MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL ASSEMBLY AND METHODS

摘要

A minimally invasive surgical assembly broadly includes an outer hollow needle which has an outer diameter of 3.0 mm or smaller, and a coaxial surgical instrument having a shaft which extends through the outer hollow needle. The coaxial surgical instrument includes end effectors at the end of the shaft which are biased to an open position such that when the end effectors of the surgical instrument extended out of the needle they open, and they are closed by relative movement of the needle over them. The assembly preferably includes a first fixing element which is used to fix the relative location of the surgical instrument and the needle. The assembly also preferably includes a second fixing element which moves relative to the needle and is located on the outside thereof and which is used to fix the relative location of the needle to the patient.

主权项

1. A surgical assembly, comprising: a) a hollow needle having an outer diameter of substantially 2 mm or smaller and a sharp distal end for creating a puncture incision in the human body; and b) a surgical instrument having a shaft which extends through said hollow needle, said surgical instrument being movable relative to said hollow needle and including end effectors at an end of said shaft which are biased to a first position such that when said end effectors extend out of said needle said end effectors automatically open relative to each other, and when said hollow needle extends over said end effectors, said end effectors are automatically forced into a second position, wherein said end effectors have opposed distal tips that are substantially separated from one from one another in the first position and that are disposed in proximate contact to one another in the second position and wherein the end effectors are movable relative to the outer hollow needle to a retracted position wherein the distal tips of the end effectors are positioned proximal relative to the sharp distal end of the outer hollow needle to thereby expose the sharp distal end.