Source: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2005/0234338.html
Timestamp: 2020-02-29 04:25:07
Document Index: 362807035

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 34', 'art 32', 'art 34', 'art 32', 'art 58', 'art 58', 'art 76', 'art 58', 'art 58', 'art 38', 'art 38', 'art 84', 'art 84', 'art 58', 'art) 80', 'art 58', 'art 58', 'art 58', 'arts 58', 'art 58', 'arts 96', 'arts 58', 'art 58', 'art 76', 'art 120', 'art 120', 'art 120', 'art 120', 'art 132', 'art 120', 'art 120', 'art 120', 'art 120', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 120', 'art 120', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 58', 'art 32', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 132', 'art 58', 'art 32', 'art 252', 'art 252']

Treatment apparatus and treatment device for surgical treatments using ultrasonic vibration - Masuda, Shinya
United States Patent Application 20050234338
Masuda, Shinya (Yokohama, JP)
11/093601
A61B18/00; A61B8/00; A61B17/32; A61B18/14; (IPC1-7): A61B8/00
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20080200832 NON-INVASIVE, BEDSIDE INTRA-CRANIAL PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM UTILIZING EARLY ON-SET AUDITORY EVOKED RESPONSES August, 2008 Stone
1. An ultrasonic treatment device comprising: a transducer unit equipped with an ultrasonic transducer generating ultrasonic vibration in response to supply of power; a probe unit configured to have a treatment member at a distal end thereof, detachably loaded to the transducer unit, and equipped with an ultrasonic probe transmitting the ultrasonic vibration to the distal end of the treatment member when the transducer unit is loaded to the probe unit; and a main unit which is manually grasped by an operator, to which the probe unit with the transducer unit loaded thereto is detachably loaded, and which has a cylindrical insert through which the ultrasonic probe is inserted to have the treatment member protruded outwardly when the probe unit is loaded and an outer sheath detachably covering an outer surface of the insert.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the outer sheath is provided with a cylindrical sheath body and a connector detachably connecting the sheath body to the main unit.
3. The device according to claim 2, wherein an inter diameter of the sheath body is larger than an outer diameter of the insert, whereby the ultrasonic probe of the probe unit with the transducer unit loaded thereto is insertable into the sheath body.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the outer sheath is provided with an insulative sheath which is insulative and which covers the outer surface of the ultrasonic probe when the outer sheath is loaded to the main unit, an electric connector disposed at a base end of the insulative sheath and electrically connected to a power source for electric cautery, and an electric connecting portion connected to the electric connector and configured to allow the electric connector to be connected electrically to the ultrasonic probe in cases where the outer sheath is loaded to the main unit.
5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the electric connecting portion is made to touch a portion of the ultrasonic probe where there occurs a node of the vibration in cases where the outer sheath is loaded to the main unit.
6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the treatment member of the ultrasonic probe a curved portion bent to deviate from an axial direction of the ultrasonic probe.
7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the curved portion comprises a hook portion bent to deviate from the axial direction and is able to hook a target to be treated.
8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main unit comprises an operation member to which the probe unit with the transducer unit loaded thereto is detachable and which is grasped by the operator, a cylindrical inner sheath providing part of the insert, a jaw rotatably supported to face the treatment member of the ultrasonic probe at a distal end of the inner sheath and grip living tissue of the subject together with the treatment member, and an operational force transfer member linking the jaw and the operation member, being able to move forward and backward along an axial direction of the inner sheath, and transmitting to the jaw an operation force generated by the operation member operated by the operator.
9. An ultrasonic treatment device comprising: a main unit having an operation member to be grasped and operated by an operator; an ultrasonic transducer; a treatment member; an ultrasonic probe being detachably loaded to the main unit and transmitting ultrasonic vibration generated by the ultrasonic transducer to the treatment member, the ultrasonic transducer being located at a base end of the probe and the treatment member being located at a distal and of the probe; an inner sheath approximately cylindrically shaped, arranged in the main unit, and configured to allow the ultrasonic probe to be inserted therethrough when the ultrasonic probe is loaded to the main unit; a jaw rotatably supported to face the treatment member of the ultrasonic probe at a distal end of the inner sheath when the ultrasonic probe is loaded to the main unit and formed to grip living tissue of the subject together with the treatment member, an operational force transfer member linking the jaw and the operation member, being able to move forward and backward on a surface of the inner sheath along an axial direction of the inner sheath, and transmitting to the jaw an operation force generated by the operation member; and an outer sheath detachably attached to the main unit to cover an outer surface of the inner sheath.
10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the outer sheath is provided with a cylindrical sheath body and a connector detachably connecting the sheath body to the main unit.
11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the inner sheath comprises a back-and-forth move limiting mechanism preventing the operational force transfer member from moving back and forth along a direction deviating from an axial direction of the inner sheath.
12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the operational force transfer member comprises a plate-like slit portion formed along an axial direction of the operational force transfer member and the back-and-forth move limiting mechanism comprises a limit pin arranged in the slit portion and formed to prevent the operational force transfer member from moving back and forth along the direction deviating from the axial direction of the inner sheath.
13. The device according to claim 11, wherein the back-and-forth move limiting mechanism comprises a limit band being arranged on an outer face of the inner sheath and limiting the operational force transfer member from moving a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the operational force transfer member.
14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the operational force transfer member comprises a plate-like member movable back and forth along the axial direction of the inner sheath.
15. The device according to claim 13, wherein the outer sheath is provided with an insulative sheath which is insulative and which covers the outer surface of the ultrasonic probe when the outer sheath is loaded to the main unit, an electric connector disposed at a base end of the insulative sheath and electrically connected to a power source for electric cautery, and an electric connecting portion connected to the electric connector and configured to allow the electric connector to be connected electrically to the ultrasonic probe in cases where the outer sheath is loaded to the main unit.
16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the electric connecting portion is made to touch a portion of the ultrasonic probe where there occurs a node of the vibration in cases where the outer sheath is loaded to the main unit.
17. An ultrasonic treatment device comprising: a main unit grasped and operated by an operator; and a probe unit detachably loaded to the main unit and formed to transmit ultrasonic vibration from a base end of the probe unit to a distal end of the probe unit, the ultrasonic vibration being generated by an ultrasonic transducer and a treatment member being disposed at the distal end of the probe unit, wherein the main unit comprises an inner sheath through which the probe is inserted when the probe unit is loaded to the main unit, a jaw rotatably supported to face the treatment member at a distal end of the inner sheath and formed to grip living tissue of the subject together with the treatment member, an operation member disposed at a base end of the inner sheath and operated by the operator, an operational force transfer member linking the jaw and the operation member, being able to move forward and backward on a surface of the inner sheath along an axial direction of the inner sheath, and transmitting to the jaw an operation force generated by the operation member; and an outer sheath detachably attached to the main unit to cover an outer surface of the inner sheath.
18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the outer sheath is provided with a cylindrical sheath body and a connector detachably connecting the sheath body to the main unit.
19. A treatment apparatus comprising: a probe comprising an energy transmitting member and a treatment member and being used such that physical energy is transmitted to the treatment member through the energy transmitting member to allow the treatment member to medically treat living tissue of a subject to be treated; a device movably supported near to the treatment member by the probe and formed to be in charge of a cooperative operation for the living tissue together with the probe; an operation member used to provide an operation for moving the device from or to the treatment member; a first sheath which links the device and the operation member and through which the energy transmitting member is inserted; an operational force transfer member linking the device and the operation member, being movably disposed along an outer surface of the first sheath, and transmitting an operation force from the operation member to the device; and a second sheath detachably loaded to the operation member to cover the first sheath as well as the operation force transfer member.
20. The treatment apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the physical energy is ultrasonic vibration energy, the probe is an ultrasonic probe, the device is a jaw supported to face the treatment member, open and close from and to the treatment member, and grip living tissue of the subject together with the ultrasonic probe, and the operation member is in charge of opening and closing the jaw from and to the treatment member.
The maximum-diameter part 34 has a base end portion provided with a mounting screw 34a that is coupled to a probe mounting member (not shown) of the distal end of the horn HN of the transducer unit 16. The mounting screw 34a is screwed into a threaded bore part of the probe mounting member of the transducer unit 16. Therefore, the probe unit 14 and the transducer unit 16 can be unitarily assembled. The horn part 32 between the maximum-diameter part 34 and the vibration transmitting member 30 serves to amplify the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration transferred from the transducer unit 16. The vibration transmitting member 30 transmits the ultrasonic vibration, whose amplitude is amplified with the horn part 32, toward the distal-end treatment member 36. The distal-end treatment member 36 is provided for the purpose of executing surgical treatment (hereinafter, merely referred to as “treatment”) in contact with a living tissue through the use of energy resulting from the ultrasonic vibration. The distal-end treatment member 36 is formed in an asymmetric shape, that is, a circular-arc configuration curved in a direction deviated from a central axis aligned on an axial direction of the vibration transmitting member 30.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the operating portion 54 includes an operational main part 58, having insulation property, which is formed in a hollow portion. The operational main part 58 has a distal end provided with a cylindrical rotation-link member 60 with electrical conductivity. The rotation-link member 60 has a small-diameter part, a medium-diameter part and a large-diameter part formed in such an order from a distal end of the rotation-link member 60 toward a base end thereof. The medium-diameter part has an intermediate diameter between the small-diameter part and the large-diameter part and has an outer periphery formed with a male threaded portion. The large-diameter part has a base end portion formed with a slit 60a extending in the axial direction. Steps are formed between the small-diameter part and the medium-diameter part and between the medium-diameter part and the large-diameter part, respectively.
A tabular sheath connecting member 66 with electric conductivity, to which a base end portion of an inner sheath, described below, is fixedly secured, and a ring-shaped operational rod guide member 68, disposed an inner peripheral surface of a base end portion of the sheath connecting member 66 to guide a base end portion of an operational rod (operational force transfer member) 120, described below, are fixedly secured to an inner peripheral wall of the distal end of the rotation-link member 60 by means of a first pin 56a. The operational rod guide member 68 has a through-bore through which the operational rod 120, described below, penetrates in parallel to a central axis of the operational rod guide member 68. Thus, the operational rod 120 is placed in and guided by the through-bore to be movable forward or rearward. The operational rod guide member 68 is made of resin material such as, for instance, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or the like and prevents the vibration transmitting member 30 from being brought into contact with a metallic member such as the operational rod 120.
A tabular operational rod connecting member 70 with electrical conductivity and a protector ring 72, disposed inside an inner peripheral surface of the operational rod connecting member 70, are disposed on the inner peripheral side of the rotation-link member 60 at a side closer to base ends of the sheath connecting member 66 and the operational rod guide member 68. The operational rod 120 has the base end that is fixedly secured to the operational rod connecting member 70 by means of a second pin 56b. The protector ring 72 is made of resin material such as, for instance, PTFE and prevents the vibration transmitting member 30 from being brought into contact with a metallic member such as the operational rod connecting member 70.
A tubular slider receiving member 74 with electrical conductivity is disposed in an inner periphery of the operational rod connecting member 70 at a side closer to a base end portion of the protector ring 72. The operational rod connecting member 70 and the slider receiving member 74 are fixedly secured to each other through a pair of opposing third pins 56c.
The operational rod connecting member 70 has a base end formed with a radially and outwardly extending flange portion 70a. A fourth pin 56d, received in the slit 60a of the rotation-link member 60, is tightened onto the flange portion 70a of the operational rod connecting member 70. Thus, the fourth pin 56d is moveable along the slit 60a of the rotation-link member 60. Further, as the rotary knob 62 is rotated, the rotation-link member 60 also rotates and the operational rod connecting member 70 also rotates. That is, as the rotary knob 62 is rotated, the rotation-link member 60, the operational rod connecting member 70, the slider receiving member 74 and the operational rod 120 rotate.
The slider receiving member 74 has a base end formed with a radially outwardly protruding flange portion 74a. A substantially ring-shaped slider 76 with insulation property is carried on an outer peripheral surface of the slider receiving member 74 between the flange portion 70a of the operational rod connecting member 70 and the flange portion 74a of the slider receiving member 74. A drive force limit spring 78 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the slider receiving member 74 between the flange portion 70a of the operational rod connecting member 70 and the slider 76. The slider 76 has an outer periphery formed with a recess-like pin receiving part 76a that receives acting pins 102 of a movable handle 96 that will be described below.
Therefore, when performing closing movement of the movable handle 96, described below, relative to a stationary handle 94, the slider 76 is pressed toward the distal end of the operational main part 58 due to the acting pins 102. In contrast, when performing opening operation, the slider 76 is pressed rearward of the operational main part 58. The slider 76 is urged toward the flange portion 74a of the slider receiving member 74 by the action of the drive force limit spring 78. Under circumstances where the magnitude of a force exerted to the drive force limit spring 78 is less than the magnitude of an equipped force when the movable handle 96 is closed, the slider 76, the drive force limit spring 78, the slider receiving member 74 and the operational rod connecting member 70 are simultaneously moved in a distal-end direction along the inner peripheral surface of the rotation-link member 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the positioning member 80 described above. Also, this results in movement of the operational rod 120.
A tubular positioning member 80, to which an outer peripheral surface of the modified cross-section shape part 38 (see FIG. 3) is mounted for positioning capability, is fitted to and secured to the inner peripheral surface of the base end of the slider receiving member 74. To this end, an inner peripheral surface of the positioning member 80 is formed in a shape to allow the modified cross-section shape part 38 of the probe unit 14 to be mounted. The positioning member 80 has a base end to which a distal end of a contact pipe 82 with electrical conductivity is connected upon fitting engagement. The contact pipe 82 has a base end formed with radially and outwardly extending protrusions 82a.
A transducer unit guide 84 with electrical conductivity is disposed on an outer periphery of the contact pipe 82. This guide 84 has a base end whose inner peripheral surface is formed with a protrusion receiving part 84a that receives the protrusions 82a of the contact pipe 82. Therefore, the contact pipe 82 and the guide 84 are held in engagement for rotating capabilities with respect to each other due to the engagement between the protrusions 82a and the protrusion receiving part 84a. A C-ring receiving member 86 is disposed on an outer peripheral surface of a distal end of the guide 84 to receive an engagement ring (C-ring) 24 shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the C-ring receiving member 86 and the guide 84 form a transducer connecting member 85 with which the unit coupling member 22 of the transducer unit 16 engages.
A high-frequency connector pin 88, covered with an insulative cover 88a and available to be electrically connected to a high-frequency power supply (power supply for an electric cautery device), is mounted to an upper area of the operational main part 58 at the base end thereof at an angle inclined rearward. The high-frequency connector pin 88 is held in abutting engagement with an outer peripheral surface of the transducer unit guide 84. The inner peripheral surface of the guide 84 is connected to the contact pipe 82 and, so, to the positioning member 80. The positioning member 80 has a distal end that has an inner peripheral surface on which a rubber ring (electric connecting part) 80a with electrical conductivity is provided. Thus, the high-frequency connector pin 88 and the rubber ring 80a are electrically connected to each other. The rubber ring 80a is held in abutting engagement with the outer peripheral surface of the probe unit 14 under a status where the probe unit 14 is set to the positioning member 80.
Therefore, as a high frequency current is conducted from the high-frequency connector pin 88, this high frequency current is delivered to the probe unit 14. Also, when this takes place, under a status wherein ultrasonic vibration is transferred to the probe unit 14, the rubber ring 80a is located in a position near the node of vibration.
As shown in FIG. 5, the stationary handle 94 and the movable handle 96, rotatable with respect to the stationary handle 94, are provided on the operational main part 58 at the outer peripheral thereof in integrated relationship with the operational main part 58. An operational end portion of the stationary handle 94 is formed with a finger hole 94a on which a finger other than the thumb is selectively placed. An operational end portion of the movable handle 96 is formed with a finger hole 96a on which the thumb of the same hand is placed.
The outer peripheral surface of the operational main part 58 is formed with a pair of pivot-pin receiving parts 58a and a pair of acting-pin operation windows 58b. The acting-pin operation windows 58b penetrate through a wall portion of the operational main part 58. Bifurcated connecting parts 96b are formed on upper end portions of the movable hand 96. Pivot pins 98 are mounted to the upper end portions of the movable hand 96 via collars (insulation caps) 58c fitted to the pivot-pin receiving parts 58a, respectively. The collars 58c are made of members with low coefficient of friction to allow the movable handle 96 to smoothly rotate. These pivot pins 98 are coupled to the operational main part 58 in an area, shown in FIG. 4, above an axis line on which the outer sheath 150, described below, is mounted to the main unit 12. Thus, the movable handle 96 is movable in opening and closing capabilities with respect to the stationary handle 94.
At the upper end of the movable handle 96, the acting pins 102 extend through the acting-pin operation windows 58b, respectively, to be disposed in the pin receiving part 76a of the slider 76. Therefore, as the movable handle 96 is opened or closed about a pivotal point of the pivot pins 98 with respect to the stationary handle 94, the acting pins 94 cause the slider 76 to move forward or rearward.
A limit pin 122 is mounted to the flat surface portion 116 at a substantially intermediate position between the distal end and the base end of the inner sheath 110. The inner pin 122 includes discs 122a, 122b that have discoid shapes, respectively, and are mutually parallel to each other, and a short rod portion 122c by which the discs 122a, 122b are connected. The first disc 122a has a large diameter than that of the second disc 122b. The first disc 122a is secured to the flat surface portion 116 of the inner sheath 110 by suitable means such as welding. It is preferable that a plurality of such limit pins 122 are provided on the flat surface portion 116 of the inner sheath 110.
The operational rod 120 takes the form of a rod main part 120a made of a thin plate-like member that is substantially flat in shape and flexible. The operational rod 120 has a distal end portion formed with a jaw coupling part 120b that is twisted at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to the laterally oriented rod main part 120a and bent in a vertical direction. The jaw connecting part 120b and upper edge sides of respective leg portions 132c, 132d of a jaw main part 132, described below, are rotatably coupled to each other by means of the connecting pin 140.
The operational rod 120 is formed with a slit 124 in a given length along an axial direction of the rod main part 120a at a substantially intermediate position between the distal end and the base end of the operational rod 120. The slit 124 includes a circular aperture 124a, larger in diameter than the second disc 122b of the limit pin 122, which is formed in a position closer to the base end of the rod main part 120a, and an oblong aperture 124b formed to be integral with the circular aperture 124a in a substantially elongated shape at a position closer to the distal end of the rod main part 120a.
Penetrating the second disc 122b through the circular aperture 124a allows the rod portion 122c of the limit pin 122 to move relative to the oblong aperture 124b of the operational rod 120 as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B and FIGS. 8A to 8C. Such slits 124 may be preferably formed in the rod main part 120a at a plurality of areas thereof. Thus, even if the operational rod 120 is moved forward or rearward within a given range, the presence of the slit 124 precludes the operational rod 120 from escaping from the flat surface portion 116 or the operational rod 120 from flexing. In such a way, the slit 124 of the operational rod 120 and the limit pin 122 of the flat surface portion 116 constitute a forward and rearward movement limiting mechanism that precludes a forward and rearward movement direction of the operational rod 120 to be deviated from the axial direction of the inner sheath 110.
The jaw main part 132 has a pair of arms 132a, 132b with distal ends thereof being connected to each other while their base ends are diverged into bifurcated configurations. Thus, the base end of the jaw main part 132 is formed with a given space.
The grasping member 134 is formed of material with low-frictional resistance such as, for instance, PTFE or the like that has heat resistance while providing lowered frictional resistance to an associated component member in contact with the grasping member 134. The grasping member 134 has a contact surface, to be held in contact with the living tissue of an object to be incised and coagulated, which is formed with a plurality of nonslip teeth in juxtaposed positions, resulting in the formation of nonslip teeth 134a in a saw-tooth appearance. The nonslip teeth 134a makes it possible to grasp the living tissue of the object to be incised and coagulated. A protruding portion 134b, available to be disposed in fitting engagement between the pair of arms 132a, 132b of the jaw main part 132, is formed on the grasping member 134 at a side opposite to the other surface thereof to be brought into contact with the living tissue. Therefore, the grasping member 134 is fitted to and mounted in a gap of the jaw main part 132 as shown in FIGS. 9B and 9C.
The respective arms 132a, 132b of the jaw main part 132 have base ends formed with leg portions 132c, 132d that are coupled to arms 114a, 114b formed at the distal end of the jaw holding member 114 via pivot pins 138a, 138b, respectively. Thus, the arms 114a, 114b at the distal end of the jaw holding member 114 and the leg portions 132c, 132d at the base end of the arms 132a, 132b of the jaw main part 132 are coupled to each other via the pivot pins 138a, 138b, respectively. That is, the jaw unit 130 is rotatable with respect to the distal end of the jaw grasping member 114.
A pin-bored insertion part is formed in the jaw main part 132 on a position above upper edges of the leg portions 132c, 132d at the base ends of the respective arms 132a, 132b to allow the jaw coupling part 120b of the distal end of the operational rod 120 and the coupling pin 140 to be coupled to each other. Thus, the jaw coupling part 120b, formed at the distal end of the operational rod 120, and the respective arms 132a, 132b of the jaw main part 132 are coupled to each other by means of the coupling pin 140. That is, as the operational rod 120 is moved forward or rearward along the flat surface portion 116, the jaw unit 130 is rotated relative to the distal end of the jaw holding member 114.
By the way, as shown in FIG. 9A, the base ends of the arms 132a, 132b of the jaw main part 132 have the base end surfaces formed in the arch-shapes, respectively, as set forth above. For this reason, when comparing the strengths of the base ends of the arms 132a, 132b and the strengths of the leg portions 132c, 132d to the strengths of these component parts formed in increased wall thickness, the base ends of the arms 132a, 132b and the strengths of the leg portions 132c, 132d have strengths greater than those of structures wherein they are formed in substantially rectangular shapes or U-shapes. That way, the base ends of the arms 132a, 132b and the leg portions 132c, 132d are formed in walls with less thickness than those of the case taking the substantially rectangular shapes or U-shapes while maintaining similar strengths. Accordingly, the base end of the jaw main part 132 is made smaller in size than that of the structures formed in the substantially rectangular shapes or U-shapes.
Projecting portions 132e are formed on outer peripheries of the arms 132a, 132b of the jaw main part 132 at positions forward of the leg portions 132c, 132d, respectively. The projecting portions 132e are formed to be greater in wall thickness than those of the leg portions 132c, 132d.
As shown in FIGS. 9B and 9C, protrusions 114c are formed on the arms 114a, 114b at the distal end of the jaw holding member 114 for abutting engagement with the projecting portions 132e of the jaw main part 132, respectively. If attempt is made to minimize a diameter of the jaw holding member 114 to be as small as possible, thin-wall portions 114c, 114d are formed as shown in FIG. 8D. Therefore, as a strong external force acts in a direction to close the distal-end operating portion 52 under a condition where no probe unit 14 is mounted, stresses are caused to concentrate on the thin-wall portions 114c, 114d resulting in a probability with the occurrence in damage to the jaw holding member 114. However, by taking the structure described in conjunction with the embodiment, since the projecting portions 132e, each with increased wall thickness, and the protrusions 114c of the jaw holding member 114 are initially brought into abutment with each other as shown in FIG. 9C, no further forces are exerted to the thin-wall portions 114c, 114d. Further, upon arbitrarily altering such an abutment angle such that the distal-end operating member 52 is further hard to be closed, even with the probe unit 14 mounted to the distal-end operating member 52, the projecting portions 132e of the jaw main part 132 are caused to abut against the protrusions 114c of the jaw holding member 114 after the probe unit 14 is flexed to some extent when the distal-end operating member 52 is closed with a force exceeding a certain magnitude of force. Thus, no further force is exerted to the distal-end operating member 52 in a closing direction and, hence, it becomes possible to prevent excessive force from being applied to the probe unit 14.
Further, the probe unit 14 and the transducer unit 16 are coupled to each other as shown in FIG. 2. In this case, a mounting thread 34a formed at the distal end of the probe unit 14 is screwed into a threaded bore portion formed in a probe mount part at the distal end of the horn of the transducer unit 16.
The jaw main part 132 is pushed outward in the forward area by means of the coupling pin 140 at the distal end of the operational rod 120. For this reason, the jaw main part 132 is rotated about the pivot axes of the pivot pins 138a, 138b. That is, the grasping member 134, fitted to the jaw main part 132, is caused to come close to the treatment member 36 of the probe unit 14. Therefore, the living tissue is gripped between the treatment member 36 of the probe unit 14 and the grasping member 134 of the jaw unit 130, thereby performing ultrasonic treatment.
A high frequency cable is connected to the high-frequency connector pin 88 mounted on the operational main part 58. Under such a status, high frequency current is supplied from the high frequency power supply to the high frequency cable. Then, the high frequency current is applied to the horn part 32 of the probe unit 14 from the conductive rubber ring 80a via the high-frequency connector pin 88, the transducer unit guide 84, the contact pipe 82 and the positioning member 80. Thus, the high frequency current is delivered to the treatment member 36 of the probe unit 14 to cause the discharge ends of the treatment member 36 to discharge electricity for performing high frequency treatment.
Further, since the base ends of the arms 132a, 132b of the jaw main part 132 are formed in the arch-like configurations, the arms 132a, 132b have appropriate strengths even in the formation of thin-wall structures. For this reason, the jaw main part 132 can be formed in a small size.
Since the jaw main part 132 are provided with the projecting portions 132e while the jaw holding member 114 is provided with the protrusions, it becomes possible to prevent stress concentrations, such as increased stresses, from being exerted to, for instance, the coupling pin 140 and the pivot pins 138a, 138b.
In addition, with the presently filed embodiment, as the forward and rearward movement limit mechanism for moving the operational rod 120 along the flat surface portion 116, while description has been made of a structure in which the limit pin 122 and the slit 124 are held in engagement, even in the presence of one or more arch-like limit bands 126 provided on the flat surface portion 116 as shown in FIG. 7C, similar results are obtained. That is, the operational rod 120 extends along the flat surface portion 116 and can be moved under a condition in which the flexing of the operational rod 120 is prevented by the limit band 126.
As shown in FIG. 13, the high-frequency connector pin 88 is removed from the operational main part 58 of the ultrasonic treatment apparatus 10 of the presently filed embodiment. Instead, a high-frequency connector pin 188 is provided in a connector (electric connector portion) 156 of the outer sheath 150 and covered with an insulative cover 188a. A connector member (electric connector member) 154 of the outer sheath 150 has electrical conductivity.
Therefore, under a situation where the outer sheath 150 is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion at the distal end of the rotation-link member 60 of the main unit 12, the high-frequency connector pin 188 is electrically connected to the rubber ring 80a via the connecting member 154, the rotation-link member 60, the operational rod connecting member 70, the slider receiving member 74 and the positioning member 80.
A high frequency power supply is connected to the high-frequency connector pin 188 located on the outer sheath 150. Under such a condition, a high frequency current is supplied from the high frequency power supply to the high-frequency connector pin 188. Then, the high frequency current is inputted through the rubber ring 80a to the horn part 32 of the probe unit 14 via the high-frequency connector pin 188, the connecting member 154, the rotation-link member 60, the operational rod connecting member 70, the slider receiving member 74 and the positioning member 80. For this reason, if the treatment device 36 of the probe unit 14 is brought into abutment with the living tissue, high frequency treatment can be performed.
The high-frequency sheath unit 250 is comprised of a sheath main part 252, a connecting member 254 and a connector 256. The sheath main part 252 and the connector 256 have insulation properties and the connecting member 254 has electric conductivity. The connector 256 has an inner peripheral surface formed with a female threaded portion that can be screwed onto a male threaded portion on an outer peripheral surface of the sheath connecting member 266. The connector 256 has an outer peripheral surface on which a push-switch 259 is mounted. The switch 259 has a periphery covered with an insulative cover 261. One end of a chord 263, connected to the switch 259, is fixedly mounted between the connector 256 and the insulative cover 261. The chord 263 has the other end on which a connector-pin-use connector 265 is mounted. With such a structure, as the push-switch 259 is depressed, electrical connection is established between a connector pin 265a of the connector-pin connector 265 and the connecting member 254 via the chord 263. If the push-switch 259 is released, the connector pin 265a of the connector-pin connector 265 and the connecting member 254 are electrically disconnected from each other.
A high frequency power supply is connected to the connector pin 265a mounted on the high-frequency sheath unit 250. Under such a status, high frequency current is supplied from the high frequency power supply and the push-switch 259 is depressed. Then, the high frequency current is applied to the horn part of the probe unit 14. Therefore, when the living tissue is brought into contact with the treatment member 236 of the probe unit 14, high frequency treatment is performed.
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