Endoscopic surgical gripping instrument with universal joint jaw coupler
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United States of America Patent
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May 19, 1998
Grant Date -
N/A
app pub date -
Oct 18, 1994
filing date -
Oct 18, 1994
priority date (Note) -
Expired
status (Latency Note)
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Abstract
A surgical instrument for gripping tissue in an endoscopic workspace. The instrument has an elongate introducer sleeve extending along a primary axis. An articulating jaw assembly is coupled to the distal end of the introducer sleeve with a ball and socket-type joint that provides jaws that open and close with around a secondary axis. Thus, the secondary axis of the jaw assembly is free to articulate and rotate relative to the primary axis of the introducer sleeve. When tissue is gripped by the jaws, lateral retraction forces cause the jaw assembly to align itself with the direction of retracting forces. A trigger within a proximal handle actuates the jaws in any articulated position. The instrument further provides a 'flex jaw' feature by which is meant the jaw working faces are somewhat free to rotate relative to the jaw arms. Thus, as the jaw arms close to grip tissue, the jaw working faces rotate to accommodate tissue thickness and density thereby uniformly apply gripping pressure on tissue.
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