WIRE BIASING GUIDE FOR A MEDICAL DEVICE

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling positioning of wires and/or tubing that extends from a handle of a medical device. An exemplary apparatus includes a device attachment mechanism configured to removably attach to a handle of a medical device and a guide component configured to maintain a plurality of different positions relative to the device attachment mechanism and the handle of the medical device. The guide component allows a user to alter the direction (i.e., biases) any wires or tubing, such as electrical wires or saline tubes that extend from the handle to other instrumentation, such as pumps or generators.

Description

BACKGROUND

Currently many medical devices that transport fluid and/or electrical energy to components inside the patient's body include wires/tubing that connects to more stationary tower-based devices. These wires/tubing can be a nuisance to an operator who is manipulating the medical device. There only exists simple devices, such as zip ties, clips or holders that are used for managing wires and tubing.

SUMMARY

The present invention includes an apparatus for controlling positioning of wires and/or tubing that extends from a handle of a medical device.

In one aspect of the invention, an exemplary apparatus includes a device attachment mechanism configured to removably attach to a handle of a medical device and a guide component configured to maintain a plurality of different positions relative to the device attachment mechanism and the handle of the medical device. The guide component allows a user to alter the direction (i.e., biases) any wires or tubing, such as electrical wires or saline tubes that extend from the handle to other instrumentation, such as pumps or generators.

In another aspect of the invention, the device attachment mechanism includes a curved rod having two unattached ends. The guide component includes a base section having a lumen configured to slidably receive the curved rod and a support structure attached to the base section. The support structure supports at least one of wires or tubing that connects the handle of the medical device to one or more associated instruments.

In still another aspect of the invention, due to friction, the base section maintains its position on the curved rod unless a difference between a force applied to the base section and a force applied to the curved rod is greater than a predefined threshold value.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the device attachment mechanism includes a first section configured to attach to a handle of a medical device and a cylindrical hub configured to extend from the first section. The guide component includes a lumen that rotatably receives the cylindrical hub and at least one guide lumen that supports at least one of wires or tubing that connects the handle of the medical device to one or more associated instruments. The guide component includes a tab that extends beyond an outer edge of the first section. The first section includes a frame portion; and an arm portion configured to connect between the frame portion and the cylindrical hub.

In a further aspect of the invention, the arm portion includes a first component of a motion restriction device and the guide component includes a second component of the motion restriction device.

In yet further aspects of the invention, the first and second components of the motion restriction device include components of a ball and catch device.

Further features, advantages, and areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a medical device with a wire management device formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a system implementing the devices of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a wire management device formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a distal end of a medical device implementing the wire management device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a wire management device formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of a wire management device similar to the wire management device shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a distal end of a medical device implementing the wire management device shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a wire management device formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows a system implementing a wire management device formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the wire management device used with the system of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. The following description explains, by way of illustration only and not of limitation, various embodiments of devices for biasing wire/tubing positions relative to a medical device, as well as systems including such devices and methods of using the same. It will be appreciated that various embodiments of biasing devices described herein may help to simplify the process of positioning and manipulating the medical devices.

Referring to FIG. 1, a medical device 101 includes a handle that may include one or more movable components. The medical device 101 includes an insertion component 103 that extends from a distal end of the handle to a distal operative end 105 that is placed within a patient at or near target tissue. Wires and/or tubing (pneumatic or fluidic) 120 extend from a proximal end of the handle. The direction the wires and/or tubing 120 extends from the handle is controlled (i.e., biased) by a biasing device 110. Examples of different biasing devices 110 are shown and described below by example. The wires/tubing 120 may connect to various tower-based (remote) equipment, such as an electrosurgical radio frequency (RF) generator, an infusion pump, or a pneumatic pump, for controlling features or components, such as an electrosurgical instrument, a bipolar or monopolar RF device, etc. located at the distal operative end 105.

Referring to FIG. 2, the medical device 101 is shown being used in conjunction with a scope device 118, such as a bronchoscope, for treating, sampling or examining tissue at a reference point in an anatomical region of a patient (not shown).

In various embodiments, the scope device 118 includes an insertion tube 119 that permits insertion of the insertion component 103 into a body (not shown). The distal operative end 105 of the insertion component 103 is delivered to a location near the tissue to be treated at or near the reference point. Positioning of the distal operative end 105 of the insertion component 103 may be controlled by control features of the medical device 101 or the scope device 118. The insertion component 103 is received through a port 148 of the scope device 118.

The biasing device 110 allows for user to adjust positioning of the tubing and wires for a given procedure. The biasing device 110 permits the user to select where they want to the wires and/or tubing to be located, thus keeping them from getting in the way during a procedure. The biasing device 110 biases the wires and/or tubing to a desired side/position away from any sections of interest on the medical device 101 or from interfering with movement or positioning of the person operating the medical device 101.

As shown in FIG. 3, an exemplary biasing device 200 includes a rotating holder 206 mounted to a ring 204. The rotating holder 206 directs the tubing and/or wires based on its position on the ring 204. The ring 204 is sized to hold on to a body section of a medical device 124 (FIG. 4), such as the medical device 101 (FIG. 1). A user would place the tubing and/or wires of the medical device 124 in the rotating holder 206 and slide the rotating holder 206 along the ring 204 to the desired location. In one embodiment, the medical device 120 includes a feature (not shown) for receiving and/or positioning the ring 204. In one embodiment, the ring 204 is an expandable rod that can be expanded to allow for insertion of a medical device handle.

The ring 206 includes a base section 208 and one or more support arms 210 that are attached to the base section 208. In one embodiment, the base section 208 includes a curved lumen for receiving the ring 204. The base section 208 maintains position on the ring 204 due to a fictional relationship, a ratcheting relationship or any relationship that allows the user to move the base section 208 about the ring 204, then once the user force is no longer applied, the base section 208 maintains its position on the ring 204.

FIG. 4 shows an example of wire and tubing that extends from a proximal surface of the medical device 124. The wires and tubing may exit the medical device 124 at other locations. The wires and tubing pass through the support arms 210, thus causing the wires and tubing to be directed in approximately a distal direction until they exit the support arms 210. Upon exiting the support arms 210, the wires and tubing bend towards their associated instruments.

The support arms 210 may be replaced by various other types of support mechanism, for example a carabiner type support device may be used.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a biasing device 300 includes a rotating disk 302 with one or more holes 310 and a support mount 301. The support mount 301 holds the rotating disk 300 in place and allows for the rotating disk 300 to rotate. The tubing or wire is placed one or more of the holes 310. A tab 312 extends from the rotating disk 302 outside outer edges of the support mount 301. The support mount 301 includes top and bottom halves 304, 306 that connected via a central hub 330. The central hub 330 is received through a center hole 334 of the rotating disk 302. The inner diameter of rotating disk 302 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the central hub 330, thus allowing the rotating disk 302 to rotate about the central hub 330. The user can rotate the tab 312 and thus the disk 302 to move the wire and tubing to a desired side of the medical device in which the biasing device 300 is attached to ensure the wires and tubing are out of the way of the user. In one embodiment, the support mount 301 only includes one side with a hub for receiving the disk.

In one embodiment, an arm 320 of at least one of the halves 304, 306 connects a center portion to an outer portion. The arm 320 includes a ball portion 332 of a ball catch device. The rotating disk 302 includes one or more ball for receiving dimples 314 that are located the same radial distance from a center of the central hub 330 as the ball portion 332. The size of the ball portion 332 and the ball receiving dimples 314 are selected so that force applied to the tab 312 causes the ball portion 332 to unseat from the ball receiving dimple 314. Without the force on the tab 312, the ball portion 332 remains seated within the ball receiving dimple 314.

Other types of motion restriction device may be used so that the components may stay in place until actively acted upon by a user. For example, the ball portion 332 may be a ball spring plunger on one component with or without the use of a dimple on the other component. Also, the components may be sized such that a friction fit occurs when the arm 320 overlaps the rotating disk 302.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of an embodiment of the biasing device 300. A plurality of gripping arms 340 extend from a distal end of one of the halves 306. The gripping arms 340 are spaced in order to grip onto a medical device 124-1 (FIG. 7). The inner surface of the gripping arms 340 may include a gripping pad (e.g., rubber pads) (not shown) for gripping onto the medical device 124-1. In one embodiment, the medical device 124-1 includes a feature (not shown) for receiving the gripping arms 340 and/or for receiving one or more of the halves 304, 306 or features included in the halves 304, 306.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a biasing device 400 having an open configuration in contrast to that shown in FIG. 5. The biasing device 400 is similar to the biasing device 300 of FIGS. 5-7 in that the biasing device 400 includes mount halves 404, 406 and a rotating disk 402 with a tab 412 and one or more holes 410. However, the mount halves 404, 406 do not extend fully around the rotating disk 402. Also at least one of the holes 410 on the rotating disk 402 includes a gap or an opening latch 420, similar to that may be seen on a carabiner. Other gating/latching devices may be used for the opening latch 420. The wires and/or tubing are inserted into the hole 410 via the latch 420. The biasing device 400 may mount to the medical device 124-1 in a manner similar to those described above.

Referring to FIG. 9, the medical device 101 is shown being used in conjunction with a scope device, such as a bronchoscope, for treating, sampling or examining tissue at a reference point in an anatomical region of a patient (not shown). The scope device includes a data/signal cable for communicating with tower-based equipment. A wire control device 500 allows for user to temporarily clip tubing and wires of the medical device 101 to the scope cable. The wire control device 500 keeps the cables, tubing and wires all in one area, thus keeping them from getting in the way during a procedure.

As shown in FIG. 10, the wire control device 500 is a w-shaped expandable clip that holds the tubing and wires 120 of the medical device 101 to the cable 502 of the scope device. The wire control device 500 includes two interior curved base sections. When the wire control device 500 receives the cable 502, a first passage exists between the cable 502 and the first interior curved base section and a second passage exists between the cable 502 and the second interior curved base section. The first passage may receive electrical wires associated with the electrodes of the medical device 101. The second passage may receive a saline tube that extends from the medical device 101. The wire control device 500 may be made from any number of flexible materials (e.g. plastic) that can be flexed wide enough to receive the tubing and wires 120 and the cable 502 and have a clamping strength strong enough to hold the tubing and wires 120 to the cable 502.

Embodiments

A. An apparatus comprising: a device attachment mechanism configured to removably attach to a handle of a medical device; and a guide component configured to maintain a plurality of different positions relative to the device attachment mechanism and the handle of the medical device.

B. The apparatus of A, wherein the device attachment mechanism comprises a curved rod having two unattached ends.

C. The apparatus of B, wherein the guide component comprises: a base section having a lumen configured to slidably receive the curved rod; and a support structure attached to the base section, the support structure configured to support at least one of wires or tubing that connects the handle of the medical device to one or more associated instruments.

D. The apparatus of C, wherein a fictional relationship exists between the curved rod and the lumen of the base section.

E. The apparatus of D, wherein, based on the fictional relationship, the base section maintains its position on the curved rod unless a difference between a force applied to the base section and a force applied to the curved rod is greater than a predefined threshold value.

F. The apparatus of A, wherein the device attachment mechanism comprises: a first section configured to attach to a handle of a medical device; and a cylindrical hub configured to extend from the first section.

G. The apparatus of F, wherein the guide component comprises: a lumen configured to rotatably receive the cylindrical hub; and at least one guide lumen configured to support at least one of wires or tubing that connects the handle of the medical device to one or more associated instruments.

H. The apparatus of G, wherein the guide component comprises a tab that extends beyond an outer edge of the first section.

I. The apparatus of G or H, wherein the first section comprises: a frame portion; and an arm portion configured to connect between the frame portion and the cylindrical hub.

J. The apparatus of any of F-I, wherein the guide component is disk-shaped.

K. The apparatus of I or K, wherein the arm portion comprises a motion restriction device.

L. The apparatus of any of I-K, wherein the guide component comprises a motion restriction device.

M. The apparatus of I or K, wherein the arm portion comprises a first component of a motion restriction device and the guide component comprises a second component of the motion restriction device.

N. The apparatus of M, wherein the first and second components of the motion restriction device comprise components of a ball and catch device.

O. The apparatus of A, wherein the device attachment mechanism comprises: a first section comprising: a frame; and an arm that extends from the frame to a predefined rotation point; a second section comprising: a frame; and an arm that extends from the frame of the second section to the predefined rotation point; and a cylindrical hub connected to the arms of the first and second sections at the predefined rotation point.

P. The apparatus of O, wherein the guide component comprises: a lumen configured to rotatably receive the cylindrical hub; and at least one guide lumen configured to support at least one of wires or tubing that connects the handle of the medical device to one or more associated instruments.

Q. The apparatus of P, wherein the guide component is disk-shaped, wherein the guide component comprises a tab that extends beyond an outer edge of the first section, wherein the frames of the first and second sections extend beyond a diameter of the guide component, wherein the tab extends beyond a boundary of at least a portion of the frames.

R. The apparatus of Q, wherein the frames surround at least a portion of the guide component.

S. An apparatus comprising: two opposing flexible ends, at least one of the flexible ends being biased towards the other flexible end, the flexible ends configured to apply a force to a portion of an outer sheath of an endoscope cable; a base section having a monolithic relationship with the flexible ends; and a divider configured to divide the base section into two subsections, one of the subsections is configured to hold one or more electrical wires against the endoscope cable, the other of the subsections is configured to hold one of a fluidic or pneumatic tube against the endoscope cable, wherein the one or more electrical wires and the fluidic or pneumatic tube are attached to a medical device that is used in conjunction with the endoscope.

The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Although the preferable embodiments of the present invention have been described hitherto, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

In addition, the invention is not limited by the above description and is limited by only the scope of appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a device attachment mechanism configured to removably attach to a handle of a medical device; anda guide component configured to maintain a plurality of different positions relative to the device attachment mechanism and the handle of the medical device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device attachment mechanism comprises a curved rod having two unattached ends.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the guide component comprises: a base section having a lumen configured to slidably receive the curved rod; anda support structure attached to the base section, the support structure configured to support at least one of wires or tubing that connects the handle of the medical device to one or more associated instruments.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a fictional relationship exists between the curved rod and the lumen of the base section.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, based on the fictional relationship, the base section maintains its position on the curved rod unless a difference between a force applied to the base section and a force applied to the curved rod is greater than a predefined threshold value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device attachment mechanism comprises: a first section configured to attach to a handle of a medical device; anda cylindrical hub configured to extend from the first section.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the guide component comprises: a lumen configured to rotatably received the cylindrical hub; andat least one guide lumen configured to support at least one of wires or tubing that connects the handle of the medical device to one or more associated instruments.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the guide component comprises a tab that extends beyond an outer edge of the first section.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first section comprises: a frame portion; andan arm portion configured to connect between the frame portion and the cylindrical hub.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the guide component is disk-shaped.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the arm portion comprises a motion restriction device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the guide component comprises a motion restriction device.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the arm portion comprises a first component of a motion restriction device and the guide component comprises a second component of the motion restriction device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first and second components of the motion restriction device comprise components of a ball and catch device.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device attachment mechanism comprises: a first section comprising: a frame; andan arm that extends from the frame to a predefined rotation point;a second section comprising: a frame; andan arm that extends from the frame of the second section to the predefined rotation point; anda cylindrical hub connected to the arms of the first and second sections at the predefined rotation point.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the guide component comprises: a lumen configured to rotatably receive the cylindrical hub; andat least one guide lumen configured to support at least one of wires or tubing that connects the handle of the medical device to one or more associated instruments.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the guide component is disk-shaped, wherein the guide component comprises a tab that extends beyond an outer edge of the first section,wherein the frames of the first and second sections extend beyond a diameter of the guide component,wherein the tab extends beyond a boundary of at least a portion of the frames.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the frames surround at least a portion of the guide component.

19. An apparatus comprising: two opposing flexible ends, at least one of the flexible ends being biased towards the other flexible end, the flexible ends configured to apply a force to a portion of an outer sheath of an endoscope cable;a base section having a monolithic relationship with the flexible ends; anda divider configured to divide the base section into two subsections, one of the subsections is configured to hold one or more electrical wires against the endoscope cable, the other of the subsections is configured to hold one of a fluidic or pneumatic tube against the endoscope cable,wherein the one or more electrical wires and the fluidic or pneumatic tube are attached to a medical device that is used in conjunction with the endoscope.