Bladeless obturator

• US 20050107816A1
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Inventors: Pingleton, Edward D, Kahle, Henry, Wixey, Matthew A
• Granted Patent: US 7,686,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/02 for holding wounds open; Tractors specula A61B1/32 ; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00
• 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 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320044 Blunt dissectors blunt suture needles A61B2017/06085
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3456 blunt
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/346 with wings

Abstract

The invention is directed towards a bladeless obturator (18) for wedging through muscle fiber layers (41, 43, 45) to safely cut through to the abdominal cavity (32) in order to apply a cannula (12). The invention comprises a bladeless obturator (18) having a rectangular tip (63) that is twisted radially.

Claims

1. A surgical obturator adapted to penetrate a body wall, comprising:

an elongate shaft extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end;

a bladeless tip disposed at the distal end of the shaft the tip having an outer surface extending distally to a blunt point;

the outer surface having a pair of side sections separated by an intermediate section;

the side sections extending from the blunt point radially outwardly with progressive positions proximally along the axis;

the side sections including a distal portion in proximity to the blunt point, and a proximal portion in proximity to the shaft; and

the distal portion of the side sections being twisted radially with respect to the proximal portion of the side section.

2. The surgical obturator recited in claim 1, wherein the intermediate section extends across the blunt point of the bladeless tip.

3. The surgical obturator recited in claim 2, wherein:

the intermediate section includes a distal portion in proximity to the blunt point and a proximal portion in proximity to the shaft;

the distal portion of the intermediate surface being twisted in a first radial direction; and

the proximal portion of the intermediate surface being twisted in a second radial direction opposite the first radial direction.

4. The surgical obturator recited in claim 3, wherein the distal portion of the intermediate section has a width which increases proximally.

5. The surgical obturator recited in claim 4, wherein the proximal portion of the intermediate section has a width which decreases proximally.

6. The surgical obturator recited in claim 1, wherein the outer surface in radial cross section has the general configuration of a geometric shape.

7. The surgical obturator recited in claim 1, wherein the intermediate section of the outer surface separates the pair of side sections of the outer surface and extends distally to the blunt point, across the blunt point, and proximally from the blunt point.

8. A surgical obturator adapted to penetrate a body wall, comprising:

an elongate shaft extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end;

a bladeless tip disposed at the distal end of the shaft, the tip having an outer surface with a distal portion and a proximal portion;

the outer surface of the tip in radial cross section having the general configuration of a geometric shape with a side;

the side of the geometric shape in the portion of the tip rotating in a first direction about the axis in progressive proximal radial cross sections along the axis.

9. The surgical obturator recited in claim 8, further comprising:

the side of the geometric shape in the proximal portion of the tip rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction with progressive radial cross sections along the axis.

10. The surgical obturator recited in claim 8, wherein the geometric shape is a rectangle.

11. The surgical obturator recited in claim 10, wherein the side is a long side of the rectangle and the rectangle further comprises:

a generally short side having a length less than that of the long side; and

the ratio of the length of the long side to the length of the short side decreases with progressive proximal radial cross sections along the axis.

12. The surgical obturator recited in claim 10, wherein the rectangle at the point of the tip has the general shape of the letter “

S.”

13. A surgical obturator adapted to penetrate a body wall, comprising:

an elongate shaft extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end;

a bladeless tip having an outer surface including a pair of generally opposed sections;

the outer surface having a generally geometric shape in progressive radial cross sections from a distal cross section to a proximal cross section;

the pair of generally opposed sections of the outer surface appearing as a pair of lines in each of the progressive radial cross sections; and

at least one of the pair of lines becoming increasing arcuate in the progressive radial cross sections.

14. The surgical obturator recited in claim 13, wherein the area of the geometric shape increases along the progressive radial cross sections.

15. The surgical obturator recited in claim 14, wherein:

the geometric shape is a rectangle having a first side with a first length, and a second side with a second length shorter than the first length;

the rectangle having a particular ratio characterized by the first length divided by the second length; and

the particular ratio decreasing along the progressive radial cross sections.

16. The surgical obturator recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one of the pair of lines rotates in a first direction around the axis in the progressive radial cross sections.

17. The surgical obturator recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one line rotates around the axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction in the progressive radial cross sections.

18. A surgical obturator adapted to penetrate a body wall, comprising:

an elongate shaft extending along an axis;

a bladeless tip coupled to the shaft and having an axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the tip having an outer surface with a generally conical configuration and a blunt tip;

portions of the outer surface of the tip defining at least one recess extending relative to the axis generally between the proximal end and the distal end of the tip;

19. The surgical obturator recited in claim 18, wherein the recess extends generally in a plane common to the axis of the tip.

20. The surgical obturator recited in claim 18, wherein the recess extends generally spirally of the axis of the tip.

21. The surgical obturator recited in claim 18, wherein the recess extends to the blunt point of the bladeless tip.

22. The surgical obturator recited in claim 21, wherein the blunt point of the bladeless tip has the shape of a cross.

23. The surgical obturator recited in claim 20, wherein:

the recess is a first recess spiraling relative to the axis in a first direction to the access;

the portions define a second recess spiraling relative to the axis in a second direction opposite of the first direction.

24. The surgical obturator recited in claim 18, wherein the axis is curved.