Reusable endoscopic surgical instrument

A surgical instrument comprising:

• a tool assembly comprising:
• a sleeve having a distal end to which jaws can be mounted, said distal end comprising an elastic material such that the distal end can be spread to allow the jaws to be inserted into the distal end and removed from the distal end;
• jaws pivotable relative to each other, said jaws being pivotably mounted to the distal end of the sleeve;
• an extension within the sleeve engageable with the jaws, said extension being longitudinally translatable relative to the sleeve to drive the jaws toward open and closed positions when said extension is in engagement with the jaws;
• and
• a handle assembly for retaining the tool assembly and longitudinally translating the extension relative to the sleeve.

A surgical instrument comprising:

• a tool assembly comprising:
• a sleeve;
• jaws pivotable relative to each other, said jaws being pivotably mounted to a distal end of the sleeve;
• and
• an extension within the sleeve engageable with the jaws, said extension being longitudinally translatable relative to the sleeve to drive the jaws toward open and closed positions when said extension is in engagement with the jaws;
• and
• a handle assembly for removable attachment to the tool assembly comprising:
• a base having a port into which the tool assembly is inserted and having a retainer for retaining the tool assembly within the handle assembly;
• and
• an actuation trigger member pivotably mounted to said base, said actuation trigger member comprising:
• a tab protruding into the port and engaging the extension to provide translational movement to the extension when the actuation trigger member is caused to pivot relative to the base;
• and
• a shoulder protruding into the port during insertion of the tool assembly and engaging the tool assembly as it is inserted to provide rotational movement to the actuation trigger to rotate the tab into engagement with the extension.

A surgical tool assembly comprising:

• a sleeve having a distal end to which jaws can be mounted;
• an extension within the sleeve and longitudinally translatable relative to the sleeve, a distal end of said extension being engageable with the jaws to open and close the jaws;
• and
• a cleaning port for allowing cleaning fluid to be introduced into the sleeve, the extension being translatable out of engagement with the jaws to open the cleaning port.

An endoscopic surgical tool assembly for removable attachment to a handle comprising:

• tool jaws pivotable relative to each other;
• an extended jaw actuation device having an inner extension within an outer sleeve, a proximal end for longitudinal insertion into a longitudinal port in the handle, and a distal end to which the tool jaws are mounted, said extension and sleeve being longitudinally translatable relative to each other to pivot the tool jaws;
• a retention member fixedly attached to the jaw actuation device comprising a retention groove engageable by a retaining member within the handle as the actuation device is longitudinally inserted into the handle to retain the jaw actuation device within the handle;
• and
• a translation member fixedly attached to the jaw actuation device comprising a translation groove engageable by a driving member within the handle to provide relative longitudinal translation between the extension and the sleeve when the jaw actuation device is retained within the handle.

An endoscopic surgical tool assembly for attachment to a handle having a pivotable trigger member comprising:

• tool jaws pivotable relative to each other;
• an extended jaw actuation device having an inner extension within an outer sleeve, a proximal end for longitudinal insertion into a longitudinal port in the handle, and a distal end to which the tool jaws are mounted, said extension and sleeve being longitudinally translatable relative to each other to pivot the tool jaws;
• a translation member fixedly attached to the extended jaw actuation device for providing relative longitudinal translation between the inner extension and the outer sleeve, said translation member comprising:
• a translation groove engageable by a tab on the trigger when the tool assembly is attached to the handle, said tab providing translation motion to the actuation device when the trigger is caused to pivot;
• a proximal surface for engaging a shoulder on the trigger as the tool assembly is inserted into the handle to rotate the handle such that the tab engages the translation groove.

A method of performing surgery with a surgical instrument comprising the steps of:

• providing a surgical instrument comprising:
• jaws pivotable relative to each other and being pivotably mounted by a pivot to a distal end of a sleeve, each of said jaws having a distal end and a proximal end and an open-ended slot open at the proximal end of the jaw,
• an extension within the sleeve engageable with the open-ended slots at the proximal ends of the jaws, said extension being longitudinally translatable relative to the sleeve to drive the jaws toward open and closed positions when said extension is in engagement with the jaws, and
• a handle assembly for retaining the extension, the sleeve and the jaws and longitudinally translating the extension relative to the sleeve;
• and
• longitudinally translating the extension relative to the sleeve with the handle assembly to drive the jaws between open and closed positions.