US 12,262,969 B2
Reusable surgical instrument for minimally invasive procedures
Ricardo Daniel Rita Beira, Lausanne (CH)
Assigned to Distalmotion SA, Epalinges (CH)
Filed by Distalmotion SA, Epalinges (CH)
Filed on Oct. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/048,794.
Application 18/048,794 is a continuation of application No. 16/870,870, filed on May 8, 2020, granted, now 11,478,315, issued on Oct. 25, 2022.
Application 16/870,870 is a continuation of application No. 15/536,576, granted, now 10,646,294, issued on May 12, 2020, previously published as PCT/IB2015/002512, filed on Dec. 18, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/094,080, filed on Dec. 19, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2023/0054176 A1, Feb. 23, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 34/37 (2016.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 34/37 (2016.02) [A61B 17/29 (2013.01); A61B 34/71 (2016.02); A61B 2017/2901 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2927 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2948 (2013.01); A61B 2034/305 (2016.02); A61B 2090/0813 (2016.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for using a reusable surgical instrument, the method comprising:
introducing an articulated end-effector of the reusable surgical instrument into a patient to perform surgery;
actuating the articulated end-effector via mechanical transmission elements to transmit motion to the articulated end-effector, the mechanical transmission elements incorporated with one or more internal structural elements of a shaft;
detaching an external tube of the shaft from over the one or more internal structural elements via threaded surfaces to expose the mechanical transmission elements from the threaded surfaces to a distal end of the shaft;
sterilizing the reusable surgical instrument while the external tube is detached; and
re-attaching the external tube to over the one or more internal structural elements via the threaded surfaces for performing an additional surgery with the reusable surgical instrument.