Medical Handling Set

Abstract

Described is a medical handling set for connecting two implants, which are arranged spatially separated from each other, by means a flexible connecting line, along which a mechanical interface in the form of a plug-socket connection is provided. The handling set comprises a tube and a mandrin which is internally guided therein and provides a mandrin tip, which is fixedly attached to the distal mandrin region in a releasable manner by means of a first joint and in the joined state projects beyond the distal tube end, a first joining contour, which is part of a second joint, as well as an adapter element with a counter joining contour which is contoured counter to the first joint for forming the second joint, and with a second joining contour which is contoured counter to the plug or socket part of the mechanical interface and is part of a third joint.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A medical handling set for connecting two implants, which are spaced from each other, by a flexible connecting line, along which a plug-socket connection is provided, comprising: a tube containing a mandrin with a tip releasably attached to a distal region with a first joint which when joined protrudes beyond a distal end of the tube; a first joining contour in the distal region of the mandrin forming part of a second joint; and an adapter element having a counterjoining contour formed in countercontour to the first joining contour for forming the second joint and having a second joining contour formed in countercontour to the plug-socket connection, which is part of a third joint.

10. A medical handling set according to claim 9, wherein: the first joint comprises a threaded connection or a bayonet closure.

11. A medical handling set according to claim 9, wherein: the second and third joints comprise at least one snap-in or locking mechanism, which during the joining of the second and third joints, produces an acoustically perceivable sound.

12. A medical handling set according to claim 10, wherein: the second and third joints comprise at least one snap-in or locking mechanism, which during the joining of the second and third joints, produces an acoustically perceivable sound.

13. A medical handling set according to claim 9, wherein: the first joining contour is head-shaped and the counterjoining contour is concave-shaped, that upon application of a connecting force, the first joining contour fits into the counterjoining contour to form a contoured joint producing an acoustically perceivable snap-in procedure.

14. A medical handling set according to claim 10, wherein: the first joining contour is head-shaped and the counterjoining contour is concave-shaped, that upon application of a connecting force, the first joining contour fits into the counterjoining contour to form a contoured joint producing an acoustically perceivable snap-in procedure.

15. A medical handling set according to claim 11, wherein: the first joining contour is head-shaped and the counterjoining contour is concave-shaped, that upon application of a connecting force, the first joining contour fits into the counterjoining contour to form a contoured joint producing an acoustically perceivable snap-in procedure.

16. A medical handling set according to claim 12, wherein: the first joining contour is head-shaped and the counterjoining contour is concave-shaped, that upon application of a connecting force, the first joining contour fits into the counterjoining contour to form a contoured joint producing an acoustically perceivable snap-in procedure.

17. A medical handling set according to claim 9, wherein: the flexible connection line has at least one end including a joining contour configured as a socket or plug; and the socket or plug connection of the flexible connection line, is in a spatially fixed position relative to the adapter element and is joined to the second joining contour forming the third joint.

18. A medical handling set according to claim 10, wherein: the flexible connection line has at least one line including a joining contour configured as a socket or plug; and the socket or plug connection of the flexible connection line, is in a spatially fixed position relative to the adapter element and is joined to the second joining contour forming the third joint.

19. A medical handling set according to claim 11, wherein: the flexible connection line has at least one line including a joining contour configured as a socket or plug; and the socket or plug connection of the flexible connection line, is in a spatially fixed position relative to the adapter element, and is joined to the second joining contour forming the third joint.

20. A medical handling set according to claim 12, wherein: the flexible connection line has at least one line including a joining contour configured as a socket or plug; and the socket or plug connection of the flexible connection line, is in a spatially fixed position relative to the adapter element, and is joined to the second joining contour forming the third joint.

21. A medical handling set according to claim 13, comprising a tube containing the adapter element, and wherein: the adapter element and the joining contour configured as a socket or plug of the flexible connecting line when formed, has a maximum cross-sectional diameter smaller than a diameter of the tube to permit the adapter element to be axially positioned within the tube to form the second and the third joint.

22. A medical handling set according to claim 14, comprising a tube containing the adapter element, and wherein: the adapter element and the joining contour configured as a socket or plug of the flexible connecting line when formed, has a maximum cross-sectional diameter smaller than a diameter of the tube to permit the adapter element to be axially positioned within the tube to form the second and the third joint.

23. A medical handling set according to claim 15, comprising a tube containing the adapter element, and wherein: the adapter element and the joining contour configured as a socket or plug of the flexible connecting line when formed, has a maximum cross-sectional diameter smaller than a diameter of the tube to permit the adapter element to be axially positioned within the tube to form the second and the third joint.

24. A medical handling set according to claim 16, comprising a tube containing the adapter elemen, andt wherein: the adapter element and the joining contour configured as a socket or plug of the flexible connecting line when formed, has a maximum cross-sectional diameter smaller than a diameter of the tube to permit the adapter element to be axially positioned within the tube to form the second and the third joint.

25. A medical handling set according to claim 9, wherein: the adapter element comprises a cylinder including a cylindrical axis and two cylinder ends which are positioned opposite each other along the cylindrical axis with the counterjoining contour and second joining contour of the adapter element respectively comprising the two cylinder ends.

26. A medical handling set according to claim 9, wherein: the second joint includes at least two jaws which are either in or not in contact with an outer contour of the plug-socket connection in the third joint.

27. A medical handling set according to claim 10, wherein: the second joining contour includes at least two jaws which are either in or not in contact with an outer contour of the plug or the plug-socket connection in the third joint.

28. A medical handling set according to claim 11, wherein: the second joining contour includes at least two jaws which are either in or not in contact with an outer contour of the plug or the plug-socket connection in the third joint.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention is described below without restricting the general inventive concept, by way of examples of embodiments with reference to the drawings. In these:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a tube with an internally guided mandrin and distal mandrin tip;

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a view of an adapter element;

[0022] FIG. 3 shows an adapter element with an inserted plug ; that is provided at the end on the flexible connecting line; and

[0023] FIG. 4 shows a tube with an internally guided mandrin, which on the mandrin tip the adapter element is provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a tube 1 configured as a hollow cannula, in the interior of which is a mandrin 2. The proximal end of the mandrin is formed with a handle for manual operation and allows the operating surgeon to exert controlled axial tensile and thrust forces along the mandrin 2 and the tube 1, as well as torsion moments orientated about the longitudinal axis of the mandrin.

[0025] The proximal end of the tube 1 is fixedly placed in a releasable manner on a stop 4 applied on the mandrin 2, through which the thrust forces acting on the mandrin 2 are transmitted to the tube 1. At its distal mandrin region, by way of a first joint, the mandrin 2 is fixedly connected in a releasable manner to a mandrin tip 5. The first joint 6 is preferably a thread-counterthread connection or a bayonet closure which firmly fixes the mandrin tip 5 to the distal mandrin region of the mandrin 2 in a releasable manner. For example, for this, at its distal mandrin end, the mandrin 1 has an external thread which engages with an internal thread of the mandrin tip 5.

[0026] The medical instrument illustrated in FIG. 1 has a tube 1 and an internally guided mandrin 2. The mandrin tip 5 has a fluid-tight contact on the distal tube end, which is intended for intracorporeal cannulation, i.e. the introduction of a throughput channel through an intracorporeal tissue region. In connection with the initially described implantation of the cuff electrode assembly and the IPC, the medical instrument shown in FIG. 1 is tunnelled from the chest area in the direction of the cuff electrode assembly just under the skin surface in an as tissue-sparing manner as possible in order to produce a connection channel, along which the electrical connecting line between the cuff electrode assembly and the IPG is to run.

[0027] After tunnelling, the mandrin tip 5 projects outwards from a corporeal opening made in the area of the vagus nerve, so that the operating surgeon can separate the mandrin tip 5 by undoing the first joint from the distal mandrin region. An adapter element 7 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is then joined to the distal mandrin region.

[0028] For this, distally the mandrin 2 has a first joining contour formed into a head as shown in FIG. 3. In contrast, designed on one side is the adapter element 7 a counter joining contour 9 contoured counter to the first joint 8. In the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is as a concave recess. The counter joining contour 9 has a bottleneck snap-in or locking mechanism 10 which ensures that after pressing a force-assisted fitting into the counter joining contour 9, the first joining contour 8 of the mandrin 2 is axially firmly connected to the adapter element 7. The thus produced second joint 11 allows transmission of thrust and tensile forces between the mandrin 2 and the adapter element 7. Not by necessity, the second joint 11 is configured in a rotationally fixed manner about the longitudinal axis of the mandrin.

[0029] The snap-in/locking mechanism 10 is also assembled so that a pressing force-loaded joining force has to be overcome in order to transfer the joining contour 8 into the counter joining contour 9. The joining process takes place instantly, that is the head-shaped first joining contour 8 impacts into the concave recess of the counter joining contour 9, by which a snap-in or locking sound occurs which is perceivable by the operating surgeon. This serves as an acknowledgement or check of complete and secure forming of the second joint 11.

[0030] In addition, the adapter element 7, which is preferably formed as a cylindrical base body, has a second joining contour 12, which is individually matched to the plug part 13, which in each case is connected at the end to the flexible connecting line 14. The plug part 13 which is shown in FIG. 3 and is applied to the elastic connecting line 14, envisages a plug body 15 and two contact pins 16 extending therefrom. In accordance with the geometric design of the plug part 13, the second joining contour 12 of the adapter element 7 has a corresponding recess for the plug body 15 as well as for both contact pins 16.

[0031] Two clamping jaws 17, which are applied on the adapter element 7, hold the plug part 13 in a fixed position relative to the adapter element 7. In this case too, it is necessary to overcome a minimum joining pressing force, which during the production of the third joint 18 shown in FIG. 3, results in the generation of a snap-in or locking sound that is audibly perceivable by the operating surgeon. For the doctor this serves as a reliable indication that the plug part 13 has been correctly and securely connected in the adapter part 7.

[0032] The design of the first and the second joint 11, 18 which is formed as a snap-in or locking connection, allows uncomplicated and rapid handling by the doctor and also produces an acoustically perceivable sound.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a state of the medical instrument at the distal mandrin region the adapter element 7 which is fitted at which the plug part 13 is inserted (not shown). The mandrin 2 is pulled through the tube 1 proximally relative to the tube 1, which remains fixed. As a result the elastic connecting line 14 connected to the plug part 13 is pulled proximally through the tube 1. As soon as the adapter element 7 projects out at the proximal end of the tube 1, the plug part 13 is smoothy released from the adapter element 7 and fitted into the socket preferably provided on the IPG.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numbers 1 Tube 2 Mandrin 3 Handle, proximal end of the mandrin 4 Mechanical stop 5 Mandrin tip 6 First joint 7 Adapter element 8 First joining contour 9 Counter joining contour 10 Snap-in/locking mechanism 11 Second joint 12 Second joining contour 13 Plug part 14 Elastic connecting line 15 Plug body 16 Contact pins 17 Clamping jaws 18 Third joint