Apparatus and method for in vivo cleaning of an optical lens of a surgical visualization device

Abstract

A surgical device including a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a spring extending distally from the distal end of the shaft and curving away from a longitudinal axis of the shaft, and a tip extending from a distal end of the spring, said tip including a body and an attachment surface on the body for attaching an absorbent material thereto, wherein the spring and the body of the tip have a first width, the spring has a thickness substantially smaller than the first width to provide preferential bending in a direction of the curvature of the spring, and the body of the tip has a second thickness, and wherein the surgical device is a cleaning device configured to clean a lens of a surgical visualization device.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A surgical device comprising:
 a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;   a spring extending distally from the distal end of the shaft and curving away from a longitudinal axis of the shaft, and   a tip extending from a distal end of the spring, said tip including a body and an attachment surface on the body for attaching an absorbent material thereto,   wherein the spring and the body of the tip have a first width, the spring has a first thickness substantially smaller than the first width to provide preferential bending in a direction of the curvature of the spring, and the body of the tip has a second thickness, and   wherein the surgical device is a cleaning device configured to clean a lens of a surgical visualization device.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical device of  claim 1 , further comprising the absorbent material configured to attach to the attachment surface of the tip, wherein the absorbent material comprises one of a sponge, a cloth, a cleaning pad and a plastic foam. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft has the first width and a third thickness greater than the first thickness. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tip and the shaft is configured so as to reduce insertion and removal impediments caused by temporary interfacing between the at least one of the tip and the shaft and sharp features of a trocar. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical device of  claim 4 , wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness and a proximal end of the tip gradually tapers from the second thickness to the first thickness of the spring. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical device of  claim 4 , wherein the shaft has a third thickness greater than the first thickness and wherein a distal end of the shaft gradually tapers from the third thickness to the first thickness of the spring. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the tip further includes a tapered distal end and wherein the body of the tip includes a recess with said attachment surface being provided in the recess. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical device of  claim 1 , where a tip force of no more than 0.75 lbs is required to bend the spring into a straight position aligned with the longitudinal axis of the shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the tip, the spring, and the shaft are integrally formed into a single structure. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical device of  claim 9 , wherein the single structure is molded from a biocompatible plastic. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical device of  claim 10 , wherein the biocompatible plastic is transparent and wherein the surgical device further comprises an illumination assembly at least partially housed within the handle, said illumination assembly configured to provide light to the tip through the shaft and the spring via total internal reflection. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical device of  claim 2 , wherein the absorbent material has a contrasting color to a patient surgical cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second shaft attached to the proximal end of the surgical device, and a second absorbent material attached to a free end of the second shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the spring curves 40-90 degrees away from the longitudinal axis of the shaft. 
     
     
         15 . A surgical device comprising:
 a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;   a spring extending distally from a distal end of the shaft and curving away from a longitudinal axis of the shaft; and   a tip extending from a distal end of the spring having an attachment surface for attaching an absorbent material thereto,   wherein the spring has a first thickness and the tip has a second thickness greater than the first thickness, and the spring and the tip have a gradual transition between the first thickness and the second thickness, and   wherein the surgical device is a cleaning device configured to clean a lens of a surgical visualization device.   
     
     
         16 . The surgical device of  claim 15 , wherein the tip includes a body and a tapered distal end and wherein the body of the tip includes a recess with said attachment surface being provided in the recess. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical device of  claim 15 , wherein the shaft has a third thickness, and the distal end of the shaft gradually tapers from the third thickness to the first thickness of the spring. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical device of  claim 15 , further comprising the absorbent material configured to attach to the attachment surface, wherein the absorbent material is one of a sponge, a cloth, a cleaning pad and a plastic foam. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical device of  claim 15 , wherein the spring is configured so as to preferentially bend in a direction of the curvature of the spring and to resist bending around the longitudinal axis of the shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The surgical device of  claim 15 , further comprising an illumination assembly including one or more light sources, wherein the illumination assembly provides illumination to the tip of the surgical device. 
     
     
         21 . The surgical device of  claim 20 , further comprising a handle extending from the proximal end of the shaft and wherein:
 at least the shaft, the spring and the tip are formed from a transparent or translucent material,   at least a portion of the illumination assembly is enclosed by the handle, and   light emitted from the one or more light sources of the illumination assembly is transmitted through the shaft and the spring to the tip by total internal reflection.   
     
     
         22 . The surgical device of  claim 15 , further comprising a second shaft attached to the proximal end of the surgical device, and a second absorbent material attached to a free end of the second shaft. 
     
     
         23 . A surgical device comprising:
 a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;   a spring including a proximal portion extending distally from the distal end of the shaft along a longitudinal axis of the shaft and a distal portion following the proximal portion and gradually curving away from the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and   a tip extending from a distal end of the distal portion of the spring such that the tip is oriented at an angle of 40 to 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft in a relaxed state of the spring, the tip having an attachment surface for attaching an absorbent material thereto,   wherein thickness of the proximal and distal portions of the spring is smaller than respective thicknesses of the tip and the shaft, and   wherein the surgical device is a cleaning device configured to clean a lens of a surgical visualization device.   
     
     
         24 . The surgical device of  claim 23 , wherein the spring and the tip have a gradual transition between the smaller thickness of the distal portion of the spring and the thickness of the tip. 
     
     
         25 . The surgical device of  claim 23 , wherein the spring and the shaft have a gradual transition between the smaller thickness of the proximal portion of the spring and the thickness of the shaft. 
     
     
         26 . The surgical device of  claim 23 , wherein the spring has a predetermined width and a first thickness substantially smaller than the predetermined width to provide preferential bending in a direction of the curvature of the spring.