Surgical instruments and methods of cleaning surgical instruments

Abstract

A cleaning device for a surgical instrument can include a body; at least one passage extending through the body from a first open end of the body to a second open end of the body. The first and second open ends and the at least one passage can be dimensioned to receive and guide a shaft of a surgical instrument during a cleaning procedure. At least one aperture in flow communication with a port and the at least one passage can define a cleaning fluid path from the port to the passage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning device for a surgical instrument, comprising:
 a body;   at least one passage extending through the body from a first open end of the body to a second open end of the body, the first and second open ends and the at least one passage being dimensioned to receive and guide a shaft of a surgical instrument during a cleaning procedure; and   at least one aperture in flow communication with a port and the at least one passage to define a cleaning fluid path from the port to the passage.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning device of  claim 1 , further comprising an end piece connected to the body of the cleaning device, wherein the at least one aperture is located in the end piece. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning device of  claim 2 , wherein the end piece further comprises a plurality of apertures in flow communication with an interior of the cleaning device. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning device of  claim 1 , further comprising end pieces each including an aperture, wherein the end pieces are configured to be connected to the first and second ends of the body so the apertures of the end pieces are in flow communication with the at least one passage. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning device of  claim 1 , further comprising a manifold located in an interior of the cleaning device, wherein the at least one aperture comprises a plurality of holes formed in the manifold, wherein the plurality of holes are in flow communication with a chamber of the manifold that is in flow communication with the port. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning device of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of holes are oriented at an angle relative to a radial direction of the cleaning device. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning device of  claim 5 , wherein the manifold has a substantially annular shape and comprises a central aperture that defines at least a portion of the at least one passage. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second passage configured to receive a cleaning fluid, wherein the at least one passage and the second passage are in flow communication via an aperture extending between the first passage and the second passage. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning device of  claim 8 , wherein the cleaning device comprises a first portion and a second portion provided as separate pieces divided by a parting line. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning device of  claim 9 , wherein the first passage is partially formed in first portion and partially formed in the second portion so that the first portion and the second portion cooperatively form the first passage when the cleaning device is closed. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning device of  claim 8 , wherein the first passage and the second passage are cylindrical passages extending from the first end of the cleaning device to the second end of the cleaning device, wherein the first end and the second end are opposite to one another. 
     
     
         12 . A surgical instrument cleaning system, comprising:
 a first cleaning device comprising:
 a body; 
 at least one passage extending through the body from a first end to a second end of the body, the at least one passage being dimensioned to receive and guide a shaft of a surgical instrument during a cleaning procedure; and 
 at least one aperture in flow communication with a port and the at least one passage to define a cleaning fluid path from the port to the passage; and 
   a second cleaning device comprising:
 a first passage for the surgical instrument to be inserted within; and 
 a second passage configured to receive the cleaning fluid, 
 wherein the first passage and the second passage are in flow communication via an aperture extending between the first passage and the second passage. 
   
     
     
         13 . The cleaning system of  claim 12 , further comprising a spray gun. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning system of  claim 12 , further comprising a surgical instrument comprising:
 a shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal end; and   a manifold disposed at the proximal end and in flow communication with an interior of the shaft, the manifold comprising a port configured to be coupled to a cleaning fluid supply.   
     
     
         15 . A method of cleaning a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
 positioning at least a portion of a surgical instrument shaft into a substantially enclosed passage of a cleaning device such that the surgical instrument shaft extends through opposite open ends of the passage and external of the cleaning device; and   flowing a cleaning fluid from an inlet of the cleaning device to the passage and into contact with at least the portion of the surgical instrument shaft positioned in the passage.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising moving the cleaning device and the surgical instrument shaft relative to one another during the flowing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising soaking the surgical instrument in cleaning fluid prior to the positioning. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising spraying an external surface of the surgical instrument with a spray gun. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising manually scrubbing the surgical instrument. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the surgical instrument shaft extends from a proximal portion of the surgical instrument to a distal end; and
 further comprising flushing an interior of the surgical instrument shaft with the cleaning fluid by supplying cleaning fluid to a manifold located in a proximal portion that is in flow communication with the interior of the surgical instrument shaft.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cleaning device is in flow communication with an inlet port of the manifold, and the method further comprises flowing the cleaning fluid flow from the cleaning device, into the manifold, and into the interior of the surgical instrument shaft.