Search

EP-4740975-A2 - ILLUMINATED SUCTION APPARATUS

EP4740975A2EP 4740975 A2EP4740975 A2EP 4740975A2EP-4740975-A2

Abstract

An illuminated medical device (10a), comprising a surgical instrument comprising: a suction tube (12), an electrode (13e, 15e) for delivering electrical current to cauterize tissue, wherein the electrode (13e) is disposed on a distal portion of the suction tube (12), a conductor for providing the current to the electrode (13e), and a non-fiber optic optical waveguide (14) having an outer surface, a proximal region (14P) and a distal region (14D). A distal end of the suction tube (12) is disposed further distally than a distal end of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide (14). A distal face (14F) of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide (14) comprises at least one optical feature selected from a group consisting of: one or more lenses, one or more polarizing elements, and one or more filters. The optical waveguide (14) is configured to transmit light from the proximal region (14P) of the optical waveguide (14) toward the distal region (14D) of the optical waveguide (14) by total internal reflection.

Inventors

  • VAYSER, ALEX
  • ERISMANN, FERNANDO
  • TRAUNER, KENNETH, B.
  • GASSON, JONATHAN, G.
  • RICHARDSON, DERRICK

Assignees

  • Invuity, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20111216

Claims (14)

  1. An illuminated medical device (10a), comprising: a surgical instrument comprising: (i) a suction tube (12); (ii) an electrode (13e, 15e) for delivering electrical current to cauterize tissue, wherein the electrode (13e) is disposed on a distal portion of the suction tube (12); a conductor for providing the current to the electrode (13e); and a non-fiber optic optical waveguide (14) having an outer surface, a proximal region (14P) and a distal region (14D); wherein a distal end of the suction tube (12) is disposed further distally than a distal end of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide (14), wherein a distal face (14F) of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide (14) comprises at least one optical feature selected from a group consisting of: one or more lenses, one or more polarizing elements, and one or more filters, and wherein the optical waveguide (14) is configured to transmit light from the proximal region (14P) of the optical waveguide (14) toward the distal region (14D) of the optical waveguide (14) by total internal reflection.
  2. The illuminated medical device (10a) of claim 1, wherein the distal face (14F) comprises the one or more lenses arranged in a lens array, wherein at least one lens of the one or more lenses has a pitch that is different than a pitch of at least another lens of the one or more lenses.
  3. The illuminated medical device (10a) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more lenses comprise one or more facets.
  4. The illuminated medical device (10a) of any one of claims 1-3, wherein a distal face (14F) of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide is convex.
  5. The illuminated medical device (10a) of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the distal face (14F) is generally planar.
  6. The illuminated medical device (10a) of any preceding claim, wherein the non-fiber optic optical waveguide (14) comprises an inner bore (56) having an inner surface, wherein at least a portion of the surgical instrument is disposed in the inner bore (56) of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide (14).
  7. The illuminated medical device (10a) of any preceding claim, further comprising an optical cladding (15) disposed circumferentially around the non-fiber optic optical waveguide (14).
  8. The illuminated medical device (10a) of any preceding claim, wherein the optical waveguide (14) has a cross-section, and wherein the cross-section changes from the proximal region (14P) of the optical waveguide (14) toward the distal region (14D) of the optical waveguide (14).
  9. The illuminated medical device (10a) of claim 8, wherein the optical waveguide (14) has a width and a thickness, and wherein the width increases from the proximal region (14P) thereof toward the distal region (14D) thereof.
  10. The illuminated medical device (10a) of any preceding claim, further comprising a handle (22) coupled to the proximal portion of the surgical instrument and also coupled to the proximal region (14P) of the optical waveguide (14).
  11. The illuminated medical device (10a) of claim 10, further comprising a light source integrated in the handle.
  12. The illuminated medical device (10a) of any preceding claim, wherein the electrode (15e) is further disposed on a distal portion (14D) of the optical waveguide (14).
  13. The illuminated medical device (10a) of any preceding claim, wherein the electrode (13e, 15e) of the surgical instrument is operable in a monopolar mode of operation.
  14. The illuminated medical device (10a) of any preceding claim, wherein the optical waveguide (14) is movable relative to the suction tube (12).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE The present application is a non-provisional of, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/423,813 (Attorney Docket No. 40556-718.101, formerly 028638-001600US) filed December 16, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In various surgical procedures, illumination of the surgical field is typically achieved through the use of headlamps and surgical microscopes. There are scenarios in which these illumination sources provide lighting that is either poor in quality or poorly directed. As an example, during spinal surgery from the lumbar approach, access to the desired anatomical target area may be achieved through an angled incision on one side of the patient's midline. Light emanating from an operating microscope is static and may be poorly directed relative to the angle of surgical access. Conversely, light from a headlamp may be adjusted as a physician tilts or moves his head to redirect the output beam, but still may be blocked by various anatomical structures such as the spinous process or layers of tissue and muscle. Lighting from either source may not be adequate as the physician progresses through various phases of the procedure requiring visualization of the anatomy at varied depths from the skin-level incision. Hand-held instruments such as suction devices are routinely used during surgical procedures such as spine surgery. These devices are typically connected to a standard suction source in the operating room, enabling the physician to dynamically and efficiently remove blood, bone fragments, or fluid previously irrigated into the surgical site. These suction devices are sometimes also used to provide low force retraction of fat, muscle, or other structures during the procedure. The surgeon holds the suction device from its proximal end, manipulating the distal portion of the suction device during the surgical procedure in order to provide suction at the desired location. Hand-held suction devices are widely available in a variety of distal tip configurations suited to various surgical applications (Frazier, Poole, Fukijima, etc). Conventional suction devices have been constructed with fiber optic cable encased in metallic tubing and connected to metallic suction devices to provide some level of illumination. These devices face multiple challenges. Inefficiencies in the fiber-to-fiber coupling with high intensity light leads to light losses at the interface which produces heat. Losses are caused by non-transmissive zones between the optical fibers and Fresnel reflections at the interface. The spatial zones between the fibers are frequently the dominant cause of light loss and heat. Excess heat at the interface can cause thermal damage to the tissues and is also a fire hazard in the operating room. Some manufacturers recommend limiting the amount of light that can be transmitted to the operative device and interface, reducing the inherent heat transmission. Therefore improved illuminated suction apparatuses are still needed. At least some of the challenges described above will be overcome by the embodiments disclosed herein. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the field of surgical illumination and more specifically to illumination systems with integrated surgical tools. The devices described below provide improved illumination in a surgical suction device. The illuminated suction device described below includes a metal suction tube having a proximal end and a distal end connected by a central portion. The proximal end of the suction tube is provided with fittings for connection to a vacuum source. The suction tube has an inner surface and an outer surface, with a layer of optical cladding having a refractive index that may be between 1.29 and 1.67 on the outer surface of the central section of the suction tube, and an illumination waveguide having a proximal end and a distal end. The illumination waveguide is formed surrounding the optical cladding on the central portion of the suction tube, and serves to conduct light around the suction tube from the proximal end to the distal end of the illumination waveguide. The illumination waveguide may have a refractive index between 1.46 and 1.7 and may have a numerical aperture between .33 and .70. An illumination input is formed into the proximal end of the illumination waveguide for conducting light from a source to the illumination waveguide. The illuminated suction apparatus includes suction and illumination functions integrated into a hand-held device suited to meet the ergonomic needs of the physician. The hand-held, repositionable suction function already prevalently used in surgical procedures is surrounded by an illuminated waveguide which enables the physician to apply lighting directly to the desired region of the anatomy below the skin regardless of incision angle, depth, and surrounding anatomical obstruction