Surgical stapling device with independent tip rotation
View Patent ↗A surgical stapling device is disclosed which includes a handle assembly, an endoscopic body portion and a tool assembly. The tool assembly is rotatably and pivotally supported on a distal end of the endoscopic body portion. A tool assembly rotation mechanism is provided which includes a rotation knob, a substantially rigid tube and a flexible member interconnecting the rigid tube to the tool assembly. The substantially rigid tube translates rotation of the rotation knob to rotation of the flexible member and provides a channel for passage of other components of the surgical stapling device.
1. A surgical device comprising:
a handle assembly including a stationary handle portion and an operating trigger;
an endoscopic body portion extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a first longitudinal axis, the endoscopic body portion being rotatable in relation to the handle assembly about the first longitudinal axis;
a tool assembly defining a second longitudinal axis and being rotatable and pivotally supported on a distal end of the endoscopic body portion, the tool assembly being pivotal about a pivot axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the endoscopic body portion and rotatable about the second longitudinal axis, the tool assembly including a cartridge assembly having a plurality of staples supported therein and an anvil assembly, the anvil assembly being movable in relation to the cartridge assembly between spaced and approximated positions, the staples of the cartridge assembly being aligned in a plurality of linear rows;
an actuation member associated with the tool assembly, the actuation member being operatively connected to the handle assembly and movable in response to movement of the operating trigger to actuate the tool assembly, the tool assembly further including a drive sled positioned adjacent to the actuation member and a knife blade supported by the actuation member;
a rotation knob disposed adjacent the handle assembly; and
a tool assembly rotation mechanism including a tube positioned within the endoscopic body portion extending substantially the entire length between the rotation knob and the tool assembly, wherein the rotation knob is movable to effect rotation of the tube about the first longitudinal axis to thereby effect rotation of the tool assembly about the second longitudinal axis, wherein the tube includes a distal end connected to the tool assembly via a torque-transmitting flexible member, the operating trigger being operably connected to the actuation member by a flexible firing cable, the flexible firing cable extending through the tube of the tool assembly rotation mechanism, wherein the torque-transmitting flexible member includes a hollow bellows which is configured to bend about the pivot axis when the tool assembly is pivoted about the pivot axis, the flexible firing cable extending through the hollow bellows;
wherein the operating trigger is operably connected to the actuation member by a flexible retraction cable, the flexible firing cable being operable in tension to move the actuation member in one direction along the second longitudinal axis of the tool assembly and the flexible retraction cable being operable in tension to move the actuation member in an opposite direction along the second longitudinal axis.