Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Ethicon, Gmbh

Cilag International Gmbh

Kristina A Snyder

Richard William Timm

Galen C Robertson

Kip M Rupp

An ultrasonic surgical instrument is disclosed. The ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a housing, an ultrasonic transducer assembly to selectively generate ultrasonic motion, a motor within the housing, an outer sheath coupled to the housing, and a blade operably coupled to the ultrasonic transducer assembly and rotatably supported within the outer sheath for rotation with the ultrasonic transducer assembly. The ultrasonic transducer assembly is rotatably supported within the housing. The motor is configured to selectively apply a rotary motion to the ultrasonic transducer assembly. The outer sheath includes a distal tip portion defining a tip cavity. The blade includes a tissue-cutting distal end rotatably supported within the tip cavity. A portion of the tissue-cutting distal end is configured to apply the ultrasonic motion to tissue.

Rotatable cutting implements with friction reducing material for ultrasonic surgical instruments

A surgical instrument including a housing, a transducer assembly, a motor, a hollow sheath, and a blade is disclosed. The transducer assembly may be rotatably supported within the housing and may be configured to selectively generate an ultrasonic motion. The motor may be coupled to the transducer assembly and may be configured to selectively apply rotational motion to the transducer assembly. The hollow sheath may be coupled to the housing and may define a distal cavity. The blade may be coupled to the transducer assembly and may be rotatably supported within the hollow sheath. A distal end of the blade may include a tissue-cutter that may be rotatably supported in the distal cavity. The distal cavity may comprise a friction reducing material. A portion of the tissue-cutter may be arranged to apply the ultrasonic motion to tissue.

An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a housing, an ultrasonic transducer assembly rotatably supported within said housing and communicating with a source of ultrasonic electrical signals, a motor within said housing and communicating with a source of motor drive signals, said motor coupled to said ultrasonic transducer assembly for applying rotational motion thereto, a horn coupled to said ultrasonic transducer assembly, an outer sheath coupled to said housing, said outer sheath including a distal portion, and a blade operably coupled to said horn, said blade rotatably supported relative to said outer sheath, wherein said blade includes an outer sheath contacting surface, wherein said distal portion of said outer sheath includes a blade contacting surface, and wherein at least one of said outer sheath contacting surface and said blade contacting surface includes a friction reducing material.

Over the years, a variety of different types of non-ultrasonically powered cutters and shaving devices for performing surgical procedures have been developed. Some of these devices employ a rotary cutting instrument and other devices employ a reciprocating cutting member. For example, shavers are widely used in arthroscopic surgery. These devices generally consist of a power supply, a handpiece, and a single-use end effector. The end effector commonly has an inner and outer tube. The inner tube rotates relative to the outer tube and will cut tissue with its sharpened edges. The inner tube can rotate continuously or oscillate. In addition, such device may employ a suction channel that travels through the interior of the inner tube. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,354 to McGurk-Burleson, et al., discloses a non-ultrasonically powered surgical cutting instrument that comprises a rotary cutter for cutting material with a shearing action. It employs an inner cutting member which is rotatable within an outer tube.

Growing community of inventors

Bath, PA, United States of America

Kristina A Snyder