Automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument

• US 5,536,256 A
• Filed: 02/14/1994
• Issued: 07/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inbae Yoon
• Original Assignee: Inbae Yoon
• Inventors: Yoon, InBae
• Primary Examiner(s): WEISS, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/195,178
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 604/164, 604/165, 604/264, 604/274
• US Class Current: 604/164.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3474 Insufflating needles, e.g. Veress needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3496 Protecting sleeves or inner probes; Retractable tips for protecting body piercing guide needles A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3484 Anchoring means, e.g. spreading-out umbrella-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/08021 of the patient or his organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument

Abstract

An automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument includes a sleeve for being introduced in a body cavity and a penetrating member disposed within the sleeve and having a sharp distal tip for penetrating a wall of the cavity. A retracting mechanism biases the penetrating member to a retracted position wherein the sharp distal tip is in a safe, protected position, and the penetrating member is movable distally from the retracted position to an extended position wherein the sharp distal tip extends beyond a distal end of the sleeve. The penetrating member is automatically locked against movement to the retracted position upon axial rotation of a locking and releasing mechanism in response to movement of the penetrating member to the extended position. An operating member is biased to move distally upon the sleeve distal end entering the body cavity such that the locking and releasing mechanism is axially rotated in response to distal movement of the operating member. Rotation of the locking and releasing mechanism upon the sleeve distal end entering the body cavity causes the penetrating member to be released for movement to the retracted position. Upon release of the penetrating member, the retracting mechanism automatically moves the penetrating member to the retracted position with the sharp distal tip in the safe, protected position. A method of establishing communication with an anatomical cavity utilizing an automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument including a sleeve and a penetrating member disposed in the sleeve includes the steps of forcing the automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument through tissue to enter the anatomical cavity and rotating a mechanism of the instrument about a longitudinal axis of the penetrating member to unlock the penetrating member causing movement of the penetrating member to a retracted position in response to entry of the automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument into the anatomical cavity.

Claims

1. A method of establishing communication with an anatomical cavity utilizing an automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument including a sleeve and a penetrating member disposed in the sleeve and having a longitudinal axis comprising the steps of

biasing the penetrating member to a retracted position wherein a sharp distal tip of the penetrating member is in a safe, protected position within the sleeve;

moving the penetrating member from the retracted position to an extended position wherein the sharp distal tip is disposed beyond a distal end of the sleeve;

locking the penetrating member against movement to the retracted position;

forcing the automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument through tissue to enter the anatomical cavity; and

rotating a mechanism about the longitudinal axis of the penetrating member in response to entry of the automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument into the anatomical cavity to unlock the penetrating member causing movement of the penetrating member to the retracted position.

2. A method of establishing communication with an anatomical cavity as recited in claim 1 wherein said moving step includes manually moving a knob in a slot of a hub of the automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument.

3. A method of establishing communication with an anatomical cavity as recited in claim 1 wherein said moving step includes squeezing a hub and end cap of the automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument.

4. A method of establishing communication with an anatomical cavity as recited in claim 1 wherein said locking step includes rotating the mechanism about the longitudinal axis a first increment in response to movement of the automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument from the retracted position to the extended position.

5. A method of establishing communication with an anatomical cavity as recited in claim 4 wherein said step of rotating the mechanism in response to entry of the automatic retractable safety penetrating instrument into the anatomical cavity includes rotating the mechanism about the longitudinal axis an additional increment.