Patent Application
20200359876
The present invention relates to devices used in endoscopic surgery and, more particularly, to grips for cannulas and endoscopes used in endoscopic surgery.
Endoscopic camera systems provide a surgeon with a view of an area of the body being worked on without the necessity of fully opening up the area, thereby allowing for less invasive surgical procedures. Generally, these devices consist of a camera head coupled to an endoscope and a camera control unit. Recent miniaturization of image sensors has led to the development of very small diameter endoscopes that are also light weight and less bulky than their traditional counterparts. Small image sensors can be placed at a distal tip of an endoscope with a diameter of less than 2 mm. Endoscopes are typically stainless steel tubes that are hard to grip. Often, there is no significant endoscope proximal housing for a surgeon to grasp to manipulate the endoscope. Even when an endoscope is placed in a sheath or cannula the diameter often does not exceed 2.5 mm. Because of their small size, it is difficult to manipulate and hold the sheath or cannula firmly during insertion.
It would be desirable to have a system and method for better gripping the endoscopes and cannulas used in endoscopic surgery that improves upon the prior art.
This invention is a device that slips over an endoscope or cannula to provide greater friction and a larger diameter for more effective and comfortable manual support and control.
According to an embodiment, the present invention is directed to a grip for a surgical device, the grip comprising: an inner portion further comprising: a first material; a cylindrical opening; and at least one living hinge. An outer portion is coupled to the inner portion, the outer portion further comprising: a second material different than the first material; and an outer surface. The inner portion is configured so that the cylindrical opening fits around the surgical device and the living hinge is adjustable to permit sliding along the surgical device.
In an embodiment, the outer portion further comprises a first half of an annular tube and a second half of an annular tube; wherein the first half and the second half are coupled to opposite sides of the inner portion. The first material may be rubber and the second material may be plastic. Optionally, the outer portion has a diameter of between about 4 mm and about 8 mm; and more preferably between about 5 mm and about 7 mm. The outer surface may have at least one of an anti-slip texture and a plurality of dimples.
In an embodiment, the inner portion comprises two living hinges positioned on opposite sides of the cylindrical opening. Additionally, the cylindrical opening may be configured to fit around at least one of a cannula and an endoscope shaft. Optionally, the cylindrical opening has a resting diameter of less than about 2 mm.
The present invention, according to an embodiment is also directed to a method of controlling an endoscope. The method comprises the steps of: providing an endoscope for insertion into a body cavity, the endoscope further comprising a shaft; providing a cannula configured to fit around the endoscope shaft; and providing a grip. The grip has: an inner portion further comprising: a first material; a cylindrical opening configured to fit around the cannula; and at least one living hinge adjustable to permit sliding of the grip along the cannula. The grip also has an outer portion coupled to the inner portion, the outer portion further comprising: a second material different than the first material; and an outer surface. The method further comprises the steps of opening the at least one living hinge; placing the cannula through the cylindrical opening of the grip; closing the at least one living hinge; and controlling the cannula and endoscope with the grip.
In an additional embodiment, the outer portion further comprises a first half of an annular tube and a second half of an annular tube, the first and second halves being coupled to opposite sides of the inner portion; and the inner portion further comprises two living hinges positioned on opposite sides of the cylindrical opening. The step of opening the at least one living hinge further comprising pushing both living hinges toward each other to expand the cylindrical opening.
In an additional embodiment, the present invention is directed to a grip for a surgical device, the grip comprising: an inner portion further comprising: a first material; a cylindrical opening; and two living hinges on opposite sides of the cylindrical opening. The grip also has an outer portion coupled to the inner portion, the outer portion further comprising: a second material different than the first material; a first half of an annular tube; and a second half of an annular tube; wherein the first half and the second half are coupled to opposite sides of the inner portion; the cylindrical opening is configured to fit around the surgical device; and the living hinges are adjustable to permit sliding along the surgical device.
Optionally, the first material is rubber and the second material is plastic. The outer portion may have a diameter of between about 4 mm and about 8 mm. Additionally, the outer portion may have a diameter of between about 5 mm and about 7 mm. Optionally, the outer surface has an anti-slip texture or a plurality of dimples. Additionally, the cylindrical opening may be configured to fit around at least one of a cannula and an endoscope shaft. Optionally, the cylindrical opening has a resting diameter of less than about 2 mm.
These and other features are described below.
The features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying figures wherein:
In the following description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which show by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
With reference to
The camera head 14 has an imaging device and may also have an illumination system. The camera head 14 may also have memory for storing camera data, camera control unit processing data or other information. The camera head 14 may also have a user input means such as buttons to control aspects of image capture.
With reference to
In use according to the embodiment shown in
With reference to
As shown in
The first half 106 and the second half 108 are joined together by the inner portion 102. The inner portion 102 is configured to form a cylindrical opening 110 and at least one hinge 112. In an embodiment, the hinge 112 is a living hinge. In an embodiment, the inner portion 102 has two living hinges 112 on opposite sides of the cylindrical opening 110. Preferably the cylindrical opening 110 is configured to fit around a cannula and around an endoscope shaft. The inner portion is formed of an elastic and pliable material, such as a rubber elastomeric material with a durometer of 60A and is bonded to the first and second halves 106, 108 of the outer portion 104. The inner portion may be formed of rubber, nitrile, buna, silicone, polyurethane, or combinations thereof.
In an embodiment, the inner portion 102 draws the first and second halves 104, 106 of the outer portion 104 together over the outside of the cannula or the endoscope shaft. In an embodiment, the cylindrical opening 110 has a resting diameter of less than about 8 mm; preferably less than about 2.25 mm; and more preferably less than about 1.9 mm. As will be recognized by those of skill in the art, the resting diameter of the cylindrical opening 110 may be selected based on the outer diameter of the object to be held.
Preferably, the inner portion 102 has a texture that helps secure the inner portion against the outside of the cannula or endoscope shaft once the grip 100 is positioned. The elastic nature of the inner portion 102 allows the inner portion to spread apart for use of the grip on cannulas and endoscope shafts having a range of diameters. In an embodiment, squeezing the living hinges 112 toward each other causes first and second halves 106, 108 of the outer portion 104 to spread apart, thereby releasing the grip from the cannula or endoscope shaft to permit removal or repositioning of the grip 100.
Advantageously, the grip has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of either the cannula or the endoscope shaft, which makes the grip easier for a user to handle and control than directly grasping the cannula or the endoscope shaft. Also advantageously, the combination of different materials for the inner portion 102 and the outer portion 104 allow for a grip 100 that securely engages the cannula or endoscope shaft, but that is also quickly and easily repositionable.
As will be understood by one of the skill in the art, the grip of the present invention can also be used for positioning other hard to grip surgical devices such as, for example, a sheath and a catheter. Additionally, the grip 100 may be disposable.
There is disclosed in the above description and the drawings, a surgical device positioner that fully and effectively overcomes the disadvantages associated with the prior art. However, it will be apparent that variations and modifications of the disclosed embodiments may be made without departing from the principles of the invention. The presentation of the preferred embodiments herein is offered by way of example only and not limitation, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means” for performing a specified function or “step” for performing a specified function, should not be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. § 112.
