Endoscopic Surgical Devices and Other Surgical Devices

Abstract

An endoscopic surgical device having a windowed blade case featuring an interior surface that is black or dark, provides improved feasibility and ease of use. Further advantages are achieved by flanging the exterior surface of the blade case, and by providing a scraper tip.

Claims

1-70. (canceled)

71. An endoscopic surgical device, comprising a blade case, wherein the blade case is selected from the group consisting of: (1) a blade case that occupies a volume less than 4 cm.sup.3, and/or has a cross-section not more than 0.36 cm.sup.2 and/or has a height not more than 0.54 cm; (2) a blade case, wherein the blade case occupies a volume less than 4 cm.sup.3; (3) a blade case, wherein the blade case has a cross-section not more than 0.36 cm.sup.2; (4) a blade case, wherein the blade case has a height not more than 0.54 cm; (5) a blade case, wherein the blade case occupies a maximum external volume per unit length less than 0.055 in.sup.2, with a height to width ratio less than 80%.

72. The endoscopic surgical device of claim 71, wherein the blade case occupies a volume of not more than 3.41 cm.sup.3.

73. The endoscopic surgical device of claim 71, wherein the blade case has a height not more than 0.54 cm.

74. The surgical device of claim 71, comprising a flange.

75. The surgical device of claim 71, comprising a blade case having a length of at least about 3.75 inches.

76. A surgical device, comprising a blade case, wherein the blade case has a length of at least about 3.75 inches.

77. The surgical device of claim 76, wherein the surgical device is an endoscopic device.

78. The device of claim 71, wherein the blade case comprises a top assembled onto a main blade case body.

79. The device of claim 77, wherein the blade case comprises a top assembled onto a main blade case body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The invention may be appreciated by reference to the figures, which are not necessarily drawn to scale:

[0027] FIGS. 1-1A are perspective views of an exemplary surgical device 1 according to the invention, comprising blade 100 in, respectively, retracted position (FIG. 1A) and raised position (FIG. 1B).

[0028] FIGS. 2-2A are cross-sectional views of blade case 2 according to the invention useable in surgical device 1 of FIG. 1, depicting a hollow interior circular section defined by interior surface 3 of blade case 2.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a lengthwise cross-sectional view of a blade case 12 according to the invention, useable in surgical device 1 of FIG. 1. Blade case 12 has length 12L.

[0030] FIG. 3A is lengthwise cross-sectional view of blade case 12 of FIG. 3 rotated 90 degrees about the lengthwise 12L axis, showing window 11.

[0031] FIG. 3B is a close-up perspective view of windows 7, 9, 11 (FIGS. 3-3A) in blade case 12 as a top view. Light cone 10 emanates from the endoscope in a straight up, standard position.

[0032] FIG. 3C is a close-up perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3B, as a side view. Light cone 10 emanates from the endoscope rotated 45 degrees to one side, to view side tissue.

[0033] FIG. 3D is a close-up perspective view corresponding to FIGS. 3B-3C, as a bottom view. Light cone 10 emanates from the endoscope rotated 180 degrees to view tissue beneath the blade case 12.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a clear-topped blade case 22 according to the invention, useable in surgical device 1 (FIG. 1) and having blade case length 22L.

[0035] FIG. 4A is a width-wise cross-sectional view of the blade case 22 of FIG. 4.

[0036] FIG. 5 is a lengthwise cross-sectional view of a clear-bottomed blade case 23 according to the invention, useable in surgical device 1 (FIG. 1) and having blade case length 23L.

[0037] FIG. 5A is a width-wise cross-sectional view of the blade case 23 of FIG. 5.

[0038] FIG. 6 is a lengthwise cross-sectional view of a flanged blade case 32 useable in surgical device 1 (FIG. 1) and having blade case length 32L.

[0039] FIG. 6A is an enlarged width-wise cross-sectional view of flanged blade case 32 (FIG. 6).

[0040] FIG. 6B corresponds to FIG. 6A, and depicts concavity depth 16D.

[0041] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of ridges 21 formed into a concavity on an exterior surface of a blade case in an embodiment of the invention.

[0042] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a hooked edge 24 formed into a concavity on an exterior surface of a blade case in an embodiment of the invention.

[0043] FIG. 9 is a top view of a scraper-tipped blade case 42 useable in surgical device 1 (FIG. 1) and having blade case length 42L.

[0044] FIG. 10 is a side view of blade case 42 (FIG. 9) comprising scraper tip 40 according to the invention.

[0045] FIG. 10A is an enlarged view including scraper tip 40 from FIG. 10.

[0046] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view in an inventive embodiment of parts comprising main blade case body 50, windows 7, 9, 11 (FIGS. 3-3A), a clear top 4 of the blade case, a clear bottom 4A of the blade case, a concave exterior surface 16 of the blade case, and a scraper tip 40.

[0047] FIG. 11A is an assembled perspective view corresponding to FIG. 11, depicting a surgical device according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0048] The invention provides for certain advances and improvements in surgical tools, surgical devices, and methods of using such surgical tools and devices. In the invention, a preferred example of a surgical device is a surgical device (such as surgical device 1 in FIG. 1) comprising an endoscopic device, also referred to as an endoscopic surgical device. The invention particularly improves upon surgical devices comprising a blade case (such as blade case 2 in FIG. 2), such as endoscopic devices comprising a blade case. Using combinations of the innovations provided herein is preferred but not mandatory.

[0049] For the interior surface 3 of the blade case 2, a light-absorbing interior surface is particularly preferred. Examples of a light absorbing surface are, e.g., a surface having low reflectance; a surface having low reflectivity; a surface having low albedo; a non-reflective surface; a surface having a measured light reflectance value 20% when visible light is shined thereon; etc. By a measured light reflectance value when visible light is shined thereon, we are referring to the light reflectance that is measured upon shining visible light in a range of 400-700 nm by an endoscopic instrument set to full intensity. The most preferred examples of a light absorbing surface for use in the invention are a black surface or a dark surface.

[0050] For the blade case 2, a windowed blade case (such as windowed blade case 12 in FIGS. 3-3D comprising windows 7, 9, 11) is particularly preferred, with a set of three windows being a most preferred configuration.

[0051] For the set of three windows 7, 9, 11, a preferred example of the first window 11's dimensions is about 0.1-0.3 inches long by 0.05-0.1 inches wide, with the second and third windows 7, 9 each respectively being about 0.2-0.5 inches long by 0.05-0.1 inches tall. In another example, the first window has a length dimension about 7 mm and a width dimension in a range of about 1.5-2 mm, and the second window and third window have a length dimension about 7 mm and a width dimension in a range of about 1.5-2 mm.

[0052] Referring to FIGS. 3A-3D, light cones 10, 10, 10 are depicted in a context of window 11 and windows 7, 9. Light cones 10, 10, 10 indicate the visual cone of the endoscope in three different positions.

[0053] Windows 7, 9, 11 are easily constructed such as by cutting holes through blade case 12 on the sides and bottom.

[0054] Through windows 7, 9, 11, soft tissue anatomy is viewable during surgery (with a rotating endoscope).

[0055] For blade case 2, a clear-topped blade case such as blade case 22 (FIGS. 4-4A) is preferred. Clear top 4 in blade case 22 allows visualization via endoscope along an entire length 22L of blade case 22.

[0056] For blade case 2, a clear-bottomed blade case such as blade case 23 (FIGS. 5-5A) is preferred. Clear bottom 4A allows visualization via endoscope along the entire length 23L of blade case 23.

[0057] Preferably blade case 2 is both clear-bottomed and clear-topped.

[0058] For constructing body 5 of blade case 22 and body 5A of blade case 23, preferably a relatively stronger opaque material is used. Top 4 and bottom 4A are constructed from clear material that allows visualization via an endoscope as the endoscope is moved along lengths 22L, 23L of blade case 22, 23. The combination of materials used for top 4 and body 5 (and bottom 4A and body 5A) is selected to maintain stiffness of the opaque design while allowing greater visualization than if top 4 (and bottom 4A) were not clear. An example of a range of thickness for clear top 4 or bottom 4A is about 0.020-0.040 inches thick.

[0059] For blade case 2, a flanged blade case such as blade case 32 (FIGS. 6-6B) is preferred. In FIG. 6A, the linear profile 6 of blade cases of currently-sold endoscopic instrumentation is shown as dotted lines. The invention provides for AVOIDING the linear profile 6 and instead constructing concave surfaces 16 (FIG. 6A). By forming concave surfaces 16, the cross-sectional profile in the invention approximates an hourglass shape. Concave surfaces 16 run axially along exterior of blade case 32. A concavity is defined by a concave surface 16 between non-concave surface sections 17, 18. The concavities create pockets for soft tissue to rest and hurdles for the same tissue to overcome to slide over the top 19 of blade case 32.

[0060] In FIGS. 6-6B, construction of a concavity into both side surfaces of a blade case is illustrative; in other embodiments, a concavity is constructed into only one side surface of a blade case.

[0061] Concavity depth 16D (FIG. 6B) is the distance between, on the one hand, a line 17 defined by the non-concave section 17, and, on the other hand, a line 20 including the most concave point 20 of the concave surface 16 and drawn parallel to line 17. For a blade case having length 32L of about 3.75-3.8 inches, a preferred range for concavity depth 16D is about 0.025-0.050 inches.

[0062] Examples of a length of a concavity are, e.g., a length equal to a full length of a blade case; a length less than a full length of a blade case. When the concavity extends less than a full length of the blade case, for the concavity length to begin at tip 33 (FIG. 6) of blade case 32 and extend backwards from the tip 33 at least about a length equal to half the blade case 32's length is preferred.

[0063] In FIGS. 6-6B, construction of a concavity into a side surface of a blade case is illustrative; in other embodiments, a concavity is constructed into a bottom surface of a blade case. For example, a concave bottom surface of a blade case is considered useful particularly for working with the ulnar nerve in cubital tunnel release surgeries.

[0064] In FIG. 6A, the concave surface 16 is illustrated as smooth but it will be appreciated that the concave surface is not required to be smooth in all embodiments. For example, in some embodiments ridges 21 (FIG. 7) are formed as part of concave surface 16. As another example, in other embodiments, surface 16 is generally-concave without being fully symmetrical, such as a concavity defined by a hooked edge 24 (FIG. 8).

[0065] As a consequence of the concave surfaces 16, flanges 25 (FIG. 6A) are formed.

[0066] An example of a shape of a tip of the blade case is a rounded edged tip, such as, e.g., a filleted, rounded-edge shape that forms a 90-180 total arc around the distal tip of the cannula, with a fillet radius of 0.001-0.010 inch.

[0067] Preferably a scraper tip such as scraper tip 40 (FIGS. 10-10A) is included in the blade case. Preferably scraper tip 40 is distally-flared with a sharpened edge for scraping synovium and other tissue present along the top plane of the blade case 42 during carpal tunnel surgery. As to degree of sharpness of scraper tip 40, preferably scraper tip 40 is not sharp enough to cut synovium and other biological tissue, but is sharp enough to scrape biological tissue away form the transverse ligament.

[0068] Advantageously a flared scraper tip such as scraper tip 40 also can be used to split muscle without cutting, during cubital tunnel surgery.

[0069] An endoscopic surgical instrument comprising a distally-flared scraper tip such as scraper tip 40 advantageously can remain in place within a patient when certain scraping is needed, without needing to be retracted to make room for a separate scraper to be used.

[0070] The invention may be further appreciated with reference to the following examples, without the invention being limited thereto.

Example 1

[0071] In this example, an inventive endoscopic surgical device according to the figures herein comprises a blade case that occupies a maximum external volume per unit length (V/L) less than 0.055 in.sup.2, with a height to width (H/W) ratio less than 80%. V/L will be appreciated to essentially reflect cross-sectional area. We refer herein to maximum because, for injection molded plastic parts, some amount of draft is always to be expected along the sidewalls, corresponding to reduced part size moving from the hub to the tip.

TABLE-US-00001 COMPARISON EX.* INVENTIVE EX. W 0.25 in 0.26 in H 0.29 in 0.21 in L 2.75 in at least 3.75 in H/W 112% less than 80% Max. V/L 0.075 in.sup.2 0.055 in.sup.2 *Commercially sold endoscopic surgical device

[0072] By contrast to the inventive example with H/W 80% or less (i.e., wider than tall), blade cases of endoscopic surgical devices currently sold have H/W 112% (i.e., taller than wide). Because this inventive example has H/W below 100%, the stiffness and strength of the blade case is reduced compared to the case with H/W 112%. To bring the stiffness and strength of the blade case to the requisite level, use of the further features of the figures herein is strongly preferred.

[0073] A reduction of 10% of the maximum V/L of commercially available endoscopic surgical devices would be considered a significant improvement by those in the industry. The context in which V/L is contemplated by those in the industry is as follows. The reason that patients undergo carpal and cubital tunnel releases is because the tissue in these regions is compressing the median and ulnar nerves, causing pain and numbness and loss of function. An endoscopic surgical device is used to cut ligaments and tissues to relieve that pressure. But, by inserting the device to perform the surgery, the device increases the pressure on the nerve, even for just the 5 minutes needed to perform the procedure, which can bring about potential additional pain and other temporary complications. The present invention's reduction of the device's V/L is highly advantageous, in that reduced V/L has an immediate and direct reduction in the pressure exerted by the device on the nerve during surgery.

Example 2

[0074] In this example is used a main blade case body 50 having integrally formed therein scraper tip 40 and comprising windows 7, 9 and concave walls 16. The main case body 50 in this example is opaque black, formed from a relatively-stronger material than used for clear sections 4, 4A.

[0075] The main case body 50, clear top section 4, clear bottom section 4A (comprising window 11) are assembled into the surgical device of FIG. 11A.

[0076] While the invention has been described in terms of its preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.