Surgical device including two-cable hemispherical grasper

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/994,479, filed Mar. 25, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

This disclosure relates to surgical devices for performing endoscopic surgical procedures. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a surgical device including a two-cable hemispherical grasper.

During laparoscopic or endoscopic surgical procedures, access to a surgical site is achieved through a small incision or through a narrow cannula inserted through a small opening in a patient. Because of limited area to access the surgical site, many endoscopic surgical devices include mechanisms for articulating the tool assembly of the device. Typically, the articulation mechanism is controlled by an actuator which has to be manipulated by a surgeon to properly orient the tool assembly in relation to tissue to be treated.

In accordance with this disclosure, a surgical grasper includes a tool assembly and an articulation assembly. The tool assembly includes first and second jaws defining respective first and second bores. The first and second jaws are transitionable between an approximated configuration and a spaced apart configuration. The articulation assembly includes first and second articulation members, first and second actuation members, an articulation joint, and first and second linkage members. Portions of the first and second actuation members are coupled to the respective first and second jaws such that axial displacement of the first actuation member rotates the first and second jaws in a first direction and axial displacement of the second actuation member rotates the first and second jaws in a second direction. The articulation joint includes first and second protrusions extending laterally in opposite directions and configured to be received through the respective first and second bores of the first and second jaws, and first and second pegs extending orthogonal to the first and second protrusions. The first and second linkage members interconnect the first and second articulation members to the respective first and second pegs such that axial displacement of the first articulation cable pivots the tool assembly about the second peg, and axial displacement of the second articulation cable pivots the tool assembly about the first peg.

In an aspect, the first and second jaws of the tool assembly may be pivotable in a first plane.

In another aspect, the first and second jaws may be articulatable in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane.

In yet another aspect, the tool assembly may further include a biasing member to bias the first and second jaws towards the spaced apart configuration.

In still yet another aspect, axial displacement of the first and second actuation members may transition the first and second jaws to the approximated configuration.

In an aspect, the portions of the first and second actuation members may partially surround the respective first and second bores of the first and second jaws in opposite directions.

In another aspect, the first and second linkage members may define respective proximal bores. The proximal bores may be configured to receive bosses of the respective first and second articulation members.

In yet another aspect, the first and second linkage members may include respective extension portions extending radially inward from the respective proximal bores.

In still yet another aspect, the first and second linkage members may define respective distal bores configured to receive the respective first and second pegs of the articulation members. In an aspect, the first and second articulation members may be laterally spaced apart.

In another aspect, the first and second actuation members may define a first axis orthogonal to a second axis defined by the first and second articulation members.

In yet another aspect, the first and second actuation members may be formed of flexible members.

In still yet another aspect, the first and second jaws may include respective first and second neck portions. The articulation joint may include a base member interposed between the first and second neck portions.

In another aspect, the first and second protrusions of the articulation joint may extend from the base member in opposite directions.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, an articulation assembly for use with a surgical device includes first and second articulation members, first and second actuation members, an articulation joint, and first and second linkage members. The first and second actuation members are coupled to respective first and second jaws of a surgical device such that axial displacement of the first actuation member pivots the first and second jaws in a first direction and axial displacement of the second actuation member pivots the first and second jaws in the second direction opposite of the first direction. The articulation joint includes first and second protrusions extending laterally in opposite directions and configured to pivotably support the respective first and second jaws, and first and second pegs laterally spaced apart and extending orthogonal to the first and second protrusions. The first and second linkage members interconnect the first and second articulation members to the respective first and second pegs such that axial displacement of the first articulation cable pivots the first and second jaws about the second peg, and axial displacement of the second articulation cable pivots the first and second jaws about the first peg.

In an aspect, the articulation assembly further includes a mount configured to slidably support the first and second linkage members, and pivotably engaging the first and second pegs.

In another aspect, the mount may define laterally spaced apart slots configured to slidably receive the respective first and second linkage members therein.

In yet another aspect, the mount may define grooves laterally spaced apart. The grooves may be configured to pivotably support the respective first and second pegs of the articulation joint.

In still yet another aspect, the mount may define longitudinal bores spaced apart from a central axis defined by the mount. The longitudinal bores may be configured to slidably receive the respective first and second actuation members.

In still yet another aspect, the first and second actuation members may include respective distal portions bendable to form an arcuate profile.

The above and other aspects and features of this disclosure will become more apparent in view of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an endoscopic surgical grasper in accordance with this disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the indicated area of detail of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the endoscopic surgical grasper of FIG. 1 with parts separated;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopic surgical grasper of FIG. 1 with an outer tube of an elongate shaft removed;

FIG. 5 is an end cross-sectional view take along section line 5 - 5 of FIG. 4 ;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the indicated area of detail of FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an articulation joint of an articulation assembly of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 8 is a jaw member of a tool assembly of the endoscopic surgical grasper of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopic surgical grasper, illustrating the actuation members;

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopic surgical grasper of FIG. 1 with linkage members of the articulation assembly removed;

FIG. 11 is a partial top view of the endoscopic surgical grasper of FIG. 1 , illustrating the tool assembly in a straight configuration;

FIG. 12 is a top view of the endoscopic surgical grasper of FIG. 11 , illustrating articulation of the tool assembly in a first direction;

FIG. 13 is a top view of the endoscopic surgical grasper of FIG. 11 , illustrating articulation of the tool assembly in a second direction; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the endoscopic surgical grasper of FIG. 11 , illustrating articulation and pivoting of the tool assembly.

The endoscopic surgical device disclosed herein is described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views.

As used herein, the term “distal” refers to the portion that is being described which is further from a user, while the term “proximal” refers to the portion that is being described which is closer to a user. In addition, the terms parallel and perpendicular are understood to include relative configurations that are substantially parallel and substantially perpendicular up to about + or −10 degrees from true parallel and true perpendicular. Further, to the extent consistent, any or all of the aspects detailed herein may be used in conjunction with any or all of the other aspects detailed herein.

Non-limiting examples of endoscopic surgical devices which may include articulation joints according to the disclosure include manual, mechanical and/or electromechanical surgical tack appliers, surgical clip appliers, surgical staplers, surgical stitching devices and the like.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 , an exemplary articulation assembly for use with endoscopic surgical device, in the form of an endoscopic surgical grasper 10 , is shown generally as 100 . The articulation assembly 100 is configured to maximize clamping force while minimizing the size of an entrance opening in a patient. The endoscopic surgical grasper 10 includes a handle assembly 20 , an endoscopic shaft 30 extending from the handle assembly 20 , the articulation assembly 100 supported at a distal end portion 30 a of the endoscopic shaft 30 , and a tool assembly 50 coupled to the articulation assembly 100 . The tool assembly 50 is configured to pivot in a first plane and articulate in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane, thereby enabling the tool assembly 50 for a full hemispherical reach within the surgical site.

FIGS. 3 - 5 illustrate the endoscopic shaft 30 including an outer tube 33 and an inner support 35 slidably supporting first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b . In particular, the inner support 35 includes a distal mount 37 defining bores 40 a , 40 b that are diametrically opposed to each other and configured to receive respective first and second actuation members 140 a , 140 b . The distal mount 37 includes slots 42 a , 42 b that are diametrically opposed to each other and configured to slidably receive the respective first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b . In particular, the bores 40 a , 40 b are radially spaced about from a central longitudinal axis “C” ( FIG. 10 ) and define a first axis “F”. The slots 42 a , 42 b are also laterally spaced apart from each other and define a second axis “S”. The first and second axes “F”, “S” may be orthogonal to each other. FIG. 6 shows the distal mount 37 defining a first pair of grooves 37 a , 37 b on a first lateral side of the distal mount 37 , and a second pair of grooves 39 a , 39 b on a second lateral side of the distal mount 37 . The grooves 37 a , 37 b are in registration with each other, and the grooves 39 a , 39 b are in registration with each other. In particular, the grooves 37 a , 39 a laterally oppose each other, and grooves 37 b , 39 b laterally oppose each other. The first and second pairs of grooves 37 a , 37 b , 39 a , 39 b are configured to engage the articulation joint 150 as discussed below.

FIGS. 4 - 6 show the articulation assembly 100 including the first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b , the first and second actuation members 140 a , 140 b , an articulation joint 150 , and first and second linkage members 180 a , 180 b . The first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b are slidably supported within the inner support 35 . In particular, the first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b include respective first and second bosses 112 a , 112 b configured to engage respective first and second proximal bores 182 a , 182 b of the corresponding first and second linkage members 180 a , 180 b . The first and second linkage members 180 a , 180 b laterally oppose each other. The first linkage member 180 a defines proximal and distal bores 182 a , 184 a on respective opposite end portions thereof. Further, the first linkage member 180 a includes an extension portion 183 a extending radially inward towards the central longitudinal axis “C” ( FIG. 10 ). The second linkage member 180 b is a mirror image of the first linkage member 180 a . The second linkage member 180 b defines proximal and distal bores 182 b , 184 b on respective opposite end portions thereof. In particular, the second linkage member 180 b includes an extension portion 183 b extending radially inward towards the central longitudinal axis “C”.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the articulation joint 150 operatively associated with the first and second jaws 52 , 54 of the tool assembly 50 and the first and second linkage members 180 a , 180 b . In particular, the articulation joint 150 includes laterally opposing first and second supports 152 , 154 . The first and second supports 152 , 154 include respective first and second pegs 158 , 160 . The first peg 158 includes first and second portions 158 a , 158 b extending in opposite directions orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis “C”. Similarly, the second peg 160 includes first and second portions 160 a , 160 b extending in opposite directions orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis “C”. The first and second portions 158 a , 158 b of the first peg 158 are configured to pivotably engage the respective grooves 37 a , 37 b of the distal mount 37 of the endoscopic shaft 30 . Similarly, the first and second portions 160 a , 160 b of the second peg 160 are configured to pivotably engage the respective grooves 39 a , 39 b of the distal mount 37 . In addition, the first portions 158 a , 160 a of the respective first and second pegs 158 , 160 are received through the distal bores 184 a , 184 b of the respective first and second linkage members 180 a , 180 b . In addition, the articulation joint 150 further includes a base member 190 and first and second lateral protrusions 192 , 194 extending from the base member 190 in opposite directions. The first and second lateral protrusions 192 , 194 are configured to extend through bores 52 a , 54 a of the respective first and second jaws 52 , 54 .

FIG. 8 illustrates the first jaw member 52 . The second jaw member 54 is a mirror image of the first jaw member 52 . In the interest of brevity, only the first jaw member 52 is shown and described. The first jaw member 52 includes a grasping portion 53 and a neck portion 55 extending proximally from the grasping portion 53 . The grasping portion 53 includes, e.g., a substantially planar, surface 53 b configured to engage, e.g., tissue. The grasping portion 53 defines a cavity 53 a configured to secure a portion of a biasing member 57 ( FIG. 6 ) therein. In particular, the neck portion 55 defines the bore 52 a configured to receive the first lateral protrusion 192 of the articulation joint 150 . For example, the bore 52 a may be concentrically defined with respect to the neck portion 55 . In addition, the neck portion 55 further defines a groove 55 a about the bore 52 a to receive a portion of the actuation member 140 , and a hole 55 b configured fixedly receive a distal end portion 141 a ( FIG. 6 ) of the first actuation member 140 a to secure the distal end portion 141 a thereto.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the first and second jaws 52 , 54 operatively coupled to the articulation joint 150 . The neck portions 55 , 59 of the respective first and second jaws 52 , 54 are disposed on opposing sides of the base member 190 of the articulation joint 150 . In particular, the respective first and second articulation members 140 a , 140 b are interposed between the base member 190 and the corresponding neck portion 55 , 59 . As discussed hereinabove, the first and second lateral protrusions 192 , 194 of the articulation joint 150 are received in the bores 52 a , 54 a of the respective first and second jaws 52 , 54 .

In particular, the distal end portions 141 a , 141 b of the respective first and second actuation members 140 a , 140 b are at least partially wrapped around the respective neck portions 55 , 59 via grooves 55 a (groove for the neck portion 59 not shown) in opposite directions. Under such a configuration, retraction of the first or second actuation member 140 a , 140 b (in the direction of an arrow “P”) pivots the first and second jaws in opposite directions. For example, when the first actuation member 140 a is retracted, the first and second jaws 52 , 54 rotate in the direction of an arrow “A” and when the second actuation member 140 b is retracted, the first and second jaws 52 , 54 rotate in the direction of an arrow “B”. As discussed above, the biasing member 57 biases the first and second jaws 52 , 54 toward the spaced part configuration, and thus, rotation of one of the first and second jaws 52 , 54 causes rotation of the other one of the first and second jaws 52 , 54 in the spaced apart configuration. Under such a configuration, when both the first and second actuation members 140 a , 140 b are retracted, the first and second jaws 52 , 54 are transitioned to the approximated configuration to clamp, e.g., tissue, therebetween.

FIG. 11 illustrates the first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b operatively coupled to the articulation joint 150 . Through the use of the first and second articulation members 110 , the first and second jaws 52 , 54 are laterally articulatable in the direction of an arrow “W” ( FIG. 13 ) and in the direction of an arrow “R” ( FIG. 12 ) from a straight configuration in which the first and second jaws 52 , 54 are aligned with the central longitudinal axis “C-C”. In the straight configuration, the first peg 158 is received in the first pair of grooves 37 a , 37 b , and the second peg 160 is received in the second pair of grooves 39 a , 39 b . Further, the extension portions 183 a , 183 b ( FIG. 6 ) of the first and second linkage members 180 a , 180 b engage each other. However, when the first articulation member 110 a is displaced in the direction of an arrow “D” ( FIG. 12 ), the first peg 158 of the articulation member 150 is displaced from the first pair of grooves 37 a , 37 b and extends away from the distal mount 37 ( FIG. 6 ) of the endoscopic shaft 30 , as shown in FIG. 13 . However, the extension portion 183 a of the first linkage member 180 a remains in the distal mount 37 to support the first linkage member 180 a thereon. At this time, the second peg 160 of the articulation joint 150 remains in the second pair of grooves 39 a , 39 b of the distal mount 37 such that the first and second jaws 52 , 54 pivot about the second peg 160 , as shown in FIG. 13 . Similarly, when the second articulation member 110 b is displaced in the direction of an arrow “D”, the second peg 160 of the articulation member 150 is displaced from the second pair of grooves 39 a , 39 b and extends away from the distal mount 37 ( FIG. 6 ) of the endoscopic shaft 30 . However, the extension portion 183 b of the second linkage member 180 b remains in the distal mount 37 to support the second linkage member 180 b thereon. At this time, the first peg 158 of the articulation joint 150 remains in the first pair of grooves 37 a , 37 b such that the first and second jaws 52 , 54 pivot about the first peg 158 as shown in FIG. 12 .

Under such a configuration, by utilizing the first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b and the first and second actuation members 140 a , 140 b , the tool assembly 50 may be pivoted in a first plane and articulated in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane. In this manner, the tool assembly 50 may be manipulated and have a full hemispherical reach within the surgical site as shown in FIG. 14 . Furthermore, such a configuration eliminates the center line pivot joint used in a conventional articulation mechanism, which, in turn, enables use of thicker cable that provides greater clamping force of the first and second jaws 52 , 54 .

It is contemplated that while the articulation assembly 100 is shown for use with the endoscopic surgical grasper 10 , the articulation assembly 100 may be configured for use with other surgical devices such as, e.g., surgical staplers or tack appliers.

FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrate a handle assembly 20 operatively coupled with the articulation members 110 . The handle assembly 20 includes a base portion 22 , a rotatable member 24 , and a cover 26 . The base portion 22 defines a circular recess 22 a configured to rotatably receive the rotatable member 24 therein, and grooves 22 c configured to slidably receive respective first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b . The base portion 22 includes a protrusion 22 b configured to be received in the hole 24 a defined in the rotatable member 24 to rotatably support the rotatable member 24 thereon. The rotatable member 24 has an underside defining a coiled groove 24 b about the hole 24 a . The rotatable member 24 further includes a knob 24 c configured to be gripped by a clinician to rotate the rotatable member 24 . The cover 26 defines a bore 26 a configured to receive the knob 24 c of the rotatable member 24 therethrough. The cover 26 is positioned in superposed relation with the rotatable member 24 such that the rotatable member 24 is rotatably secured with the base portion 22 . In particular, the proximal end portions of the first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b include respective bosses 111 a , 111 b configured to cammingly engage the coiled groove 24 b . The coiled groove 24 b is configured to hold one of the first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b back, while advancing the other first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b when the knob 24 c of the rotatable member 24 is rotated. In this manner, rotation of the knob 24 c controls the articulation of the tool assembly 50 in the direction of arrows “R” ( FIG. 12 ) and “W” ( FIG. 13 ). However, it is contemplated that the first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b may be coupled to an electro-mechanical device such as, e.g., an electrical motor, to effect articulation of the first and second jaws 52 , 54 . Furthermore, the first and second actuation members 140 a , 140 b may be mechanically operated by a trigger or an electro-mechanical device, as known by one skilled in the art to retract each of the first and second actuation members 140 a , 140 b alone or together to pivot or clamp the jaw members 52 , 54 , as discussed above. It is also envisioned that the articulation assembly 100 may be configured to connect to a robotic arm of a robotic surgical system to enable manipulation and control thereof.

In use, the endoscopic surgical grasper 10 is initially placed in the straight configuration and the first and second jaws 52 , 54 are in the approximated configuration, in which, the first and second articulation members 140 a , 140 b are retracted in the direction of the arrow “P”. At this time, the clinician may position the first and second jaws 52 , 54 through an opening in tissue. Thereafter, the first and second articulation members 110 a , 110 b and/or the first and second actuation members 140 a , 140 b may be manipulated to pivot and/or articulate the first and second jaws 52 , 54 to place the first and second jaws 52 , 54 adjacent a target tissue. Thereafter, the endoscopic surgical grasper 10 may be actuated to grasp the desired object such as, e.g., tissue or mesh (not shown), as needed.

While specific instruments have been shown in the drawings, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.