US-12622574-B2 - Articulating medical instrument

US12622574B2US 12622574 B2US12622574 B2US 12622574B2US-12622574-B2

Abstract

A patterned tube for use with a scope or similar medical device can include at least one flexible section. The at least one flexible section can include a plurality of first cuts having a first thickness, a plurality of second cuts having a second thickness. Particular ones of the plurality of second cuts can be located substantially opposite particular ones of the plurality of first cuts. The at least one flexible section can further include a plurality of bending moment transfer portions. Particular ones of the bending moment transfer portions can be located between particular ones of the first cuts and particular ones of the second cuts.

Inventors

David Van Ness
Maria G. Benson
Mayur K. PATEL
Ronald Ciulla

Assignees

GYRUS ACMI, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220420

Claims (20)

1 . A patterned tube permitting articulation of a medical scope, the patterned tube comprising: at least one flexible section in between a proximal end of the patterned tube and a distal end of the patterned tube, the at least one flexible section including: multiple first cuts having a first cut thickness, wherein each cut of the multiple first cuts has a bifurcated end bifurcating into two end cut portions; multiple second cuts having a second cut thickness, wherein particular ones of the multiple second cuts are located substantially opposite laterally across the patterned tube from particular ones of the multiple first cuts and separated therefrom by switchback members, and wherein each cut of the multiple second cuts has an end portion positioned between the two end cut portions of the bifurcated end of an opposing first cut; and one or more bending moment transfer members, wherein: particular ones of the one or more bending moment transfer members are located between adjacent first cuts and also between adjacent second cuts and connect adjacent switchback members; and a stiffness of the one or more bending moment transfer members is varied between at least two longitudinally spaced apart bending moment transfer members along a length of the patterned tube.
2 . The patterned tube of claim 1 , wherein the one or more bending moment transfer members respectively include a circumferential portion extending about an outer circumference of the patterned tube and configured to transfer a bending moment to a switchback member formed in the patterned tube between a first particular one of the multiple first cuts and a first particular one of the multiple second cuts, wherein the first particular one of the multiple first cuts opposes the first particular one of the multiple second cuts.
3 . The patterned tube of claim 2 , wherein the switchback member is configured to cause the first particular one of the multiple first cuts to do one of widen or narrow and to cause the first particular one of the multiple second cuts to do the other of widen or narrow during an articulation of a portion of the patterned tube including the first particular one of the multiple first cuts and the opposing first particular one of the multiple second cuts.
4 . The patterned tube of claim 3 , further comprising: an articulation member attached to an inside portion of the patterned tube.
5 . The patterned tube of claim 4 , wherein the articulation member is attached to the inside portion of the patterned tube by at least one guide configured to maintain a position of the articulation member along the at least one flexible section and to enable deflection of at least a portion of the at least one flexible section when the articulation member is retracted via a manipulator.
6 . The patterned tube of claim 4 , wherein the articulation member includes a cable or a wire.
7 . The patterned tube of claim 2 , wherein a neutral thickness of the multiple first cuts and a neutral thickness of the multiple second cuts are varied along at least a portion of the at least one flexible section.
8 . The patterned tube of claim 7 , wherein in a neutral state the first particular one of the multiple first cuts at a distal end of the at least one flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple first cuts at a proximal end of the at least one flexible section.
9 . The patterned tube of claim 7 , wherein in a neutral state the first particular one of the multiple second cuts at a distal end of the at least one flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple second cuts at a proximal end of the at least one flexible section.
10 . The patterned tube of claim 1 , further comprising: a first flexible section; and a second flexible section located adjacent to the first flexible section.
11 . The patterned tube of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the second flexible section is constructed with at least one cut arranged at a rotational angle with respect to at least one cut in the first flexible section.
12 . The patterned tube of claim 10 , wherein the first flexible section is formed from a different material than the second flexible section.
13 . The patterned tube of claim 12 , wherein the material of the first flexible section and the material of the second flexible section have a different flexibility.
14 . The patterned tube of claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the patterned tube at the distal end of the patterned tube is smaller than an outer diameter at the proximal end of the patterned tube.
15 . The patterned tube of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a portion of a particular first cut or at least one portion of a particular second cut is tapered to accommodate a particular switchback member located within at least a portion thereof.
16 . A patterned tube for permitting articulation of a medical scope, the patterned tube comprising: a first flexible section; and a second flexible section located adjacent to the first flexible section, wherein the first flexible section and the second flexible section include: multiple first cuts having a first cut thickness, wherein each cut of the multiple first cuts has a bifurcated end bifurcating into two end cut portions; multiple second cuts having a second cut thickness, wherein particular ones of the multiple second cuts are located substantially opposite laterally across the patterned tube from particular ones of the multiple first cuts and separated therefrom by switchback members, and wherein each cut of the multiple second cuts has an end portion positioned between the two end cut portions of the bifurcated end of an opposing first cut; and one or more bending moment transfer members, wherein: particular ones of the one or more bending moment transfer members are located between adjacent first cuts and also between adjacent second cuts and connect adjacent switchback members; the one or more bending moment transfer members include a central beam and a circumferential portion extending about an outer circumference of the patterned tube and configured to cooperate in conjunction with each other to transfer a bending moment to a particular switchback member; and a stiffness of the one or more bending moment transfer members is varied between at least two longitudinally spaced apart bending moment transfer members along a length of the patterned tube.
17 . The patterned tube of claim 16 , wherein a neutral thickness of the multiple first cuts and a neutral thickness of the multiple second cuts are varied along at least a portion of at least one of the first flexible section or the second flexible section.
18 . The patterned tube of claim 17 , wherein in a neutral state at least one of: a first particular one of the multiple first cuts at a distal end of the first flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple first cuts at a proximal end of the first flexible section; or a first particular one of the multiple second cuts cut at the distal end of the first flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple second cuts at the proximal end of the first flexible section.
19 . The patterned tube of claim 17 , wherein in a neutral state at least one of: a first particular one of the multiple first cuts at a distal end of the second flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple first cuts at a proximal end of the second flexible section; or a first particular one of the multiple second cuts at the distal end of the second flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple second cuts at the proximal end of the second flexible section.
20 . A patterned deflectable portion of a medical device shaft, the patterned deflectable portion comprising: a first flexible section; a second flexible section located adjacent to the first flexible section; and an articulation member attached to an inside portion of the patterned deflectable portion by at least one guide configured to maintain a position of the articulation member along at least one of the first flexible section or the second flexible section and to enable deflection of at least a portion of at least one of the first flexible section or the second flexible section when the articulation member is retracted via a manipulator, wherein the first flexible section and the second flexible section include: multiple first cuts having a first cut thickness, wherein each cut of the multiple first cuts has a bifurcated end bifurcating into two end cut portions; multiple second cuts having a second cut thickness, wherein particular ones of the multiple second cuts are located substantially opposite laterally across the patterned deflectable portion from particular ones of the multiple first cuts and separated therefrom by switchback members, and wherein each cut of the multiple second cuts has an end portion positioned between the two end cut portions of the bifurcated end of an opposing first cut; and one or more bending moment transfer members, wherein; particular ones of the one or more bending moment transfer members are located between adjacent first cuts and also between adjacent second cuts and connect adjacent switchback members; the one or more bending moment transfer members include a central beam and a circumferential portion extending about an outer circumference of the patterned deflectable portion and configured to cooperate in conjunction with each other to transfer a bending moment to a particular switchback member; and a stiffness of the one or more bending moment transfer members is varied between at least two longitudinally spaced apart bending moment transfer members along a length of the patterned deflectable portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/180,278, filed Apr. 27, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to an articulation section of a medical scope. BACKGROUND Flexible scopes such as flexible endoscopes are used for diagnostic and therapeutic medical procedures, for example, procedures inside a human or animal digestive system, or inside the abdomen. Portions of the scope, such as the distal end of the scope, can be made flexible such as to allow a surgeon to bend or otherwise articulate the scope to access a particular target anatomy. SUMMARY Endoscopes and other similar surgical scopes or catheters can be used in a variety of surgical procedures, for example, in ear, nose, and throat (ENT) procedures such as a tonsillectomy, sinus surgery, or other similar procedures, procedures in the digestive system, or procedures inside the abdomen. Catheters can be used in procedures such as inserting stents or balloons into arteries. Often, during a surgical procedure, it may be desired that at least a portion of the scope can be articulated so as to be angled (e.g., bent) from a straight, zero degrees, to an angle such as fifteen degrees, thirty degrees, forty five degrees, ninety degrees, two hundred degrees, or greater. The sheath or tube (e.g., such as a hypotube or hypodermic tube or other cylindric or non-cylindric tube, such as having a particular inner and outer diameter or similar lateral dimension) of the scope or catheter can be made of or formed from a rigid material such as surgical grade stainless steel, an alloy, or another similar material capable of being made flexible and flexing or bending at an angle. Such flexibility can be attained by forming a series of cuts (e.g., laser cuts) in the tube. Different types of cuts in the tube can be utilized (e.g., finer or thinner cuts, coarser or wider cuts, or the like), with each type of cut having its particular characteristics. For example, different types of cuts (e.g., different cut widths) can impact the degree to which the flexible portion of the tube can be bent, the amount of torque that the tube can sustain, compressive effects under load, or the like. One way to address these issues is to use a combination of course cuts and fine cuts in a portion of the tube or sheath of the scope, a patterned tube deflectable section of a medical device that can be connected to a scope to be made flexible. In an example, coarse and fine cuts can be alternated, such as to help achieve a large angular degree of articulation and reduce or minimize compressive effects under load of the cuts by staying within the elastic material property region of the material. The depth, width, length, and number of cuts can be varied to achieve the desired degree of articulation, articulated shape, initiation of articulation, articulation sweep (e.g., the path the distal tip of the scope travels from a starting position to an ending or maximally articulated position), etc., of the most distal end of the flexible or bendable portion. The backbone of the tube can be segmented into a number of regions, segments, or sections with each region containing a number of cuts to make the region flexible. The cuts can be achieved, for example, by laser cutting a “pattern” in the regions of the tube. The cut tube can then be electropolished or otherwise smoothed, such as to help remove any sharp edges and/or burrs on the edges of the cuts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present document. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a backbone of a tube with multiple regions containing alternating fine and coarse cuts. FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate alternate views of the tube of FIG. 1 including a view of the tube laid flat and zoomed in detailed views of the cuts and switchback members formed between the cuts. FIGS. 3A-5B illustrate examples of tubes with a varying number of flexible sections containing different numbers of cuts, different cut widths, and a different number of wire guides to achieve different angles of articulation. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a tube with opposing open or closed cuts during active articulation. FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate an example of a fine and coarse cut backbone articulation. FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a tube with flexible sections constructed with features arranged at a rotational angle with respect to each other. FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a fine and coarse cut backbone incorporated into an endoscope shaft articulation per