Surgical access system

• US 20060084842A1
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• 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., Hart, Charles C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,951,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0293 with ring member to support retractor elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3423 Access ports, e.g. toroid shape introducers for instruments or hands access sites for liquids A61M39/0247
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3498 Valves therefor, e.g. flapper valves, slide valves haemostasis valves A61M39/06; check valves A61M39/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00265 Hand assisted surgery, i.e. minimally invasive surgery with at least part of an assisting hand inside the body

Abstract

The invention is directed to a hand access system that provides hand access to a surgical area while maintaining pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic surgery. The hand access system comprises a sheath retractor adapted to dilate a wound stretchable to a desired diameter, the sheath retractor includes a first ring being adapted for disposition interiorly of the wound, a second ring being adapted for disposition exteriorly of the wound, and a sheath being disposed in a generally cylindrical form between the first ring and the second ring and operable to exert a radial retraction force on the wound. The hand access system further comprises a detachable hand seal adapted to be removable from the second ring of the sheath retractor. The sheath retractor may be formed of an elastomeric material, and the hand seal may be formed of a gel material and includes a slit providing an instrument seal in the presence of an instrument or hand and a zero seal in the absence of the instrument or hand. In another aspect, there is disclosed a surgical access device adapted for disposition relative to an incision in a patient comprising a valve including a plurality of overlapping sheets defining an access channel, and a ring having an inner diameter for holding the valve by fixing each of the overlapping sheets along a portion of the perimeter, the access channel extends into communication with the incision in the patient. Each of the overlapping sheets includes a portion of the perimeter that is not fixed to the inner diameter of the ring, which provide open edges defining the access channel. The open edges slightly overlap at the center of the ring. The open edges may have different shapes including at least one of a straight edge, concave, convex and a cross-configuration. The hand access device may further comprise a septum seal formed at the proximal and distal ends of the ring.

Claims

1-57. -57. (canceled)

58. A surgical access device, comprising:

a sealing valve for sealing across an incision in a patient, the sealing valve including at least a first sheet and a second sheet;

wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are movable relative to one another between a first state forming a zero seal in the absence of an instrument and a second state forming an instrument seal in the presence of an instrument; and

wherein in the first state, the first sheet and the second sheet overlap each other.

59. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein at least one of the first sheet and the second sheet includes a gel material.

60. The surgical access device of claim 59, wherein:

the first sheet includes a gel material; and

the second sheet includes a gel material.

61. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are biased toward the first state.

62. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the overlapping portions between the first sheet and the second sheet are substantially planar.

63. The surgical access device of claim 62, wherein the planes of the overlapping portions are rotatably offset.

64. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the first sheet is substantially planar.

65. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the second sheet is substantially planar.

66. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the overlapping portions of the first sheet and the second sheet part during the introduction of an instrument within the overlapping portions.

67. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the sealing valve is configured to be located proximal to the incision in the patient.

68. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the surgical access device is configured to be coupled to a sheath retractor.

69. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the first sheet is at least partially curved.

70. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the second sheet is at least partially curved.

71. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein:

the first sheet includes a septum layer having a hole therethrough; and

the second sheet includes a septum layer having a hole therethrough.

72. The surgical access device of claim 71, the hole in the first sheet having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the hole in the second sheet.

73. The surgical access device of claim 71, further comprising:

a ball positioned between the first sheet and the second sheet, the ball having a diameter greater than a diameter of the hole in the first sheet and greater than a diameter of the hole in the second sheet.

74. A method of accessing an abdominal cavity through an incision in the abdominal wall, comprising:

providing a sealing valve having at least a first sheet and a second sheet, the first sheet and the second sheet overlapping each other and being movable relative to one another between a first state forming a zero seal in the absence of an instrument and a second state forming an instrument seal in the presence of an instrument;

arranging the sealing valve across the incision;

passing an instrument through the sealing valve, thereby causing the first sheet and second sheet to part; and

advancing the instrument distally into the abdominal cavity.

75. The method of claim 74, further comprising positioning the sealing valve proximal to the incision.

76. The method of claim 74, further comprising:

providing a sheath retractor;

retracting the incision within the abdominal wall with the sheath retractor.

77. The method of claim 76, further comprising:

coupling the sealing valve to the sheath retractor.

78. The method of claim 74, wherein the instrument is a surgeon'"'"'s hand.

79. The method of claim 74, wherein the instrument is a surgical instrument.