Endo-surgery glove and seal

• US 5,526,536 A
• Filed: 08/24/1994
• Issued: 06/18/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Cartmill, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanatta, Amy B.
• Application Number:
  US08/295,181
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 2/DIG. 3, 2/162, 2/168, 2/159, 2/158, 2/161.1, 2/161.6, 2/161.7, 2/160, 2/16, 2/270, 2/901, 2/170, 128/DIG. 20, 602/13, 604/96, 604/99, 604/167, 604/256
• US Class Current: 2/161.7
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/0055 Plastic or rubber gloves
• 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 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3419 Sealing means between cannula and body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 42/00 Surgical gloves; Finger-stalls specially adapted for surgery; Devices for handling or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 42/10 Surgical gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/40 Apparatus fixed or close to patients specially adapted for providing an aseptic surgical environment

Abstract

A surgical glove for endoscopic surgical procedures is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the surgical glove has an inflatable wrist section, which when inflated, provides a seal between the surgeon'"'"'s gloved hand and the body wall for obstructing the passage of gas from the abdominal cavity during endoscopic surgery. The inflated glove wrist section will conform to the surgeon'"'"'s hand and the abdominal cavity wall to provide the seal and yet allow the surgeon'"'"'s hand to move in an inward or outward direction transversely to the abdominal wall.

Claims

1. A surgical glove composed of a biocompatible polymer to cover a surgeon'"'"'s hand from the surgeon'"'"'s distal forearm, said glove having a glove thickness of about 0.004 to 0.008 inches and having an inflatable wrist section thereon extending from said distal forearm to the widest part of said surgeon'"'"'s hand, and a plurality of fingers with fingertips extending from said inflatable wrist section, wherein said fingers are not interconnected with each other at or adjacent said fingertips, said fingers being non-inflatable and sized to substantially conform to the corresponding fingers of said surgeon'"'"'s hand;

and inflation means attached to said inflatable wrist section for selectively inflating or deflating said inflatable wrist section of said glove.

2. A surgical glove as described in claim 1 wherein said polymer is a latex rubber, polyethylene or polypropylene.