SURGICAL INSTRUMENT GUIDE DEVICE
An instrument guide device comprises an elongated guide shaft having proximal and distal ends and including an instrument lumen for receiving therethrough a manually operated instrument having an instrument shaft. A distal bendable member is disposed at the distal end of the guide shaft and a proximal bendable member is disposed at the proximal end of the guide shaft. Actuation means extends between the distal and proximal bendable members and provides a bending of the distal bendable member controlled from the proximal bendable member. The proximal bendable member is controlled from the manually operated instrument to cause a corresponding bending of said distal bendable member.
1 . An instrument guide device comprising:
an elongated guide shaft having proximal and distal ends and including an instrument lumen for receiving therethrough a manually operated instrument having an instrument shaft and handle;
a distal bendable member disposed at the distal end of the guide shaft;
a proximal bendable member disposed at the proximal end of the guide shaft; and
actuation means extending between said distal and proximal bendable members and providing a bending of said distal bendable member controlled from said proximal bendable member;
whereby said proximal bendable member is controlled from said manually operated instrument to cause a corresponding bending of said distal bendable member.
2 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 wherein said actuation means is constructed and arranged so that a bending of the proximal bendable member causes a like direction bending of the distal bendable member.
3 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 wherein said actuation means is constructed and arranged so that a bending of the proximal bendable member causes an opposite direction bending of the distal bendable member.
4 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 wherein said proximal bendable member is moveable in any direction.
5 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 including a grip disposed between said proximal bendable member and the handle of said instrument and constructed and arranged to have a passage through which the instrument shaft extends.
6 . The instrument guide device of claim 5 wherein said grip is formed as two pieces including a grip portion and a rotation knob and said grip and knob portions are supported for relative rotation therebetween.
7 . The instrument guide device of claim 5 including means or securing the instrument handle to the grip.
8 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 wherein said bendable members each comprise a unitary slotted structure having a plurality of discs separated by slots.
9 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 wherein said guide shaft is rigid.
10 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 wherein said guide shaft is flexible.
11 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 including a plurality of proximal bendable members and a plurality of distal bendable members.
12 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 wherein said actuation means comprises a plurality of cables that interconnect proximal and distal bendable members.
13 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 wherein said guide shaft has at least two lumens for respectively accommodating separate instrument shafts.
14 . The instrument guide device of claim 1 wherein said instrument has instrument proximal and distal bendable members.
15 . A surgical instrument assembly comprising:
an elongated instrument shaft having proximal and distal ends;
a working member coupled from the distal end of the instrument shaft;
a control handle disposed at the proximal end of the instrument shaft;
a guide member for receiving the instrument shaft and including;
a guide shaft;
a distal motion means at the distal end of said guide shaft;
a proximal motion means at the proximal end of said guide shaft; and
actuation means extending between said distal and proximal motion means;
said working member extending beyond a distal end of the guide shaft at an operative site;
whereby any deflection of said proximal motion means causes a corresponding deflection of said distal motion means for control of said working member.
16 . The surgical instrument assembly of claim 15 wherein said distal motion means comprises a distal bendable member and said proximal motion means comprises a proximal bendable member that is moveable in any direction.
17 . The instrument guide device of claim 16 including a grip disposed between said proximal bendable member and the handle of said instrument and constructed and arranged to have a passage through which the instrument shaft extends.
18 . The instrument guide device of claim 17 wherein said grip is formed as two pieces including a grip portion and a rotation knob and said grip and knob portions are supported for relative rotation therebetween.
19 . The instrument guide device of claim 16 wherein said proximal bendable member comprises a unitary slotted structure having a plurality of discs separated by slots and further including a plurality of ribs interconnecting adjacent discs, said ribs being disposed at intervals about the member of less than 90 degrees.
20 . A surgical instrument comprising:
an elongated instrument shaft having proximal and distal ends;
a working member disposed at the distal end of the instrument shaft; and
a control handle disposed at the proximal end of the instrument shaft;
said working member being coupled to the distal end of said elongated instrument shaft via a distal motion member;
said control handle coupled to the proximal end of said elongated instrument shaft via a proximal bendable member;
actuation means extending between said distal and proximal members whereby any deflection of said control handle with respect to said elongated instrument shaft causes a corresponding bending of said distal motion member for control of said working member;
wherein at least said proximal bendable member comprises a unitary slotted structure having a plurality of discs separated by slots.
21 . The instrument guide device of claim 20 wherein said distal motion member also comprises a bendable member formed as a unitary slotted structure having a plurality of discs separated by slots.
22 . The instrument guide device of claim 16 wherein said proximal bendable member includes a plurality of ribs interconnecting adjacent discs, said ribs being disposed at intervals about the member of less than 90 degrees.
23 . The instrument guide device of claim 22 wherein said ribs are disposed at an interval on the order of 60 degrees.