CIRCULAR STAPLER INTRODUCER WITH MULTI-LUMEN SHEATH

• US 20110114697A1
• Filed: 11/19/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Abbott, Daniel J., Hunt, John V., Baxter, Chester O. III, Wiley, Jeffrey P., Franer, Paul T., Schulte, John B., Silkaitis, Danius P.
• Application Number:
  US12/621,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20110114697A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00336 with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3425 for internal organs, e.g. heart ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/037 with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/08021 of the patient or his organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/13 the drapes entering the patient's body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/17 closed at the distal end

Abstract

Introducers for introducing a surgical circular stapler into a patient. Various embodiments comprise a sheath that defines a first lumen that has a closed end and an open end. The first lumen may be sized to receive at least a distal end portion of the stapling head of the stapler within the closed end. The sheath may have a weakened area therein such that upon an application of a release motion thereto, the weakened area ruptures to permit the hollow sheath to be removed from the stapler.

Claims

1. An introducer for introducing a surgical circular stapler having a handle portion, an elongated shaft protruding from the handle portion, and stapling head coupled to the elongated shaft into a patient, said introducer comprising a sheath defining a first lumen having a closed end and an open end, said first lumen sized to at least receive at least a distal end portion of the stapling head within said closed end, said hollow sheath having a weakened area therein such that upon an application of a release motion thereto, said weakened area ruptures to permit said hollow sheath to be removed from the surgical circular stapler.

2. The introducer of claim 1 wherein said weakened area comprises a perforated seam substantially extending from said closed end to said open end.

3. The introducer of claim 1 wherein when said sheath is installed over the stapling head, the sheath extends over the elongate shaft to be accessible from the handle portion of the surgical circular stapler.

4. The introducer of claim 1 further comprising a release member attached to said sheath and having a length such that when said sheath is installed over the stapling head of the surgical circular stapler, the release member is accessible from the handle portion of the surgical circular stapler such that when an actuation motion is applied to said release member, said release member causes said weakened area to rupture to facilitate removal of the sheath from the surgical circular stapler by said release member.

5. The introducer of claim 1 wherein said sheath is fabricated from a piece of material that has two ends that are overlapped and stitched together to form said weakened area.

6. The introducer of claim 5 wherein said two ends are stitched together by a suture that extends beyond the open end of the first lumen such that when the sheath is installed on the surgical circular stapler, a free proximal end of the suture is accessible from the handle portion of the surgical circular stapler.

7. The introducer of claim 1 wherein said sheath is fabricated from two pieces of material that that are stitched together.

8. The introducer of claim 7 wherein said two pieces are stitched together by at least one suture wherein said at least one suture that extends beyond the open end of the first lumen such that when the sheath is installed on the surgical circular stapler, a free proximal end of the suture is accessible from the handle portion of the surgical circular stapler.

9. The introducer of claim 8 wherein said two pieces of material comprise two pieces of latex material.

10. An introducer for introducing a surgical circular stapler having a handle portion, an elongated shaft protruding from the handle portion, and stapling head coupled to the shaft into a patient, said introducer comprising:

a flexible sheath defining a first lumen extending from an open proximal end to a releaseable distal portion sized to receive the stapling head and at least a portion of the elongated shaft of the circular stapler therein;

a second lumen in said flexible sheath independent from said first lumen, said second lumen extending from said proximal open end to said releaseable distal portion;

a release member movably supported within said second lumen and interfacing with said releaseable distal portion, said release member protruding proximally beyond said open proximal end of said sheath such that upon an application of a release motion to said release member, said releaseable distal portion exposes at least a portion of the stapling head.

11. The introducer of claim 10 wherein said release member comprises a suture.

12. The introducer of claim 10 further comprising a weakened area in said flexible sheath.

13. The introducer of claim 12 wherein said weakened area comprises a perforated seam extending from said releaseable distal portion to said open proximal end.

14. The introducer of claim 10 wherein said second lumen extends helically around said first lumen.

15. An introducer for introducing a surgical circular stapler having a handle portion, an elongated shaft protruding from the handle portion, and stapling head coupled to the shaft into a patient, said introducer comprising:

means for releasably encapsulating the stapling head and at least a portion of the elongated shaft of the circular stapler during insertion thereof into a patient;

release means coupled to said means for releasably encapsulating, said release means protruding from said means for releasably encapsulating to enable a release motion to be applied thereto when the stapling head and elongated shaft have been inserted into the patient such that, upon application of said release motion to said release means, said means for releasably encapsulating exposes at least a distal face of the stapling head.

16. The introducer of claim 15 wherein upon further application of the release motion to said release means causes said means for releasably encapsulating to be withdrawn from the patient.

17. The introducer of claim 16 wherein said means for releasably encapsulating further has a weakened area such that upon application of said release motion to said release means causes said weakened area to rupture.

18. The introducer of claim 15 wherein said release member is movably supported within a lumen formed in said means for releasably encapsulating.

19. The introducer of claim 17 wherein said weakened area comprises a perforated seam in said means for releasably encapsulating.