Gel seal for a surgical trocar apparatus

• US 20060047284A1
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gresham, Richard D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,241,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3462 with means for changing the diameter or the orientation of the entrance port of the cannula, e.g. for use with different-sized instruments, reduction ports, adapter seals expandable cannulas A61B17/3417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3498 Valves therefor, e.g. flapper valves, slide valves haemostasis valves A61M39/06; check valves A61M39/24

Abstract

A seal assembly for use with an access device during a surgical procedure includes a housing having a passageway therethrough dimensioned to permit passage of a surgical instrument and being adapted for mounting to a trocar device, and a seal comprising a gel material and being mounted to the housing across the passageway. The seal includes inner seal portions defining an access channel dimensioned to form a substantial sealing relation with an object therethrough and substantially close in the absence of the surgical instrument. The seal preferably comprises a second material having a hardness greater than a hardness of the gel material. The gel material may be selected from the group consisting of urethane gel, silicon gel.

Claims

1. A seal assembly for use with a trocar device, which comprises:

a housing defining a longitudinal axis and having a passageway therethrough dimensioned to permit passage of a surgical instrument, the housing adapted for mounting to a trocar device; and

a seal comprising a gel material and being mounted to the housing across the passageway, the seal including inner seal portions defining an access channel dimensioned to form a substantial sealing relation with an object therethrough and substantially close in the absence of the surgical instrument, the seal comprising a second material having a hardness greater than a hardness of the gel material.

2. The seal assembly according to claim 1 wherein the gel material comprises a flexible lubricious material.

3. The seal assembly according to claim 1 wherein the gel material is selected from the group consisting of a urethane gel, a silicon gel, gels incorporating super absorbent polymers, alginates, gum Arabic, polymer hydrogels or a copolymer thereof, or any combination of these materials.

4. The seal assembly according to claim 1 wherein the seal comprises a lubricious coating.

5. A seal assembly for use with a trocar device, which comprises:

a housing defining a longitudinal axis and having a passageway therethrough dimensioned to permit passage of a surgical instrument, the housing adapted for mounting to a trocar device; and

a seal unit including a first seal comprising a gel material and being mounted to the housing across the passageway, the first seal including inner seal portions defining an access channel dimensioned to form a substantial sealing relation with an object therethrough and substantially close in the absence of the surgical instrument, the seal comprising a second seal comprising a material having a hardness greater than a hardness of the gel material.

6. The seal assembly according to claim 5 wherein the second seal is at least partially disposed in the first seal.

7. The seal assembly according to claim 6 wherein the second seal is disposed at an upper surface of the first seal.

8. The seal assembly according to claim 6 wherein the second seal includes one of a conical seal and a duckbill seal.

9. The seal assembly according to claim 7 wherein the first seal defines an opening extending downwardly away from the second seal.

10. The seal assembly according to claim 6 further comprising an insert incorporated in the first seal.

11. The seal assembly according to claim 6 wherein the second seal is disposed at a lower surface of the first seal.

12. The seal assembly according to claim 11 wherein the second seal defines a concave surface.

13. The seal assembly according to claim 5 wherein the upper surface of the first seal defines an opening having a stepped shape.

14. The seal assembly according to claim 5 wherein an upper surface of the first seal defines a recess having a concave shape.

15. A surgical access device, which comprises:

an access member defining a central longitudinal axis and having a central opening dimensioned for passage of an object; and

a seal member mounted to the access member, the seal member adapted to permit passage of the object, the seal member including first and second seal materials, the first material comprising a relatively soft gel, the second seal material being more rigid than the soft gel of the first material to stabilize the seal member and provide a substantial sealed relation with the object.

16. The surgical access device according to claim 15 wherein the second seal material comprises an elastomer material.

17. The surgical access device according to claim 16 wherein the second seal material comprises a fabric material.

18. A surgical access device, which comprises:

an access member defining a central longitudinal axis and having a central opening dimensioned for passage of an object; and

a seal member mounted to the access member, the seal member defining an access channel to permit passage of the object, the seal member including a first seal element and a second seal element, the first seal element comprising a relatively soft gel material, the second seal element comprising a material being more rigid than the soft gel material of the first seal element to stabilize the seal member and provide a substantial sealed relation with the object.

19. The surgical access device according to claim 18 wherein the soft gel material of the first seal element comprises one of a urethane gel, a silicon gel, gels incorporating super absorbent polymers, alginates, gum Arabic, polymer hydrogels or a copolymer thereof, or any combination of these materials.

20. The surgical access device according to claim 19 wherein the material of the second seal element is selected from the group consisting of elastomers and fabrics.

21. The surgical access device according to claim 19 wherein the first seal element includes inner portions defining an access channel for permitting passage of an object in substantial sealed relation therewith.

22. The surgical access device according to claim 20 wherein the second seal element includes inner portions adapted to permit passage of the object.

23. The surgical access device according to claim 22 wherein the inner portions of the second seal element define an opening adapted to form a sealed relation with an object inserted therethrough.

24. The surgical access device according to claim 18 wherein the first seal element is mounted to the second seal element.

25. The surgical access device according to claim 18 wherein the first seal element is proximal of the second seal element.

26. The surgical access device according to claim 18 wherein the second seal element is embedded within the first seal element.

27. The surgical access device according to claim 18 wherein the second seal element comprises a fabric material.

28. The surgical access device according to claim 27 wherein the second seal element defines an opening for permitting passage of an object therethrough.

29. The surgical access device according to claim 27 wherein the second seal element defines a general dome-shaped configuration.

30. The surgical access device according to claim 18 wherein the first seal element is adapted for lateral movement relative to the longitudinal axis of the access member.

31. The surgical access device according to claim 18 wherein the second seal element includes one of a duck-bill seal, conical seal and septum seal.