Flexible shaft extender and method of using same
View Patent ↗An extender for use in an electro-mechanical surgical system that includes a surgical attachment that may be detachably coupled to an electro-mechanical driver device via a flexible shaft. The extender is a substantially rigid extender that includes a proximal end that may be detachably coupled to a distal end of the flexible shaft. The extender also includes a distal end that may be detachably coupled to the surgical attachment. The extender also includes at least one rotatable drive shaft configured to engage and be secured with a respective rotatable drive shaft of the flexible shaft such that rotation of the respective rotatable drive shaft of the flexible shaft by the electro-mechanical driver device causes the at least one rotatable drive shaft of the extender to rotate, thereby rotating a complementary connector of the surgical attachment so as to operate the surgical attachment. The extender may include a memory unit and a data cable that transfers data from the memory unit to an electro-mechanical driver device. Additionally or alternatively, the extender may include a data cable that transfers data from a memory unit in the surgical attachment to the electro-mechanical driver device. Advantageously, the extender is autoclavable.
1. An electro-mechanical surgical system including a surgical attachment detachably coupleable to at least one drive member of an electro-mechanical driver device, the electro-mechanical surgical system further including a substantially rigid extender comprising:
a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
a substantially rigid tube coupled to the distal end of the handle;
a proximal coupling disposed at the proximal end of the handle and being configured to be detachably coupled to a coupling providing operative connection to at least one drive member of the electro-mechanical driver device;
a distal coupling disposed at the distal end of the tube and being configured to be detachably coupled to a proximal coupling of the surgical attachment; and
at least two rotatable shafts disposed within the extender, each rotatable shaft being configured to engage and be secured with a respective rotatable drive member of the electro-mechanical driver device such that rotation of the respective rotatable drive members by the electro-mechanical driver device causes the at least two rotatable shafts of the extender to rotate, thereby transmitting a force to the surgical attachment so as to operate the surgical attachment.
2. The extender of claim 1 , further comprising a memory unit.
3. The extender of claim 2 , wherein the memory unit is configured to store one or more of serial number data, an attachment type identifier data and a usage data.
4. The extender of claim 3 , wherein one or more of the serial number data and the ID data is configured as read-only data.
5. The extender of claim 4 , wherein the serial number data is data uniquely identifying the extender.
6. The extender of claim 4 , wherein the ID data is data identifying the type of the extender.
7. The extender of claim 4 , wherein the usage data represents a number of times the extender has been used.
8. The extender of claim 2 , further comprising a data cable configured to transfer data between the memory unit and the electromechanical driver device.
9. The extender of claim 1 , wherein the extender further comprises a data cable configured to transfer data between a memory unit located in the surgical attachment and the electro-mechanical driver device.
10. An electro-mechanical surgical system, comprising:
an electro-mechanical driver device including at least one rotatable drive member;
a surgical attachment detachably coupleable to the electro-mechanical driver device; and
a substantially rigid extender comprising:
a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
a substantially rigid tube coupled to the distal end of the handle;
a proximal coupling disposed at the proximal end of the handle and being configured to be detachably coupled to a coupling providing operative connection to the at least one drive member of the electro-mechanical driver device;
a distal coupling disposed at the distal end of the tube and being configured to be detachably coupled to a proximal coupling of the surgical attachment; and
at least two rotatable shafts disposed within the extender, each rotatable shaft being configured to engage and be secured with a respective rotatable drive member of the electro-mechanical driver device such that rotation of the respective rotatable drive members by the electro-mechanical driver device causes the at least two rotatable shafts of the extender to rotate, thereby transmitting a force to the surgical attachment so as to operate the surgical attachment.
11. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 10 , wherein the extender further comprises a memory unit.
12. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 11 , wherein the memory unit is configured to store one or more of serial number data, an attachment type identifier data and a usage data.
13. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 11 , wherein the extender further comprises a data cable configured to transfer data between the memory unit and the electromechanical driver device.
14. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 10 , wherein the extender further comprises a data cable configured to transfer data between a memory unit located in the surgical attachment and the electro-mechanical driver device.
15. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 10 , wherein the surgical attachment is a surgical stapler-cutter.