SURGICAL ACCESS DEVICE WITH FLEXIBLE SEAL CHANNEL

• US 20100081871A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Widenhouse, Christopher W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,206,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• 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 17/3431 being collapsible, e.g. made of thin flexible material A61B17/3423 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3447 Linked multiple cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3466 for simultaneous sealing of multiple instruments

Abstract

A surgical access device is provided that includes a housing having at least one access port therein for receiving a surgical instrument therethrough, and at least one elongate flexible instrument channel extending from the housing and having a lumen extending therethrough and in fluid communication with the at least one access port in the housing. The instrument channel is adapted to move from a first collapsed configuration in which the channel is sealed to substantially prevent fluid from flowing therethrough to a second expanded configuration upon insertion of an instrument therethrough.

Claims

1. A surgical access device, comprising:

a housing having at least one access port therein for receiving a surgical instrument therethrough; and

at least one elongate flexible instrument channel extending from the housing and having a lumen extending therethrough and in fluid communication with the at least one access port in the housing, the channel being adapted to move from a first collapsed configuration in which the channel is sealed to substantially prevent fluid from flowing therethrough to a second expanded configuration upon insertion of an instrument therethrough, the elongate instrument channel being in a natural resting state in the first collapsed configuration.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate instrument channel is twisted in the first collapsed configuration and untwisted in the second expanded configuration.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate instrument channel has a substantially planar cross section in the first collapsed configuration.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate instrument channel is curled longitudinally in the first collapsed configuration and straightened in the second expanded configuration.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate instrument channel includes at least one sealing element disposed therein and configured to form a seal around an instrument inserted therethrough.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the channel includes at least one stiffening element extending longitudinally therealong and configured to provide longitudinal strength to the channel for preventing inversion of the channel while allowing for radial flexibility of the channel.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a retractor coupled between the housing and the instrument channel and including an opening extending therethrough between first and second flanges configured to engage tissue therebetween.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a plurality of access ports therein.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein each access port has an elongate flexible instrument channel extending therefrom.

10. The device of claim 1, where the at least one access port includes at least one seal therein and configured to form at least one of a seal within the access port when no instrument is disposed therein and a seal around an instrument inserted therethrough.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate flexible instrument channel can form a seal around instruments of various diameters.

12. A surgical access device, comprising:

a housing having an access port extending therethrough for receiving a surgical instrument; and

an elongate flexible instrument channel extending from the housing and having an inner lumen extending longitudinally therethrough and in communication with the access port in the housing, the inner lumen including at least one stiffening element extending longitudinally along the channel and configured to provide longitudinal strength to the channel for preventing inversion of the channel while allowing for radial flexibility of the channel.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the at least one stiffening element extends from a distal end to a proximal end of the elongate instrument channel along the elongate instrument channel.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the at least one stiffening element is in the form of at least one longitudinally-extending surface feature.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the at least one stiffening element comprises at least one wire.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the at least one stiffening element comprises at least one spring disposed within a longitudinal groove formed in the channel.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the elongate instrument channel is adapted to move from a first collapsed configuration in which the channel is sealed to substantially prevent fluid from flowing therethrough to a second expanded configuration upon insertion of an instrument therethrough.

18. The device of claim 12, further comprising a retractor coupled between the housing and the instrument channel and including an opening extending therethrough forming a pathway through tissue.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the housing includes a plurality of access ports therein.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein each access port has an elongate flexible instrument channel extending therefrom.

21. A method of accessing a body cavity, comprising:

forming an access hole through tissue;

positioning a housing on a surface of the tissue such that an elongate flexible instrument channel coupled to the housing extends into the body cavity; and

inserting an instrument through an access port in the housing and through the elongate instrument channel to move the channel from a natural resting state in which the channel is in a first collapsed sealed configuration to a second expanded configuration.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the elongate flexible instrument channel untwists as it is moved to the second expanded configuration.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the elongate flexible instrument channel unrolls as it is moved to the second expanded configuration.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising removing the instrument from the channel, the channel twisting as the instrument is removed.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising removing the instrument from the channel, the channel curling as the instrument is removed.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein positioning the housing includes positioning a flexible retractor coupled between the housing and the channel in the access hole in the tissue to retract the tissue.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the instrument is inserted into a second access port in the housing and through a second elongate flexible instrument channel to move the second elongate flexible instrument channel from a first collapsed configuration in which the second elongate flexible instrument channel is sealed to substantially prevent fluid from flowing therethrough to a second expanded configuration.