Laparoscopic instrument with parallel actuated jaws

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to minimally invasive surgical instruments, and more particularly, to instruments having a linkage mechanism and assembly for enabling an end effector, such as jaws of a surgical forceps, to move between an open and a closed position in parallel relationship to each other.

[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0005] Laparoscopic procedures have been developed relatively recently as a less invasive alternative to traditional open surgeries. Numerous surgical procedures, such as gall bladder operations, are currently performed by laparoscopic techniques. These surgeries are generally termed “minimally invasive surgery” (MIS) and the present invention refers to a class of devices that have rigid shafts with hand-operated handles at one end and an end effector mechanism (such as jaws) at the other end. End effector mechanisms refer to the portion of the surgical instrument that actually contacts and manipulates tissue in a patient. The prior art of most concern herein relates to grasping forceps, which grasp but do not intentionally cut or puncture tissue; for example forceps with broad jaws are use for tasks such as pulling out gall bladders that have been surgically cut away from the liver. These devices replace the surgeon's hands in the traditional open surgery. However, prior laparoscopic grasping devices often may cause problems in their inability to properly grasp the object, such as a gallstone. The lack of satisfactory holding power of these instruments can complicate the surgeon's work. Tissue that must be manipulated during a surgical procedure can have widely varying surface characteristics and can be highly slippery and difficult to grasp. Additionally, such prior devices lack the necessary holding power, thereby forcing the physician to exert significant grasping pressure in order to manipulate tissue as required to perform the surgical procedure. Use of such high grasping pressures can result in increased long-term trauma to the tissue.

[0006] The typical instrument employed in laparoscopic surgery has a hollow clindrical shaft, which includes a solid actuating rod. The rod is connected at the distal end to the effector mechanism (jaws), and at the proximal end to one member of the handle assembly. When the handle is operated, the rod slides through the shaft and actuates the end effector mechanism. Serrations and other features (depending on the use for which the instrument is intended) enable the end effector to perform various surgical functions, such as gripping.

[0007] Many creative linkages have been devised for converting the surgeon's manual efforts, at the handle end of the instrument, into opening and closing of the instrument's jaws. Typically, although with some exceptions, the handle has a stationary member rigidly joined to a hollow shaft and a movable member pivotally joined to an actuator rod that is mounted and is capable of reciprocal movement within the shaft. When the surgeon squeezes the stationary and movable handle members together, the actuating rod acts upon the jaws (to which it is rotatively fastened by pins, or by tracks of levers kinematically equivalent to pins) in such a way as to make the jaws close. When the surgeon spreads the stationary and movable members apart, the movements are reversed and the jaws open. The jaws are usually attached to the end of the shaft by known means, e.g., by pins or kinematically equivalent tracks. In some cases, levers or other intermediate pieces are interposed between the actuating rod and the jaws for causing the latter to open and close in response to relative movement of the stationary and movable handle members.

[0008] When operating the jaws of typical instruments as described above, surgeons have experienced difficulty in grasping slippery tissues because the jaws close first at their rear ends, and thereby tend to propel or push the tissues out from between the jaws. This is illustrated in FIG. 1, which shows that when attempting to grasp a relatively large object, the rotary force tends to push the object out of the jaws as well as hold it. Consequently, trauma of the tissue may result from repeated and increasingly aggressive attempts to grasp the tissue.

[0009] Laparoscopic instruments intending to simplify operative treatment on a tissue are known in a large number of variants, particularly when designed as a grasping instrument. Thus U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,589 issued to Lichtman on Jun. 7, 1994, teaches of a surgical instrument having jaws opening and closing. This patent is typical of a class wherein the jaws are normally biased in one position, then moved in response to the squeezing motion of the handle assembly. There is no independent linkage to control the jaws, therefore these jaws will have a tendency to lack grasping power.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,121 issued to Bimbo et al. on Mar. 17, 1998, discloses a surgical gripping wherein the grasping jaws employ a gripping material for enhanced holding power. The jaws themselves have a conventional means for movement.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,606 issued to Marlow et al. on Nov. 29, 1994, illustrates a means of actuating the jaws by a linkage method of manipulation. The method falls short of teaching a means for opening and closing the jaws in parallel relationship to one another.

[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,412 issued to Mayenburger on Dec. 29, 1998, teaches the use of toggle lever elements to move the jaws. No disclosure is made as to moving the jaws in a parallel relationship to each other.

[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,358 issued to Bond et al. on May 3, 1994, discloses a double-motion actuator assembly which comprises a linkage means, but not a teaching of parallel movement between the jaws themselves.

[0014] None of the above inventions and patents, either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.

[0015] Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are obviated by the present invention which provides for a laparoscopic instrument having an improved surgical gripping for a variety of tissue types at minimal grasping pressures.

[0016] More particularly, the instrument of the present invention is comprised of a handle assembly, an elongated laparascopic shaft assembly extending from the handle assembly, and an end effector mechanism being supported on a distal end of the shaft assembly. The end effectors actuate between open and close position by movement of a movable loop handle which pivots in relation to a stationary loop handle. The end effector mechanism includes a pair of opposed cooperating jaw members which are adapted and configured so as to keep the jaws parallel to each other through their range of motion. To accomplish this, a mechanically controlled linkage system is connected to the jaws to maintain the jaws in substantially parallel relationship to each other while the jaws are being opened and closed.

[0017] Preferably the shaft assembly is provided with a tubular sheath having a co intensive actuator rod which coaxially reciprocates within it; such that the handle assembly is operationally interconnected to the jaws. The actuator rod is attached to the movable handle, while the sheath is secured to a barrel portion which extends from the stationary handle. As the movable handle pivots, the actuator rod slidably reciprocates within the sheath to open and close the jaws.

[0018] The main object of the present invention provides a linkage system that will maintain the jaws parallel to each other, or at a known fixed angle to each other, throughout their range of motion.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide jaws with enhanced gripping power without the need of excessive grasping pressure.

[0020] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a laparoscopic instrument having jaws that are less traumatic in retracting organs and tissue.

[0021] Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a jaw and linkage system configuration that can be used for a variety of applications which require an improved extended reach grip.

[0022] An object of the present invention is to overcome the inherent difficulties which surgeons experience when attempting to manipulate organs, such as gall bladders, filled with gallstones and calcified tissue, which exhibit the “bar of soap effect” when being grasped.

[0023] These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

[0024] The foregoing objects and other features of the invention will become readily apparent and may be understood by referring to the following detailed description of an illustrative preferred embodiment of the laparoscopic surgical instrument having a novel end effector mechanism, wherein the grasping jaws are maintained in parallel position in respect to each other throughout their range of motion.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a sketch of the typical direction of force that is applied in most of the prior art.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a sketch illustrating the direction of the applied gripping forces of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the surgical instrument of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the surgical instrument shown in FIG. 3 with the end effector jaws in a fully deployed position.

[0029] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the surgical of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the present invention with jaws in a nearly closed position.

[0031] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the jaw section with the jaws fully deployed.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG. 6.

[0033] FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG. 7.

[0034] FIG. 10 is a pictorial view of one of the jaw members.

[0035] FIG. 11 is a longitudinal side view of the jaw member.

[0036] FIG. 12 is a top view of the jaw member shown in FIG. 11

[0037] FIG. 13 is a pictorial view of the front end member.

[0038] FIG. 14 is a longitudinal side view of the front end member.

[0039] FIG. 15 is a top view of the front end member as shown in FIG. 14.

[0040] FIG. 16 is a pictorial view of the translation member.

[0041] FIG. 17 is a longitudinal side view of the translation member.

[0042] FIG. 18 is a top view of the translation member as shown in FIG. 17.

[0043] FIG. 19 is an end view of the translation member of FIG. 17.

[0044] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the toggle link.

[0045] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the stabilizing link.

[0046] A major difficulty facing surgeons performing certain laparoscopic procedures concerns the amount of grasping force required to accomplish the task, yet being careful so as to not overexert the gripping pressure which may harm the tissue. An example would be in the removal of tissue such as a gallbladder filled with calcified gallstones, which can be extremely slippery and therefore difficult to grasp. This is illustrated in the prior art of FIG. 1. The present invention, as presented in FIG. 2, seeks to place the gripping force in a perpendicular direction to longitudinal, which will afford a maximum grasping force with a minimum of gripping pressure.

[0047] A laparoscopic instrument 25 according to the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 3-21, comprises a handle assembly 30, an end effector mechanism 31 and an elongated shaft assembly 32 interposed therebetween.

[0048] As illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, the handle assembly 30 comprises a pivot 33 (which can be a conventional screw, pin or rivet) that holds together a movable loop handle component 34 and a stationary loop handle component 35, which interact in a manner comparable to scissor handles. Stationary handle 35 being of a continuous piece that terminates in a barrel portion 34 which is substantially hollow and is connected to the distally extending shaft assembly 32 by conventional means that are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0049] The shaft assembly 32 is established by an outer hollow sheath 37 and a solid coaxial internal actuation rod 38. Rod 38 having a proximal end 39 [Any reference herein to proximal or rear assumes that the handle assembly 30 is at the proximal or rear end of the instrument, any reference to forward or distal assumes the opposite] attached to a conventional type clevis connection (not shown) within barrel portion 36. Actuation rod 38 is adapted to reciprocate coaxially within hollow sheath 37 in response to manipulation of movable handle component 34 by the user, thereby activating end effector mechanism 31.

[0050] End effector mechanism 31 of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 5-9 comprises: a front end housing 41 with a rear end portion 42 connected to a distal end 40 of the sheath 37; a translation member 43 which is reciprocally disposed within a cavity 44 of the front end member 41 having means (to be discussed in detail below) for being longitudinally and coaxially connected to actuation rod 38; a pair of grasping jaw members, a first jaw member 45 and a second jaw member 46, each jaw member a mirror image of the other; and a linkage assembly comprising of: a pair of toggle links, a first toggle link 47 and a second toggle link 48, each toggle link having a proximal end 49 pivotally anchored to the front end member 41, and also at each proximal end 49 a linking yoke 50 rotatively engaging the translation member 43, each toggle link 47 and 48 having a forward end 51 pivotally connected to one of jaw members 45 or 46; and a pair of stabilizing links, a first stabilizing link 52 and a second stabilizing link 53, each stabilizing link having a proximal end 55 pivotally anchored to front end housing 41 and a forward end 54 pivotally connected to one of jaw members 45 or 46. All the above members of end effector mechanism 31 work in coordination to translate the manipulation of handle assembly 30 by the user to operatively open or close jaw members 45 and 46 in a parallel relationship to each other throughout their range of motion, as will be detailed below.

[0051] As illustrated in FIGS. 6-9 and 10-12, jaw members 45 and 46 each has an elongated body portion 56, the underside of which comprises a serrated surface 57 for grasping an organ or tissue. The rear end 58 of each jaw member 45 and 46 comprising of an vertically extending upper arm 59, a vertically extending lower arm 60, whereby the arms 59 and 60 therein straddle a central support extension 61 to define an upper slot 62 and a lower slot 63 respectively. The upper slot 62 of each jaw member 45 or 46 pivotally receiving the forward end 51 of one of the corresponding toggle links 47 or 48. An upper pivot pin 64 aligning a hole 65 in the upper arm 59 with an opening 68ain the forward end 51 of one of the toggle links 47 or 48 to pivotally secure the toggle links 47 and 48 to respective jaw members 45 and 46. Lower slot 63 of each jaw member 45 or 46 pivotally receiving the forward end 54 of one of the corresponding stabilizing links 52 or 53. Lower pivot pin 66 aligning a hole 67 in the lower arm 60 with an opening 69bin the forward end 55 of stabilizing link 52 or 53 to pivotally secure stabilizing links 52 and 53 to respective jaw members 45 and 46.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 5-9 and 13-15, the rear end portion 42 of front end housing 41 has a generally cylindrical housing and contains the previously mentioned hollow cavity 44 to slidably house translation member 43. The rear portion 42 is press-fitted into the distal end of sheath 37, thereby connecting end effector mechanism 31 to the instrument 25. The forward section of the front end assembly 41 having a yoke-like structure comprising of a pair of support flanges, a first support flange 70 and a second support flange 71. Flanges 70 and 71 extending outwardly and being spaced apart in a generally parallel relationship to one another, wherein an elongated vertically oriented channel 72 is defined. Each of the flanges 70 and 71 having a generally rectangularly shaped recess 73 and 74, of sufficient size to slidably engage the proximal end 55 of each corresponding stabilizer link 52 and 53. Flanges 70 and 71 further having apertures 75 with cooperating flange pivot pins 76 aligning the coordinating apertures 72 with the openings 69ain stabilizer links 52 and 53 to pivotally anchor the stabilizer links 52 and 53 to front end housing 41. The toggle links 47 and 48, as illustrated in FIG. 20, each having an opening 68bin the proximal end 49 which align with orifices 89 in the flanges 70 and 71 whereby a center pin 90 pivotally anchors the toggle links 47 and 48 to the front end housing 41. The aforementioned arrangement thereby prevents any linear movement of the links 47, 48, 52 or 53 with respect to front end housing 41.

[0053] FIGS. 6-9 and 16-19 depict the translation member 43 as slidably disposed in cavity 44 of front end housing 41. A pair of rod supports, an upper support 77 and a lower support 78, extend outwardly from the rear end portion 79 of translation member 43, with support 77 in a position above support 78. The circular inner surfaces 80 and 81 of rod supports 77 and 78 define an open-sided sleeve 82, which is of sufficient diameter to engage actuation rod 38. Rod supports 77 and 78 have rivet openings 83 defined therein for passage of a rivet (not shown) for aligning rivet openings 83 with a similar size opening (not shown) in actuation rod 38, to fixedly secure rod 38 to translation member 43, whereby axial reciprocation of rod 38 by handle assembly 30, will subsequently translate a similar longitudinal reciprocating movement to translation member 43. The forward end of translation member 43 having a pair of ears, a first ear 84 and a second ear 85 which project outwardly, each having a yoke pin 86 integrally mounted on the respective exterior surface 91 and 92. The interior surfaces defining a groove 87 which is adapted to allow for passage of the center pin 90. As previously stated, the proximal ends 49 of toggle links 47 and 48 have linking yokes 50 defined therein which rotatively connect with yoke pins 86, whereby linear motion of actuation rod 38 is translated into mainly vertical motion to jaw members 45 and 46, wherein they either open or close in response to the manipulation of handle assembly 30 by the surgeon.

[0054] The novel feature of instrument 25 is in the manner in which the mechanically controlled linkage assembly 74 causes jaw members 45 and 46 to either open or close. Transmission of actuation forces from actuation rod 38 to the jaws 45 and 46 is shown schematically in FIGS. 8 and 9. When the actuation rod 38 and therein translation member 43 are pulled backward (i.e., toward the handle) by separating handle 34 relative to handle 35, approximately as shown by the arrow in FIG. 9, toggle links 47 and 48 rotate about yoke pins 86, thereby causing them to be pivoted about the center pin 90 wherein the jaw members 45 and 46 to be pushed toward an open position, which allows them to engulf a piece of tissue. Reversing the process by squeezing the handle 34 relative to handle 35, as shown in FIG. 8, causes toggle links 47 and 48 to close respective jaw members 45 and 46 to securely grip the piece of tissue. Stabilizing links 52 and 53, each being pivotedly connected at their proximal end 55 to the front end housing 41 and at their forward end 54 to one of the jaws 45 or 46, pivot upon rotative movement of toggle links 47 and 48. It is a function of the geometric placement of the upper and lower pivot pins 64 and 66 of each jaw member 45 and 46, in relationship with the flange pivot pins 76 of each flange 70 and 71 with the center pivot pin 90 that maintains the necessary geometric configuration and distance between the toggle links 47, 48 and respective stabilizing links 52, 53, such that jaw member 45 is kept in a substantially parallel position to jaw member 46.

[0055] While this invention has been primarily shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0056] 25 Instrument

[0057] 30 Handle Assembly

[0058] 31 End Effector Mechanism

[0059] 32 Shaft Assembly

[0060] 33 Pivot

[0061] 34 Movable loop handle component

[0062] 35 Stationary loop handle component

[0063] 36 Barrel portion

[0064] 37 Hollow Sheath

[0065] 38 Actuation rod

[0066] 39 Proximal end of Actuation rod

[0067] 40 Distal end of Actuation rod

[0068] 41 Front End Housing

[0069] 42 Rear End Portion of Front End Member

[0070] 43 Translation member

[0071] 44 Cavity in Front End Member

[0072] 45 First Jaw Member

[0073] 46 Second Jaw Member

[0074] 47 First Toggle Link Element

[0075] 48 Second Toggle Link Element

[0076] 49 Proximal end of Toggle Links

[0077] 50 Linking Yoke on proximal end of Toggle Link

[0078] 51 Forward end of Toggle Links

[0079] 52 First Stabilizing Link Element

[0080] 53 Second Stabilizing Link Element

[0081] 54 Forward end of Stabilizing Links

[0082] 55 Proximal end of Stabilizing Links

[0083] 56 Elongated body portion of Jaws

[0084] 57 Serrated surface

[0085] 58 Rear end of Jaw

[0086] 59 Upper Arm of Jaw

[0087] 60 Lower Arm of Jaw

[0088] 61 Central Support Extension

[0089] 62 Upper Slot of Jaw

[0090] 63 Lower Slot of Jaw

[0091] 64 Upper Pivot Pin

[0092] 65 Hole in Upper Arm

[0093] 66 Lower Pivot Pin

[0094] 67 Hole in Lower Arm

[0095] 68aOpening in forward end of Toggle Links

[0096] 68bOpening in proximal end of Toggle Links

[0097] 69aOpening in proximal end of Stabilizing Links

[0098] 69bOpening in forward end of Stabilizing Links

[0099] 70 First Support Flange

[0100] 71 Second Support Flange

[0101] 72 Channel

[0102] 73 Recess in Support Flanges

[0103] 74 Linkage Assembly

[0104] 75 Aperture in Flanges

[0105] 76 Flange pivot pins

[0106] 77 Rod Support (upper position)

[0107] 78 Rod Support (lower position)

[0108] 79 Rear End Portion of Translation Member

[0109] 80 Curved inner surface of 77

[0110] 81 Curved inner surface of 78

[0111] 82 Open-sided Sleeve

[0112] 83 Rivet Openings

[0113] 84 First Ear of Actuator Member

[0114] 85 Second Ear of Actuator Member

[0115] 86 Yoke Pin

[0116] 87 Groove

[0117] 89 Orifices

[0118] 90 Center Pin

[0119] 91 Exterior surface of First Ear

[0120] 92 Exterior surface of Second Ear