This invention relates to a medical instrument including an electrosurgical apparatus, such as a laparoscopic tube end used for performing laparoscopic, pelvoscopic, arthroscopic, thoroscopic and/or similar such procedures, and more particularly to an electrosurgical apparatus having a fluid-resistant seal for fluidically isolating and electrically insulating a detachable tip when engaged with a laparoscopic tube end.
Medical procedures such as laparoscopy and the like, which employ a tip at the end of a tube for insertion into the patient, are beneficial because the incisions necessary to perform them are minimal in size, therefore promoting more rapid recovery and lower costs. For example, a patient who undergoes laparoscopic surgery may typically return to normal activity within a period of a few days to about a week, in contrast to more invasive procedures requiring a relatively larger incision (which may require about a month for recovery). (Although the term “laparoscopic” is typically used hereinafter, such use of the term “laparoscopic” should be understood to encompass any such similar or related procedures such as, for example, arthroscopic, endoscopic, pelvoscopic and/or thoroscopic or the like, in which relatively small incisions are used.)
However, when a tip is detachably connected to the tube end of a laparoscopic device, complications may occur if fluid breaches the connection and enters the interior of the tip or tube end. For example, septic contamination may arise in the laparoscopic device and/or electrical current may unintentionally leak therefrom.
Accordingly, it is a feature of the present invention to mitigate the risk of electrical shock and/or contamination of a tube by fluids, and to provide isolation from electrical shock and/or shorting caused by fluid contact.
In view of the above-noted, and other, features, the present invention provides a seal for medical instruments for preventing electrical and/or fluidic contact between a tip and a tube end of a surgical or laparoscopic device.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a laparoscopic tube end may include a flange having a contact surface, a groove adjacent to the contact surface of the flange, and an engagement portion to engage with a tip, and a gasket which is elastically deformable, disposed in the groove to compressibly abut the contact surface of the flange when the tip is engaged with the engagement portion. The gasket may include an elastomeric material to electrically isolate an interior of the tube end from an exterior of the tube or tip when the tip compresses the gasket, and the attachment portion may include threading on an exterior surface of the laparoscopic tube end or an interior surface of the laparoscopic tube end. The laparoscopic tube end may include the tip, detachably engaged with the engagement portion. Also, the gasket may have a generally square, circular or rounded cross-section, and may be connected to the groove by an adhesive material or by the elasticity of the gasket. Further, the tip may compress the gasket against the contact surface of the flange and form a fluid-resistant seal between the tip and the tube end.
The laparoscopic tube end may also include an interior to receive a yoke of the tip, and an interior threaded portion to threadedly engage with the yoke of the tip. In addition, the gasket may have an outer radius which increases from an uncompressed radius to a maximal radius when the gasket is compressed by the tip against the contact surface of the flange, in which the maximal radius does not exceed an outermost radius of the flange. Further, grease may be disposed on any one or more of the flange, the groove, the engagement portion, the instrument tip or the gasket, and may seal and/or insulate an interior of the tube end from an exterior of the tube end; also, the engagement portion may include threading on an exterior surface of the instrument tip and/or an interior surface of the instrument tip.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a tip for engaging with a laparoscopic tube end may include a threaded portion to threadedly engage with the laparoscopic tube end, a back hub connected to the threaded portion, and a seal which is elastically deformable and connected with the back hub, in which the seal may compressibly abut the laparoscopic tube end when the tip is engaged with the laparoscopic tube end. The tip may also include an extremity which abuts a flange of the laparoscopic tube end and the gasket of the laparoscopic tube end. Further, the tip may include a yoke (or, more generally, a stem, post or any other suitable internal member and the like, which may be generally equivalent with a yoke and for which the term “yoke” used hereinafter may be understood to encompass) which threadedly engages with an interior of the laparoscopic tube end, in which the resulting seal electrically insulates an external surface of the laparoscopic tube end or the tip from the interior of the laparoscopic tube end. Also, the seal may be molded to the back hub, or connected by adhesive.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a laparoscopic tube end for interfacing a tube with a tip may include an attachment portion which threadedly attaches to the tip, the threaded portion including a semi-crystalline electrically resistive plastic material, and a tapered flare which may frictionally abut the tip when the tip is engaged with the tube end. The semi-crystalline electrically resistive plastic material may include at least one polyether ether ketone (PEEK) material, and the laparoscopic tube end may further include a groove in the attachment portion, and a band of heat-shrink material disposed in the groove. The heat-shrink material may include at least one fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) material and/or any other elastic or elastomeric material (such as, for example, plastic, rubber, etc., but not necessarily limited thereto) or combination thereof. The laparoscopic tube end may further include the tip engaged with the tube end, in which the attachment portion includes threading to detachably attach to the tip. The laparoscopic tube end may also include a metal interface fixedly attached to the tube end, and the metal interface may include stainless steel. Grease or any other such viscous fluid or material may also be disposed on the tip or tube end (or any components thereof) and may seal and/or insulate the interior of the tube end from the exterior of the tube end.
Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawings.
The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted drawings by way of non-limiting examples of certain embodiments of the present invention, in which the numerals represent like elements throughout the several views of the drawings, in which:
The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented for providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.
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When the back hub 510 is fully engaged with the laparoscopic tube end 10 (by threading, for example), an abutment surface 512 of the back hub 510 may abut the gasket 100, and urge the gasket 100 against the flange 40. This engagement seals the interior of the laparoscopic tube end from any fluids surrounding the tip 500 or tube end 10, and electrically insulates and fluidically isolates the laparoscopic tube end 10 from the exterior of the tube 61 and tip 500 because the pressure between the abutment surface 512, gasket 100 and flange 40 and the adhesiveness and elasticity of the gasket 100 form a fluidic seal, and the electrically insulating properties of the elastomeric material of the gasket 100 form a high electrical impedance. In addition, the pressure of the back hub 510 when fully engaged against the gasket 100 may beneficially prevent rotation and/or disengagement of the back hub 510 from the laparoscopic tube end 10, because the frictional resistance resulting from the abutment of the abutment surface 512 of the back hub 510 against the elastomeric material of the gasket 100 tends to prevent rotation and unscrewing of the back hub 510 from the tube end 10. The composition, shape and/or materials of the gasket 100 may be selected to optimize the frictional contact with the back hub 510, the effectiveness of the fluidic seal, and/or the effectiveness of the electrical impedance thereof, for example.
Further, the height (or outermost radius) of the gasket 100, and/or the deformation properties of the gasket 100, may be selected such that the top surface of the gasket 100 does not exceed the height of the flange 40 when the back hub 510 is fully engaged with the laparoscopic tube end 10, for example, or such that the top of the gasket 100 deforms from an initial, uncompressed height to a maximal height thereof which forms a substantially continuous or smooth overall outer surface across the back hub 510, gasket 100 and flange 40, in order to minimize snags or unwanted friction during insertion or removal of the laparoscopic device 65, for example. Grease, oil, putty, epoxy, glue, resin, viscous fluid or material and/or any other suitable material (not shown) may also be used to seal and/or insulate the laparoscopic tube end 10 and/or other components, either alone or in combination with other ways of sealing and/or insulating.
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According to another aspect of the third embodiment, the laparoscopic tube end 11 may include a groove 70 into which a band 700 of heat-shrink material is disposed. The heat-shrink material, which may be formed either entirely or partially of at least one type of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) material, may have a shape and material composition selected so as to generate minimal additional friction during engagement of the tip 500 to the laparoscopic tube end 11 beyond the friction that would otherwise produced by the laparoscopic tube end 11 if the band 700 of heat-shrink material were not included. When the tip 500 is engaged with the laparoscopic tube end 11, the band 700 of heat-shrink material may provide a water-resistant seal, enhancing the fluid-resistant and electrically insulating properties of the laparoscopic device 65.
In a further aspect of the third embodiment, the interior 50 of the tube end 11 may include a metal interface or adapter 600 made of stainless steel or any other suitable material (such as a biologically inert ferrous or non-ferrous metal, for example) for use in medical devices, in which the metal interface or adapter 600 is bonded to the interior 50 of the tube end 11 (by molding, adhesives, or welding, for example). The metal interface 600 may provide a surface suitable for welding to other components, and may include a sufficiently durable material for incorporating a slot mechanism or movement assembly such as, for example, a slot feature and/or barrel pin which controls the movement of an inner shaft assembly.
Because a laparoscopic tube end 11 that is composed of a semi-crystalline electrically resistive plastic material such as PEEK provides electrical resistivity, especially in conjunction with a band 700 of heat-shrink material composed of, for example, FEP to create a fluid resistive seal, the overall electrically insulating and fluidically isolating qualities of the laparoscopic device 65 may be enhanced.
In addition, although the laparoscopic device 65 has been exemplified as including a tool 505 in the form of shears on a tip 500, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto but may alternatively include, for example, a grasping tool, an optical device and/or light, electrical or heat cauterization tool, or any other tool suitable for use in a laparoscopic or other surgical or medical device.
It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather then words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.