Penetrating tip for trocar assembly

• US 20020013597A1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teleflex Medical Incorporated (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Taut, Inc. (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Inventors: McFarlane, Richard H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,478,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3454 Details of tips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3456 blunt

Abstract

A tissue penetrating instrument of the type used in the medical field and which may or may not be embodied in the form of an obturator associated with a trocar assembly, wherein the instrument includes an elongated shaft having a penetrating tip mounted on one end thereof. The penetrating tip includes a base secured to the one end of the shaft and a distal extremity spaced longitudinally outward from the base and formed into an apex which may be defined by a point or other configuration specifically structured to facilitate penetration or puncturing of bodily tissue. The apex may be substantially aligned with a linear extension of the central longitudinal axis of the shaft or alternatively, may be spaced laterally outward or off-set from the central longitudinal axis of the shaft. The penetrating tip further includes an exterior surface extending continuously between the apex and the base and configured to facilitate puncturing of the tissue and an enlargement of an access opening formed in the tissue, in a manner which facilitates separation of the tissue and minimizes cutting, severing or otherwise damaging the contiguous bodily tissue surrounding the access opening.

Claims

1. A tissue penetrating medical instrument structured to be used with a trocar tube, said instrument comprising:

a) an obturator comprising an elongated shaft and including a penetrating tip disposed at one end of said shaft,

b) said penetrating tip including a base disposed at said one end and an apex extending outwardly in spaced relation to said base,

c) said penetrating tip further including an exterior surface extending between said base and said apex, and

d) said exterior surface having a cross-section oriented perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of said shaft and extending along at least a majority of a length of said penetrating tip and being defined by a substantially elliptical circumferential configuration.

2. An instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said exterior surface comprises a curvilinear configuration extending along a majority of its length between said base and said apex.

3. An instrument as recited in claim 2 wherein said curvilinear configuration extends longitudinally between said apex and said base, and is at least partially defined by a complex curve extending along at least a majority of the length thereof.

4. An instrument as recited in claim 3 wherein said complex curve comprises a substantially concave curve segment extending outwardly from said apex towards said base.

5. An instrument as recited in claim 4 wherein said exterior surface comprises two surface segments each extending longitudinally between said apex and said base, said two surface segments being at least minimally segregated from one another.

6. An instrument as recited in claim 5 further comprising a segregating junction disposed between said two surface segments.

7. An instrument as recited in claim 6 wherein said segregating junction comprises two elongated edges having a curved configuration and extending from said apex towards said base.

8. An instrument as recited in claim 7 wherein each of said edges comprises a substantially convex configuration shaped into a cutting edge.

9. An instrument as recited in claim 8 wherein each of said two surface segments comprises a substantially concave configuration extending along at least a majority of its length.

10. An instrument as recited in claim 9 wherein said apex is linearly coincident with said central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

11. An instrument as recited in claim 10 wherein said two surface segments are substantially symmetrical.

12. An instrument as recited in claim 11 wherein said base comprises a substantially circular circumferential configuration.

13. An instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said apex is linearly coincident with said central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

14. An instrument as recited in claim 13 wherein said two surface segments have different lengths.

15. An instrument as recited in claim 13 wherein said base comprises a substantially elliptical circumferential configuration.

16. An instrument as recited in claim 15 wherein said base is disposed at a predetermined angular orientation relative to said central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

17. An instrument as recited in claim 16 wherein said predetermined angular orientation is substantially 45 degrees.

18. An instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said exterior surface comprises two surface segments each extending longitudinally between said apex and said base.

19. An instrument as recited in claim 18 wherein each of said two surface segments comprise a substantially concave configuration extending along at least a portion of its length.

20. An instrument as recited in claim 19 wherein said apex is disposed at a converging local of said exterior surface;

said apex being disposed in a linearly coincident relation to said central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

21. An instrument as recited in claim 20 wherein said base comprises a substantially elliptical circumferential configuration.

22. A tissue penetrating medical instrument comprising:

a) an elongated shaft having a penetrating tip disposed at one end thereof,

b) said penetrating tip including a base disposed at said one end of said shaft and an apex extending outwardly in spaced relation from said base,

c) said penetrating tip further including an exterior surface extending between said base and said distal extremity,

d) said apex disposed coincident to a linear extension of a central longitudinal axis of said shaft, and

e) said exterior surface having a cross-section oriented perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of said shaft and extending along at least a majority of said penetrating tip and being defined by a substantially elliptical circumferential configuration.

23. An instrument as recited in claim 22 wherein said base comprises a substantially circular circumferential configuration.

24. An instrument as recited in claim 22 wherein said exterior surface comprises a curvilinear configuration extending longitudinal along a majority of the length between said base and said apex and comprising a complex curve extending along a majority of the length thereof.

25. An instrument as recited in claim 24 wherein said complex curve comprises a substantially concave curve segment extending outwardly from said distal extremity towards said base.

26. An instrument as recited in claim 22 wherein said exterior surface comprises at least two surface segments each extending longitudinally between said apex and said base, said two surface segments being at least minimally segregated from one another.

27. An instrument as recited in claim 26 wherein each of said two surface segments comprises a substantially concave configuration extending along at least a portion of its length.

28. A tissue penetrating medical instrument comprising:

a) an elongated shaft having a penetrating tip disposed on one end thereof,

b) said penetrating tip including a base formed on said one end and an apex extending outwardly in spaced relation to said base,

c) said penetrating tip further including an exterior surface extending between said base and said distal extremity,

d) said apex disposed coincident to a linear extension of a central longitudinal axis of said shaft, and

e) said penetrating tip comprising a substantially continuously elliptical cross-sectional configuration oriented perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of said shaft and extending along at least the majority of its length.

29. An instrument as recited in claim 28 wherein said base comprises a substantially elliptical circumferential configuration.

30. An instrument as recited in claim 29 wherein said base is disposed at a predetermined angular orientation of substantially 45 degrees relative to said central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

31. An instrument as recited in claim 28 wherein said exterior surface comprises a curvilinear configuration extending along a majority of its length between said base and said apex;

said curvilinear configuration extending longitudinally between said apex and said base and comprising a complex curve extending along a majority of the length thereof.

32. An instrument as recited in claim 31 wherein said complex curve comprises a substantially concave curve segment extending along at least a portion of the length thereof and outwardly from said apex towards said base.

33. An instrument as recited in claim 32 wherein said exterior surface comprises two surface segments each extending longitudinally between said apex and said base, said two surface segments being at least minimally segregated from one another.

34. An instrument as recited in claim 33 wherein each of said two surface segments comprises a substantially concave configuration extending from said distal extremity towards said base and along at least a majority of their respective lengths.