Articulating surgical apparatus
An endoscopic instrument includes a housing having shaft extending therefrom that defines a longitudinal axis therethrough. The shaft includes an articulating section disposed thereon. The articulating section has a central annulus extending therealong and first and second pluralities of bores. The first plurality of bores configured to receive corresponding tendons therethrough and the second plurality of bores configured to receive corresponding conductive leads therethrough. An end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft including a pair of first and second jaw members. The corresponding conductive leads transition from a first state for enabling articulation of the shaft about the articulating section, to a second state for disabling articulation of the shaft about the articulating section.
1. A surgical system, comprising:
an endoscopic instrument, including:
a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and including an articulating section having a plurality of links aligned along a length of the articulating section, the articulating section defining at least one first bore extending through each of the plurality of links and at least one second bore extending through each of the plurality of links,
a tendon extending through the first bore;
a conductive lead extending through the second bore; and
an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft,
wherein, in response to application to energy to the conductive lead, the conductive lead is configured to transition from a first state, enabling articulation of the shaft about the articulating section, to a second state, disabling articulation of the shaft about the articulating section.
2. The surgical system according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of first bores and a plurality of second bores are defined through the articulating section, each first bore including a tendon extending therethrough and each second bore including a conductive lead extending therethrough.
3. The surgical system according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of first bores and the plurality of second bores are equally spaced-apart about a radial circumference of each of the plurality of links.
4. The surgical system according to claim 1 , further including an articulation control system in operative communication with the endoscopic instrument, the articulation control system configured to control transitioning of the conductive lead between the first and second states.
5. The surgical system according to claim 4 , wherein the articulation control system is disposed within a housing of the endoscopic instrument.
6. The surgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive lead is formed from a thermally expanding material.
7. The surgical system according to claim 6 , wherein the thermally expanding material is selected from the group consisting of: copper, copper alloys, electrically conductive plastic materials and shape memory alloys.
8. The surgical system according to claim 6 , wherein the thermally expanding material is configured such that application of energy thereto induces thermal expansion of the thermally expanding material to transition the conductive lead from the first state to the second state.
9. The surgical system according to claim 1 , wherein an insulative substrate encases the conductive lead.
10. The surgical system according to claim 1 , wherein each link of the plurality of links is formed from a non-conductive material.
11. The surgical system according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the conductive lead is less than a diameter of the second bore such that in the first state the conductive lead is freely moveable within the second bore and in the second state an interference fit is established between the conductive lead and the second bore.
12. The surgical system according to claim 1 , wherein in the second state the conductive leads are capable of maintaining the articulating section in an articulated configuration or a non-articulated configuration.
13. The surgical system according to claim 1 , further including an electrosurgical generator configured to transmit energy to the endoscopic instrument.
14. The surgical system according to claim 13 , wherein the electrosurgical generator is configured to transmit energy to the endoscopic instrument for transitioning the conductive lead from the first state to the second state.
15. The surgical system according to claim 14 , wherein the electrosurgical generator is configured to transmit energy to the endoscopic instrument for energy-based tissue treatment using the end effector assembly.