Optical trocar

• US 20020143236A1
• Filed: 04/05/2002
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Alexander I. Kobilansky, Jude S. Sauer, Michael G. Oravacz, Roger J Greenwald
• Inventors: Oravacz, Michael G., Sauer, Jude S., Greenwald, Roger J., Kobilansky, Alexander I.
• Granted Patent: US 6,685,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/34 Trocars; Puncturing needles pointed biopsy instruments A61B10/0233; devices for piercing the ear-lobes A44C7/001; seals or hemostasis valves A61M39/06
• 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 17/3496 Protecting sleeves or inner probes; Retractable tips for protecting body piercing guide needles A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical obturator which includes a sleeve having a longitudinal bore between a proximal end and a distal end. The longitudinal bore of the sleeve is configured to receive at least a portion of an endoscope or like image transferring system. An image passing member, such as an optical window is positioned at the distal end of the sleeve and is provided to permit optical images to pass into the longitudinal bore of the sleeve and to permit illumination light to pass to the surgical site. An automatically retracting blade is positioned distal to the image passing member to facilitate penetration of body tissue.

Claims

1. A trocar which comprises:

a cannula;

an obturator configured for insertion into said cannula, said obturator having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal bore;

a member positioned at said distal end of said obturator for allowing optical images to pass into said longitudinal bore; and

means for penetrating body tissue positioned at said distal end of said obturator, said penetrating means being movable between non-deployed and deployed positions.

2. The trocar according to claim 1, wherein said member is an optical window having four substantially flat surfaces for receiving optical images.

3. The trocar according to claim 1, wherein said member is an optical window having at least one substantially conical surface for receiving optical images.

4. The trocar according to claim 1, wherein said means for penetrating body tissue comprises a blade operatively connected to an actuating member such that actuation of said actuating member moves said blade to said deployed position.

5. The trocar according to claim 4, further comprising means for automatically moving said blade to said non-deployed position.

6. The trocar according to claim 5, wherein said means for automatically moving said blade moves said blade to said non-deployed position when said actuating member is actuated to a predetermined position.

7. The trocar according to claim 5, wherein said actuating member comprises a trigger mechanism proximally movable to first, second and third positions, wherein movement of said trigger mechanism from said first position to said second position deploys said blade and movement from said second position to said third position retracts said blade.

8. The trocar according to claim 1, further comprising an actuating member for moving said blade, wherein initial movement of said actuating member in a first direction moves said blade to said deployed position and further movement of said actuating member in said first direction moves said blade to said non-deployed position.

9. The trocar according to claim 8, further comprising a blade drive member slidably positioned within said obturator and operatively connected to said blade.

10. The trocar according to claim 9, wherein said actuating member comprises a trigger member and a pivotable lever operatively connected thereto, said pivotable lever configured to slide said blade drive member to deploy said blade and to allow release of said blade drive member to retract said blade.

11. The trocar according to claim 1, wherein said passing member is configured to allow passage of illumination light to the body tissue.

12. The trocar according to claim 1, further comprising a light pipe positioned adjacent said distal end of said obturator to allow passage of illumination light to body tissue.

13. The trocar according to claim 12, wherein said image passing member and said light pipe are integral.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said receiving means comprises a longitudinal bore formed in said obturator sleeve.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said image passing member comprises an optical window having four substantially planar surfaces for passing optical images into said bore of said obturator sleeve.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image passing member comprises an optical window having at least one substantially conical surface for passing optical images into said bore of said obturator sleeve.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said means for penetrating body tissue comprises a blade configured to permit optical images to impinge said image passing member from a substantially 360 degree forward angle of view.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said blade is operatively associated with an actuating member positioned within said obturator housing, said actuating member being configured to move said blade to a deployed position and to automatically move said blade to a non-deployed position after said blade has been deployed.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said actuating member comprises:

a blade drive member slidably positioned within said obturator housing and operatively connected to said blade such that said blade is movable between deployed and non-deployed positions; and

a trigger member pivotally connected to said obturator housing and having an automatic release member operatively associated with said trigger member and said blade drive member such that when said blade is moved to said deployed position said automatic release member actuates to facilitate movement of said blade to said non-deployed position.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said automatic release member comprises a lever pivotally connected to said trigger member and a bushing connected to said blade drive member such that said lever engages said bushing to deploy said blade in response to pivotal movement of said trigger member and such that said lever disengages from said bushing when said trigger member is actuated to a predetermined position so as to facilitate movement of said blade to said non-deployed position.

22. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image passing member is configured to allow passage of illumination light to the body tissue.

14. Apparatus for observation of body tissue during penetration which comprises:

a cannula assembly having a cannula housing and a cannula sleeve extending from said cannula housing, said cannula sleeve having a longitudinal bore extending from a proximal end to a distal end;

an obturator assembly having an obturator housing and an obturator sleeve, said obturator sleeve being configured for coaxial alignment with said cannula sleeve, a distal end of said obturator sleeve having an image passing member positioned thereon, and having means for penetrating body tissue positioned distal to said image passing member; and

said obturator sleeve having means to receive an optical imaging member for transmitting images to a proximal end of said obturator housing for viewing.