SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE CUTTING INSTRUMENT OPERATION

摘要

To provide improved method and system for operation of a surgical instrument such as a cutting instrument.SOLUTION: A surgical cutting instrument comprises a drive unit, an end effector 220 located at a distal end of the instrument, and a garage structure 350 for housing the cutting blade when the cutting blade 330 is not in use. The end effector includes a gripping jaws 310 and a cutting blade. To perform the cutting operation, the instrument extends the cutting blade from a first position to a second position, retracts the cutting blade from the second position to a third position between the first and second positions, and further retracts the cutting blade to the first position. While the cutting blade is not in use, the cutting blade is maintained in the first position using a restraining mechanism in the drive unit, force or torque applied by a motor or other active actuator to the drive unit, or both.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3