Patent ID: 8211114
Filing Date: 2012-07-03
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A medical instrument comprising: a) a flexible shaft having first and second proximal lumens; b) a resiliently flexible first elongate member disposed in the first proximal lumen and having a first proximal end portion and a first distal portion; c) a resiliently flexible second elongate member disposed in the second proximal lumen and having a second proximal end portion and a second distal portion, wherein the second distal portion is attached to the first distal portion, wherein the attached first and second distal portions define an open distal-loop medical snare which has a relaxed, set shape of truncated diamond form, with two shorter sides extending proximally from a distal vertex of the shape, and two longer sides extending distally from proximate a proximal vertex of the shape, the two longer sides being unattached proximate the proximal vertex of the shape; and d) a handpiece having a mechanism operatively connected to the first proximal end portion of the first elongate member and to the second proximal end portion of the second elongate member, wherein operation of the mechanism lengthwise translates the first proximal end portion with respect to the second proximal end portion, the mechanism including a ring rotating the first proximal end portion inside the handpiece through a gear arrangement; wherein the first proximal end portion is not attached to the second proximal end portion such that the first proximal end portion is lengthwise translatable with respect to the second proximal end portion, wherein lengthwise translation of the first proximal end portion with respect to the second proximal end portion articulates the medical snare, wherein the second proximal end portion is lengthwise translatable with respect to the first proximal end portion, wherein lengthwise translation of the second proximal end portion with respect to the first proximal end portion articulates the medical snare, wherein the first proximal end portion has a longitudinal centerline and is rotatable about the longitudinal centerline with respect to the flexible shaft, and wherein rotation of the first proximal end portion about the longitudinal centerline with respect to the flexible shaft articulates the medical snare.