said instrument body for controlling relative movements between said housing and said body, said manipulator including first and second members, the first member being secured to said grip and said body, and the second of said members having an opening therethrough for receipt of the thumb or other fingers of the surgical operator, the first and second members being pivotally joined at a point whereby the second of said members may be pivotally manipulated relative to said first member and transversely to said central axis.

An endoscopic instrument manually manipulatable by a human surgical operator, comprising:

• an elongated surgical instrument housing having a central axis and having a first end for introduction into the human body through a surgical incision;
• a surgical instrument body disposed within said housing and movable relative to said housing;
• a grip rigidly joined to said housing and having a grip axis that intersects the central axis of the housing to define an acute angle between the grip axis and the housing;
• and
• a finger activatable pivot operatively connected to said instrument body and pivotally coupled to said grip, said pivot being disposed in a slot in the housing wherein a forward surface is exposed forward of said grip and an opposing rearward surface is exposed rearward of said grip;
• and
• a biasing member coupled between said pivot and said housing for maintaining said pivot in a neutral position intermediate a forward position and a rearward position, wherein said pivot is movable by a finger of said operator engaging said rearward surface from said neutral position to said forward position, an said pivot is movable by another finger of said operator engaging said forward surface from said neutral position to said rearward position, said movement of said pivot causing said instrument body to move relative to said housing.