Self-sealing surgical access port

• US 20060241671A1
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stout Medical Group, L.P. (Alphatec Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Stout Medical Group, L.P. (Alphatec Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Greenhalgh, E. Skott
• Application Number:
  US11/407,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20060241671A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/191
• 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 17/3439 with means for changing the inner diameter of the cannula, e.g. expandable A61B17/3423, A61B17/3431 take precedence; catheters A61M25/0662
• 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

Abstract

An access port for performing surgical procedures within an insufflated body cavity is disclosed. The port is formed from a duct that is inserted into the body cavity, the duct having a stiff sidewall to prevent collapse. The duct contains a flexible tube that has a constricted shape that forms a seal around a surgical instrument inserted through the duct. The tube has an inner membrane with a low coefficient of friction to facilitate passage of surgical instruments through the duct. The tube has an elastic outer membrane to bias it into the constricted shape. The tube may also be pressurized into the constricted shape by gas, gel or liquid. The tube itself may also form a seal in the absence of the tool, or a second seal, such as a duckbill valve, may be positioned within the duct.

Claims

1. A self sealing surgical access port permitting a surgical tool to be used within a body cavity, said access port comprising:

a rigid duct having a distal end positionable within the body cavity, said duct being extendable through living tissue of said body and having a proximal end positionable outside of said cavity; and

a flexible tube positioned substantially coaxially within said duct and attached thereto, said tube having an inner low-friction surface surrounded by an elastic membrane, said membrane being biased so as to form a constricted region of said tube, said tube being elastically deformable radially outwardly to permit said surgical tool to pass through said duct and into said body cavity, said constricted region of said membrane closing around said tool to substantially continuously seal said tube while said tool extends therethrough.

2. A surgical access port according to claim 1, wherein said inner surface is in contact with itself around said tube so as to form a seal closing said duct.

3. A surgical access port according to claim 1, further comprising a valve positioned in said duct for sealing said duct in the absence of a surgical tool inserted therethrough.

4. A surgical access port according to claim 3, wherein said valve comprises a duckbill valve.

5. A surgical access port according to claim 1, wherein said tube comprises a laminate formed from a low-friction membrane forming said inner surface, the low-friction membrane being surrounded by said elastic membrane.

6. A surgical access port according to claim 1, wherein said low-friction membrane is substantially continuously attached to said elastic membrane.

7. A surgical access port according to claim 1, wherein said tube has a conical shape.

8. A surgical access port according to claim 1, wherein said tube has an hourglass shape, said tube having opposite ends attached to said duct.

9. A surgical access port according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of slits extending through said elastic membrane adjacent to said constricted region, said slits augmenting the flexibility of said elastic membrane.

10. A surgical access port according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of filamentary members extending lengthwise along said tube, said filamentary members reinforcing said tube.

11. A surgical access port according to claim 1, wherein said elastic membrane is thinner in said constricted region than in a region adjacent to said constricted region.

12. A surgical access port according to claim 1, wherein said tube has a plurality of corrugations therein, said corrugations increasing the flexibility of said tube.

13. A self sealing surgical access port permitting a surgical tool to be used within a body cavity, said access port comprising:

a rigid duct having a distal end positionable within the body cavity, said duct being extendable through living tissue of said body and having a proximal end positionable outside of said cavity; and

a flexible tube positioned substantially coaxially within said duct and attached thereto, said tube having an inner low-friction surface surrounded by an elastic membrane, said tube having opposite ends attached to said duct so as to define a pocket between said tube and said duct between said opposite ends of said tube, said pocket being pressurized with a fluid so that said membrane forms a constricted region between said ends of said tube, said tube being elastically deformable radially outwardly against said pressurization to permit said surgical tool to pass through said duct and into said body cavity, said pressurization forcing said constricted region of said membrane to close around said tool to substantially continuously seal said tube while said tool extends therethrough.

14. A surgical access port according to claim 13, wherein said low-friction inner surface is in contact with itself around said tube so as to form a seal substantially closing said duct.

15. A surgical access port according to claim 13, further comprising a valve positioned in said duct for sealing said duct in the absence of a surgical tool inserted therethrough.

16. A surgical access port according to claim 15, wherein said valve comprises a duckbill valve.

17. A surgical access port according to claim 13, wherein said pocket has an annular cross-sectional shape substantially surrounding said tube.

18. A surgical access port according to claim 13, wherein said pocket has a hemi-cylindrical cross-sectional shape.

19. A surgical access port according to claim 13, wherein said tube comprises a laminate formed from a low-friction membrane forming said inner surface, said low-friction membrane being surrounded by said elastic membrane.

20. A surgical access port according to claim 13, wherein said fluid inflating said pocket is a gas.

21. A surgical access port according to claim 13, wherein said fluid inflating said pocket is a liquid.

22. A surgical access port according to claim 13, wherein said fluid inflating said pocket is a gel.

23. A surgical access port according to claim 13, wherein said elastic membrane is biased into a constricted shape so as to augment the biasing of said constricted region of said tube.

24. A surgical access port according to claim 23, wherein said tube is biased into a conical shape.

25. A surgical access port according to claim 23, wherein said tube is biased into an hourglass shape.

26. A surgical access port according to claim 13, further including an insufflation port attached to said duct.

27. A surgical access port according to claim 13, further comprising a vent in fluid communication with a space between said duct and said flexible tube.

28. A surgical access port according to claim 27, wherein said vent comprises at least one aperture extending through said duct.

29. A surgical access port according to claim 27, wherein said vent is in fluid communication with the atmosphere outside said body cavity.

30. A surgical access port according to claim 27, wherein said vent comprises at least one aperture through said flexible tube.

31. A surgical access port according to claim 27, wherein said vent is located distally to said constricted region.

32. A surgical access port, comprising:

a stiff outer shell having a plurality of lengthwise extending struts arranged circumferentially, said struts defining a plurality of slots in spaced relation to one another;

a membrane positioned within said outer shell, said membrane formed from a material having a lower coefficient of friction than said outer shell.