Surgical instrument

Abstract

The surgical instrument includes a distal tool, a rigid or flexible elongated shaft that supports the distal tool, and a proximal handle or control member, where the tool and the handle are coupled to the respective distal and proximal ends of the elongated shaft via distal and proximal bendable motion members. Actuation means extends between said distal and proximal member to control bending. A manually rotatable member rotates the instrument shaft and working member relative to the control handle. A locking member is supported from the control handle and has locked and unlocked states; in the unlocked state enabling control of the distal work member from the proximal control handle via the bendable members; and in the locked state, holding the bendable members in a pre-selected relative fixed position.

1 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 a proximal control handle;   a distal work member;   a proximal turnable member controlled from said proximal control handle;   a distal turnable member controlled from said proximal turnable member to provide controlled movement of said distal work member from said proximal control handle;   an instrument shaft that intercouples said proximal and distal tamable members;   and a locking member supported from said proximal control handle and having locked and unlocked states;   said locking member in both said locked and unlocked state enabling control of the orientation of said distal work member from said proximal control handle via said turnable members;   said locking member, in said locked state, holding said turnable members in a particular fixed relative position.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said turnable members comprises a bendable member. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein both of said turnable members are bendable members. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein said locking member, in the locked state, fixes the position of the proximal turnable member. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein said locking member, in the locked state, fixes the position of the distal turnable member. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical instrument of  claim 4  wherein said locking member, in the locked state, also fixes the position of the distal turnable member. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein a single locking member locks both the proximal and distal bendable members 
     
     
         8 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  including first cable means between said proximal and distal turnable members for providing control therebetween and second cable means coupled from said locking member to control at least one of said proximal and distal turnable members. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical instrument of  claim 8  including a pair of locking members for respectively controlling said proximal and distal turnable members. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical instrument of claim I including a rotation control member adjacent said proximal control handle for controlling said distal work member to rotate about a distal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical instrument of  claim 10  wherein said instrument is comprised of coaxial inner and outer instrument sections, said outer instrument section including at least said rotation member and work member, said outer instrument section being mounted for rotation relative to said inner instrument section, said inner instrument section including at least one of said turnable members. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical instrument of  claim 11  wherein said instrument shaft includes an outer sheath that forms part of the outer instrument section and an inner sheath that forms part of the inner instrument section, said outer sheath being mounted for rotation relative to a non-rotatable inner sheath. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical instrument of  claim 10  including cable means disposed between the proximal and distal turnable members. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical instrument of  claim 13  wherein said cable means forms part of the outer instrument section and rotates therewith. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical instrument of  claim 13  wherein said cable means forms part of the inner instrument section and is non-rotatable. 
     
     
         16 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  including first cable means between said proximal and distal turnable members for providing control therebetween and a carriage for supporting the proximal ends of the cable means, said locking member controlling said carriage. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical instrument of  claim 16  wherein said cable means comprises a plurality of cables that are all attached to said carriage and that are pulled in unison under control of said locking member. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein each said turnable member comprises a bendable member that includes a plurality of nestable discs and an outer bellows. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein said instrument shaft is flexible for intraluminal use. 
     
     
         20 . In a medical instrument having a proximal control handle and a distal tool that are intercoupled by an elongated instrument shaft that is meant to pass internally to an anatomic site, proximal and distal bendable members that respectively intercouple said proximal control handle and said distal tool with said instrument shaft, a locking member that is manually operable by a user and is adapted to lock the position of the bendable members in a desired position, said locking member having locked and unlocked states, and a rotation control member manually controllable to rotate said tool about a distal tool axis, said rotation control member operable in at least the locked state of said locking member to rotate said tool about the distal tool axis. 
     
     
         21 - 45 . (canceled)