Obturator for justing a flexible trocar tube

• US 5,562,677 A
• Filed: 12/19/1994
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Uschold, Robert C., Nagao, Rex, Hildwein, Roger L., Staley, J. D. Jr., Gallagher, Laura, Riestenberg, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US08/358,635
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 606/205-208, 606/185, 606/108, 606/117, 606/151, 606/198, 606/167, 604/164
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• 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 17/3439 with means for changing the inner diameter of the cannula, e.g. expandable A61B17/3423, A61B17/3431 take precedence; catheters A61M25/0662
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3419 Sealing means between cannula and body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3427 for intercostal space
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3484 Anchoring means, e.g. spreading-out umbrella-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3492 against the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0019 operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation

Abstract

A flexible endoscopic surgical port comprises a trocar tube or cannula made partially or entirely of flexible material which can be inserted into a body wall at an intercostal location to allow the insertion and manipulation of endoscopic surgical instruments within the thoracic cavity. The surgical port includes a hollow tubular body which is inserted through an intercostal opening in the body wall extending into the thoracic cavity with an annular flange at one end of the tubular body projecting radially outward and engaging the body wall adjacent to the opening. The flange is able to flex relative to the tubular body whereby the surgical instrument inserted in the tubular body can be manipulated over a wide range of motion inside the thoracic cavity. A retainer ring can be installed at the end of the tubular body opposite to the flange to secure the surgical port in the body wall. Improved obturators are provided for installation of the flexible surgical port.

Claims

1. An obturator for inserting a flexible trocar tube into an opening at an intercostal location in a body wall, comprising:

a pair of handles pivotally connected in a reverse pliers arrangement, said handles describing a plane;

a pair of obturator jaws connected to said handles and lying entirely in said plane, said jaws being closed together when said handles are moved apart and said jaws being open when said handles are moved toward each other; and

,

said jaws when closed being adapted to be inserted into the flexible trocar tube and said jaws when open being adapted to stretch the flexible trocar tube into an ovoid shape which is sufficiently narrow to fit within the ribs in the body wall at the intercostal location;

wherein

each of said jaw members has an elongated semi-cylindrical exterior surface for engaging the interior of the flexible trocar tube; and

means for maintaining said jaw members in parallel alignment as said jaw members are moved laterally relative to each other; and

wherein each of said jaw members includes a pair of offsets at opposite ends of said semi-cylindrical surface for engaging the opposite ends of the trocar tube.

2. The obturator of claim 1, wherein:

said obturator jaws comprise a pair of elongated parallel jaw members mounted for movement laterally toward and away from each other.

3. The obturator of claim 2, which includes:

knife means located between said jaw members for cutting the tissue at the intercostal location as said jaw members are inserted in the body wall.

4. The obturator of claim 2, wherein:

each of said jaw members has a pointed tip at its distal end.

5. The obturator of claim 4, which includes:

a knife blade extending laterally from one of said tips and slidably received in a laterally extending slot in the other tip; and

said knife blade being exposed when the obturator jaws are separated to cut the tissue at the intercostal location as said obturator jaws are inserted into the body wall.

6. The obturator of claim 2, wherein:

one of said jaw members includes a knife blade extending laterally therefrom toward the other jaw member, said knife blade being exposed when said jaw members are separated to cut the tissue at the intercostal location as said jaws members are inserted in the body wall.

7. The obturator of claim 1, which includes:

means for limiting the maximum separation of said jaw members.