1724882 results about "Mechanical engineering" patented technology

A surgical device is described herein that can be used to fire different types and sizes of disposable loading units. In a preferred embodiment, the device applies parallel rows of surgical fasteners to body tissue and concomitantly forms an incision between the rows of staples during an endoscopic or laparoscopic surgical procedure. The device can be utilized with disposable loading units configured to apply linear rows of staples measuring from about 15 mm in length to about 60 mm in length and can be used to fire disposable loading units containing surgical clips and individual staples.

A surgical stapling instrument including a latch for securing first and second jaw members together, a cutting member which can be advanced and / or retracted relative to first and second jaw members, and, in addition, a lock which can prevent, or at least inhibit, the cutting member from being moved, or at least advanced, relative to the first and second jaw members before the latch has been closed. In at least one embodiment, the latch can be configured to engage the lock as the latch is moved from a fully open position to a fully closed position and operably disengage the lock from the cutting member.

A cutting and stapling device for use as an attachment to an electromechanical device driver comprises an upper jaw and a lower jaw which separate and close against one another in a continuously parallel alignment. The upper jaw includes a series of staple guides corresponding to one or more staples in a removable staple tray disposed within a lower jaw, whereby a blade and wedge having a threaded bore travel upon a matching threaded shaft in a channel disposed in the lower jaw below the staple tray, such that rotation of the threaded shaft causes movement of the wedge through the channel while a sloped surface of the wedge contacts the staples to push the staples against the staples guides, closing the staples.

A heart valve can be replaced using minimally invasive methods which include a sutureless sewing cuff that and a fastener delivery tool that holds the cuff against the patient's tissue while delivering fasteners, two at a time to attach the cuff to the tissue from the inside out. The tool stores a plurality of fasteners. Drawstrings are operated from outside the patient's body and cinch the sewing cuff to the valve body. The cuff is releasably mounted on the tool and the tool holds the cuff against tissue and drives the fastener through the cuff and the tissue before folding over the legs of the fastener whereby secure securement between the cuff and the tissue is assured. At least two rows of staggered fasteners are formed whereby fasteners are located continuously throughout the entire circumference of the cuff. A minimally invasive surgical method is disclosed, and a method and tool are disclosed for repairing abdominal aortic aneurysms in a minimally invasive manner.

A surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising a first jaw containing a first row of first surgical fasteners and a second row of second surgical fasteners and a second jaw containing a first row of first anvil pockets and a second row of second anvil pockets deforming the respective first and second rows of fasteners. At least one of the first fasteners has a first unformed length and a first formed length forming a single loop configuration to form a first compressive space when deformed by the anvil pocket. At least one of the second fasteners has a second unformed length and a second formed length forming a single loop configuration having a second compressive space. The first unformed length and first formed length of the at least one first fastener is less than the second unformed length and second formed length of the at least one second fastener.

A staple drive assembly includes an actuation sled and at least one staple pusher. The staple drive assembly is adapted to fit within a staple cartridge having a plurality of staples and a corresponding number of retention slots. The at least one staple pusher includes at least one pusher plate for releasably engaging a backspan of a staple. The staple pusher may include a plurality of pusher plates that may be laterally and longitudinally spaced apart. An actuation member has at least one angled camming surface for engaging a complimentary angled surface of the at least one staple pusher. Camming engagement between the actuation member and the at least one staple pusher causes vertical movement of the at least one staple pusher. Lateral and longitudinal offset of the actuation member camming surfaces and the corresponding staple pusher following surfaces improves stability and control of the staple pusher during firing.

A staple drive assembly includes an actuation sled and at least one staple pusher. The staple drive assembly is adapted to fit within a staple cartridge having a plurality of staples and a corresponding number of retention slots. The at least one staple pusher includes at least one pusher plate for releasably engaging a backspan of a staple. The staple pusher may include a plurality of pusher plates that may be laterally and longitudinally spaced apart. An actuation member has at least one angled camming surface for engaging a complimentary angled surface of the at least one staple pusher. Camming engagement between the actuation member and the at least one staple pusher causes vertical movement of the at least one staple pusher. Lateral and longitudinal offset of the actuation member camming surfaces and the corresponding staple pusher following surfaces improves stability and control of the staple pusher during firing.

Circular stapling instruments for cutting and applying one or more surgical staples to tissue are disclosed. The instruments include various forms of anvil locking systems designed to selectively prevent the anvil from moving axially relative to the stapling head of the stapling instrument. One embodiment employs an elongated gear rack that is selectively engagable with locking gears to prevent axial motion of the elongated gear rack and an adjustment shaft used to axially position the anvil. Other embodiments employ a gear assembly that cooperates with the elongated gear rack. A locking member is movably supported by a handle assembly that houses the gear assembly and elongated gear rack. The locking member is configured for selective meshing engagement with the gear assembly to ultimately prevent axial movement of the gear rack and adjustment shaft.

An apparatus for forming an anastomosis between adjacent tissue sections is provided. The apparatus includes an anastomosis device including an anvil assembly having a shaft which is selectively attachable to a tubular body portion, wherein the tubular body portion includes at least one annular row of staples operatively disposed therein. The apparatus further includes a disk having an outer terminal portion and a substantially centrally located aperture. The disk includes an adhesive material at the outer terminal portion. Wherein the outer terminal portion of the disk extends radially outward beyond the outer-most row of the at least one annular row of staples to adhesively attach the tissue sections together radially outward of the at least one annular row of staples.

This invention provides surgical tools or instruments for use in minimally invasive telesurgical applications. The instruments typically include a base whereby the instrument is removably mountable on a robotically controlled articulated arm. An elongate shaft extends from the base. A working end of the shaft is disposed at an end of the shaft remote from the base. A wrist member is pivotally mounted on the working end. At least one end effector element mounting formation is pivotally mounted on an opposed end of the wrist member. A plurality of elongate elements, e.g., cables, extend from the end effector element mounting formation and the wrist member to cause selective angular displacement of the wrist member and end effector mounting formation in response to selective pulling of the elongate elements.

A two-component fluid dispenser which can accurately mix two liquids of varying viscosity and then precisely deliver the mixture formed in discrete amounts. The mixture of the two components is delivered from a single delivery tube in a manner such that none of the mixture remains within the delivery tube at the completion of each mixing and delivery cycle. In one form of the apparatus, the single delivery tube of the apparatus is operably coupled with conventional hypodermic syringes of various sizes so that different fluids can be mixed in different ratios.

A robot system for use in surgical procedures has two movable arms each carried on a wheeled base with each arm having a six of degrees of freedom of movement and an end effector which can be rolled about its axis and an actuator which can slide along the axis for operating different tools adapted to be supported by the effector. Each end effector including optical force sensors for detecting forces applied to the tool by engagement with the part of the patient. A microscope is located at a position for viewing the part of the patient. The position of the tool tip can be digitized relative to fiducial markers visible in an MRI experiment. The workstation and control system has a pair of hand-controllers simultaneously manipulated by an operator to control movement of a respective one or both of the arms. The image from the microscope is displayed on a monitor in 2D and stereoscopically on a microscope viewer. A second MRI display shows an image of the part of the patient the real-time location of the tool. The robot is MRI compatible and can be configured to operate within a closed magnet bore. The arms are driven about vertical and horizontal axes by piezoelectric motors.

A surgical apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided. The surgical apparatus includes a housing, a drive assembly, a trigger, and a shaft assembly. The trigger is operatively connected with the drive assembly. The drive assembly is at least partially positioned within the housing. The shaft assembly extends distally from the housing and has a first tubular member pivotally connected with a second tubular member located distally from the first tubular member. An articulation mechanism is operatively connected between the first and second tubular members, and includes a gear rack, at least one gear, and a gear segment, respectfully connected with each other to pivot the second tubular member about the pivot axis. The gear rack and at least one gear are located within the first tubular member. The gear segment extends proximally from the second tubular member.

Apparatus and methods for endoscope assemblies having working channels with reduced bending and stretching resistance are disclosed. In one embodiment, an endoscope assembly includes a sheath having a body portion adapted to at least partially encapsulate an endoscopic insertion tube, and a working channel attached to the body portion and extending along at least a portion of the body portion. The working channel includes a component for reducing the resistance of the assembly to bending and stretching. In alternate aspects, the working channel may include a cut, a gap, a sliding portion, or an expansion section. Endoscope assemblies having a working channel in accordance with the invention advantageously reduce the articulation and stretching resistance of the assembly during articulation of the endoscope assembly. Also, because the axial forces (tension and compression) within the working channel are reduced, the working channel can be fabricated out of a relatively hard, inelastic material, thereby reducing the friction within the working channel and improving the physician's ability to perform a medical procedure.

An articulation mechanism for use with a surgical apparatus having an articulating tool assembly is described. The articulation mechanism includes a rotatable shaft which is fixedly secured to a disk defining a spiral groove or slot. A linearly movable translation member is provided and includes a pin which is received within the spiral groove such that rotation of the disk effects linear translation of the translation member. The configuration of the spiral groove can be selected to provide any desired ratio of angular rotation of the disk to linear advancement of the translation member. As such, the configuration of the spiral slot can be selected to provide a uniform rate of articulation of the tool assembly of the surgical apparatus or a variable rate of articulation.

A surgical stapler is provided and comprises a handle assembly, an elongated body, an articulable tool assembly, and an articulation mechanism. The articulation mechanism has: a main shaft member connected to an articulation linkage; a retainer having an opening for receiving a shaft portion of the main shaft member; a cam lock having cam locking surfaces and a locking tab; a locking cover defining recesses for receiving the locking tab; an articulation handle having cam surfaces configured to engage the cam locking surfaces of the cam lock.

A flexible malleable shaft is made up of a plurality of prismatic shaft elements adjacent one another. A recess is formed in a proximal end of each shaft element, the recess defined along a transverse axis. A protrusion is formed in a distal end of each shaft element, the protrusion defined along a transverse axis. The transverse axes are oriented to one another such that adjacent like shaft elements are aligned with one another when a protrusion of one shaft element is aligned with a recess in an adjacent shaft element. A tension element secured to a distal end of the malleable shaft is in communication with a proximal end of the malleable shaft via an axial through hole. Additionally, a variable stiffness malleable shaft can accommodate the differential lengths of tension elements when applying force to transition the shaft.

A detecting apparatus includes a housing support section(s), a housing removably attached thereto, one or more sensors and a processor. An alternate apparatus measures heat flux and includes a known resistivity base member, a processing unit and two temperature measuring devices, one in thermal communication with the body through a thermal energy communicator and the other in thermal communication with the ambient environment. A further alternate apparatus includes a housing or flexible section having an adhesive material on a surface thereof for removably attaching the apparatus to the body. A further alternate apparatus includes a housing having an inner surface having a concave shape in a first direction and convex shape in a second direction substantially perpendicular thereto. Also, an apparatus for detecting heart related parameters includes one or more filtering sensors for generating filtering signals related to the non-heart related motion of the body.

An anchor deployment tool includes a flexible outer tube, within which is positioned a flexible inner shaft, and a rotating deployment element coupled to a distal end of the shaft. The tool is configured to provide an anchor storage area, which initially stores a plurality of tissue anchors, such that the inner shaft passes through channels of the anchors along entire longitudinal lengths of the anchors, and the anchors are within the outer tube. The rotating deployment element is configured to directly engage the anchors in the anchor storage area one at a time, advance each of the anchors while engaged in a distal direction, and deploy each of the anchors through the distal tube end and into tissue of a subject. Other embodiments are also described.

An introducer assembly for use with a surgical stapler is provided. The introducer assembly includes an elongated main body portion, one or more mounting mechanisms associated with the main body portion, and a plurality of petals or fingers positioned at a distal end of the elongated main body portion. The one or more mounting mechanisms are adapted to detachably mount with respect to the surgical stapler. The plurality of petals or fingers define a distal junction and a proximally-directed mounting member that is adapted to detachably engage a distal portion of the surgical stapler. The plurality of petals or fingers define an inner region that accommodates a distal end of the surgical stapler. The distal junction and the proximally-directed mounting member associated with the plurality of petals or fingers are adapted to disengage upon application of a requisite proximally-directed force to the elongated body portion. Methods and combinations that utilize the introducer are also disclosed.

A clevis for a biopsy jaw assembly having a pair of biopsy cups, which includes a central portion having a first side and a second side. At least two flaps are oppositely folded to one another with one flap on the first side and one flap on the second side. A mounting portion may be connected to the central portion. The mounting portion may have a proximal end for mounting on an actuator for positioning the biopsy jaw assembly.

A surgical clip applier includes a train of clips disposed in a plane with a single clip removed from the train of clips and disposed in a staging position. A pair of jaws are adapted to receive the single clip from the staging position by operation of a jaw loader moveable outside the plane of the train of clips. In an associate method, a handle assembly is provided which is moveable in an open stroke and a closed stroke. A source of surgical clips are provided along with a pair of jaws which are adapted to receive one of the clips as the handle assembly is moved in an open stroke, the jaws are open to receive the clip. Following the opening of the jaws, a jaw loader is extended to a position between the jaws to move the clip into the jaws. The handle assembly is moveable in a closed stroke during which the jaws are closed to crimp the clip. Prior to this closing of the jaws, the jaw loader is retracted from the position between the jaws leaving the clip in the jaws.

Apparatus and methods for endoscope assemblies having working channels with reduced bending and stretching resistance are disclosed. In one embodiment, an endoscope assembly includes a sheath having a body portion adapted to at least partially encapsulate an endoscopic insertion tube, and a working channel attached to the body portion and extending along at least a portion of the body portion. The working channel includes a component for reducing the resistance of the assembly to bending and stretching. In alternate aspects, the working channel may include a cut, a gap, a sliding portion, or an expansion section. Endoscope assemblies having a working channel in accordance with the invention advantageously reduce the articulation and stretching resistance of the assembly during articulation of the endoscope assembly. Also, because the axial forces (tension and compression) within the working channel are reduced, the working channel can be fabricated out of a relatively hard, inelastic material, thereby reducing the friction within the working channel and improving the physician's ability to perform a medical procedure.

A novel capture device apparatus comprising: (a) a capture device portion, at least a part of which is adaptable for insertion into a patient and (b) a control unit. The capture device portion comprises one or more apertures and one or more electroactive polymer actuators that open and close the one or more apertures based on control signals sent from the control unit. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of capturing a specimen within a patient's body of provided. The method comprises (a) providing a capture device apparatus like that above, (b) inserting at least a portion of the capture device portion of the apparatus into the patient such that the capture device portion is adjacent the specimen; and (c) closing the one or more apertures using the control unit, thereby capturing the specimen.

A staple cartridge is provided for retaining fully formed staples not clenched through body tissue. The staple cartridge generally includes staple pockets containing surgical staples having a backspan and first and second legs projecting from the backspan and staple pushers positioned within the staple pockets beneath the surgical staples. The staple pushers include body portions having first and second flexible fingers extending from the body portions and removably engagable with the backspan of the surgical staples. The flexible fingers include flexible stems extending from the body portions and head portions extending from the flexible stems. Each head portion includes a rounded distal tip positioned offset from and outward of a central axis of the stem and an inwardly projecting grasping portion for engaging the backspan of the surgical staple. Distal ends of sidewalls of the staple pockets are flared outwardly to accommodate movement of the head portions of the flexible fingers.

An appliance for storing, distributing and placing surgical fasteners comprises a handgrip body and an elongate element attached to the handgrip. The elongate element includes a magazine slide adapted to be displaced in the elongate element by a control rod. The control rod can be, in turn, actuated by the handgrip. The magazine slide also has surgical fasteners. Each surgical fastener has an anchoring bar, a catching bar and a connecting strip. A distal part of the anchoring bar has a conical shape. A distal end of the distal part of the anchoring bar has a hemispherical shape.

A shape-memory device manufactured from shape memory material includes multiple activation temperatures. The multiple activation temperatures arise from either the heat treatment of the device during manufacturing, or by combining different elements with different activation temperatures. To manufacture a shape-memory device with multiple activation temperatures, it is formed into a first shape. A first portion of the shape-memory device is heated to a first temperature, and a second portion of the shape-memory device is heated to a second temperature. The shape-memory device is then worked into a second shape. Accordingly, the first portion has a first transition temperature, and the second portion has a second transition temperature. In use, the shape-memory device is placed into a desired position. Energy is applied such that the first portion, second portion, or both portions are transformed.

A disposable absorbent article comprising a chassis including a topsheet and a backsheet, a substantially cellulose free absorbent core located between the topsheet and the backsheet and having a wearer facing side oriented toward a wearer when the article is being worn and an opposed garment facing side, and a liquid acquisition system disposed between the liquid permeable topsheet and the wearer facing side of the absorbent core comprising chemically cross-linked cellulosic fibers.