Seal protection apparatus
First Claim
1. A trocar adapted to provide a working channel through a body wall, comprising:
- a cannula defining the working channel along an axis between the distal and a proximal end of the cannula;
a housing attached to the cannula at the proximal end of the cannula;
at least one seal disposed in the housing;
an elongate obturator adapted to move through the seal in the housing and through the working channel of the cannula, the obturator having a sharp distal tip for puncturing the body wall; and
a sheath overlying the obturator and movable between a first position wherein the sheath has a releasable fixed relationship with the obturator and extends between the sharp tip and the seal to prevent damage to the seal, and a second position wherein the sheath has a fixed relationship with the housing and the obturator is movable relative to the sheath to expose the sharp tip distally of the cannula.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A trocar adapted to provide a working channel through a body wall and includes a cannula defining the channel along an axis between the distal and proximal ends of the cannula. A housing disposed at the proximal end of the cannula includes at least one elastomeric seal. An elongate obturator adapted to be moved in proximity to the seal includes a sharp distal tip and a sheath which protects the seal from the sharp tip during movement of the obturator through the working channel. This sheath is movable from a first position wherein it is releasably fixed to the obturator and a second position wherein it is releasably fixed to the housing to expose the shape tip distally of the cannula.
181 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A trocar adapted to provide a working channel through a body wall, comprising:
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a cannula defining the working channel along an axis between the distal and a proximal end of the cannula; a housing attached to the cannula at the proximal end of the cannula; at least one seal disposed in the housing; an elongate obturator adapted to move through the seal in the housing and through the working channel of the cannula, the obturator having a sharp distal tip for puncturing the body wall; and a sheath overlying the obturator and movable between a first position wherein the sheath has a releasable fixed relationship with the obturator and extends between the sharp tip and the seal to prevent damage to the seal, and a second position wherein the sheath has a fixed relationship with the housing and the obturator is movable relative to the sheath to expose the sharp tip distally of the cannula. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A trocar adapted to provide a working channel through a body wall, comprising:
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a cannula defining the working channel along an axis between the distal and a proximal end of the cannula; a housing attached to the cannula at the proximal end of the cannula; at least one seal disposed in the housing; an elongate obturator adapted to move through the seal in the housing and through the working channel of the cannula, the obturator having a sharp distal tip for puncturing the body wall; a sheath overlying the obturator and movable between a first position wherein the sheath has a fixed relationship with the obturator and a second position wherein the sheath has a fixed relationship with the housing; and means responsive to digital movement of the obturator relative to the housing for permitting the sheath to move from the first position to the second position, and responsive to the proximal movement of the obturator relative to the housing for permitting the sheath to move from the second position to the first position. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for providing a working channel across a body wall, comprising the steps of:
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providing a subassembly including a trocar housing and a cannula forming the working channel, and a seal mechanism enclosed in the housing; inserting into the working channel an obturator having an elongate shaft and a sharp distal tip; protecting the seal mechanism during the inserting step with a shield locked to the obturator in a first position wherein the shield is disposed between the sharp tip and the seal mechanism; unlocking the shield from the obturator to exposed the sharp tip; puncturing the body wall with the sharp tip to permit the cannula to cross the body wall; and removing the obturator and the shield from the cannula leaving the working channel in operative position across the body wall. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A trocar adapted to provide a working channel through a body wall, comprising:
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a cannula; a housing attached to the cannula and defining with the cannula a working channel; an elongate obturator having an axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the obturator being adapted for movement through the working channel of the housing and cannula; a sharp tip formed at the distal end of the obturator and having a particular configuration with a plurality of surfaces intersecting along lines which converge to an apex of the sharp distal tip; a sheath overlying the obturator and having an outer radius and an inner radius, and at least one of the lines of the obturator tip extending proximally to a base point at a radius at least as long as the outer radius of the sheath, the sheath has a distal end defined by a plurality of flat planar surfaces equal in number to the number of surfaces forming the obturator tip; and the flat surfaces being separated by at least one axial opening configured to receive the base point of the obturator tip. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification