Surgical instrument guide device

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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.