1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to endoscopic instruments and, more particularly, to endoscopic instruments including selectively removable shaft assemblies.
2. Background of Related Art
Endoscopic instruments are well known in the medical arts. For example, an electrosurgical endoscopic forceps (a closed forceps) is utilized in surgical procedures, e.g., laparoscopic surgical procedure, where access to tissue is accomplished through a cannula or other suitable device positioned in an opening on a patient. The endoscopic forceps, typically, includes a housing, a handle assembly including a movable handle, a shaft and an end effector assembly attached to a distal end of the shaft. The end effector includes jaw members configured to manipulate tissue, e.g., grasp and seal tissues. The endoscopic instrument may be configured to utilize one or more types of energies including, but not limited to, RF energy, microwave energy, ultra sound to treat tissue.
Another type of endoscopic instrument that may be utilized in laparoscopic surgical procedures is an ultrasonic endoscopic forceps. The ultrasonic endoscopic forceps is similar in configuration to the electrosurgical endoscopic forceps. Unlike the electrosurgical endoscopic forceps, however, the ultrasonic endoscopic forceps utilizes ultrasonic energy to treat tissue.
As is conventional with both of the above endoscopic instruments, the shaft of these instruments is, typically, rigidly attached to the endoscopic instrument, i.e., the shaft is non-removable from the housings of the respective instruments. Having an endoscopic instrument with a non-removable shaft may prove problematic during the operative life cycle of the endoscopic instrument. For example, if the endoscopic instrument is to be re-used, the entire device is, typically, sterilized via an autoclaving process or the like. As can be appreciated, sterilizing an endoscopic instrument with the shaft including the end effector attached may prove difficult. In particular, it may prove difficult to sterilize between small spaces of the shaft, e.g., spaces at a distal end of the shaft adjacent the end effector.