Visualization trocar

• US 5,562,696 A
• Filed: 01/20/1995
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Innovasive Systems, Inc. (NMT Medical Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nobles, Anthony A., Lancaster, Arthur, Brosch, Ben G. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAWSON, GLENN K
• Application Number:
  US08/376,759
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 600/101, 600/182, 607/90-93, 606/1, 606/167, 606/184, 606/185, 606/170, 606/2, 606/10-16, 604/164, 604/264
• US Class Current: 606/185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/313 for introducing through surgical openings, e.g. laparoscopes
• 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 2017/3454 Details of tips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3456 blunt
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/346 with wings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation

Abstract

A trocar has an elongated shaft, and a puncturing head is attached to a distal end of the shaft. The puncturing head can have three blades with sharpened cutting edges. A pathway for light communication is established through three apertures in the puncturing head to a longitudinal bore within the shaft. An endoscope can be positioned in the bore to collect light from the distal end of the shaft. A video monitor is connected to the endoscope for displaying an image of the path of advancement of the trocar.

Claims

1. An endoscopic instrument for piercing tissues of a patient, comprising:

a shaft, said shaft having a distal end;

a tapered puncturing head formed on said distal end of said shaft, said puncturing head having a plurality of cutting edges;

a blunted distal tip formed on a distal end of said puncturing head;

a longitudinal bore formed within said shaft, said bore having a distal terminus located within said puncturing head;

a plurality of apertures formed in said puncturing head, each said aperture penetrating into said distal terminus of said longitudinal bore; and

a light transmitting member mounted in said longitudinal bore, in light communication with the patient tissues via said apertures, for transmitting light which impinges on said puncturing head.

2. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said cutting edges and said blunted distal tip are interconnected to bridge over said terminus of said longitudinal bore to maintain the patient tissues spaced apart from said light transmitting member.

3. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein each said cutting edge has a proximal end formed adjacent the outer perimeter of said shaft, and each said cutting edge has a distal end formed adjacent the longitudinal axis of said shaft.

4. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein each said aperture is formed between two contiguous said cutting edges.

5. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of substantially longitudinal blades formed on said puncturing head, each said blade having one of said cutting edges formed thereon, each said blade being oriented substantially coplanar with the longitudinal axis of said shaft.

6. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 5, further comprising planar side surfaces on each of said blades, the plane of each said side surface being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shaft.

7. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 5, wherein a distal periphery of each said aperture is formed by two contiguous said blades.

8. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 5, further comprising a plurality of concave surfaces formed on said puncturing head, each said concave surface lying between proximal ends of two contiguous said blades.

9. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 8, wherein a proximal periphery of each said aperture is formed by one of said concave surfaces.

10. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 9, further comprising a continuous planar strip surrounding but separated from each said aperture, each said planar strip being bordered by said cutting edges on two contiguous said blades, and each said planar strip being bordered by a proximal periphery of one of said concave surfaces.

11. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein a distal end of said light transmitting member is positioned adjacent to a proximal extremity of each of said apertures.

12. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 1, further comprising a lumen in said shaft for flow of irrigation fluid to a point adjacent to said apertures.

13. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 1, further comprising a lumen in said shaft for aspiration of fluid from a point adjacent to said apertures.

14. An endoscopic instrument for piercing tissues of a patient, comprising:

a shaft, said shaft having a distal end;

a tapered puncturing head formed on said distal end of said shaft;

a plurality of sharpened cutting edges formed on said puncturing head, each said cutting edge having a proximal end formed adjacent the outer perimeter of said shaft, and each said cutting edge having a distal end formed adjacent the longitudinal axis of said shaft;

a blunted distal tip formed on said puncturing head adjacent said distal ends of said cutting edges;

a longitudinal bore formed within said shaft, said bore having a distal terminus located radially inwardly from said proximal ends of said cutting edges;

a plurality of apertures formed in said puncturing head between said plurality of cutting edges, each said aperture penetrating into said distal terminus of said longitudinal bore; and

a light transmitting member mounted in said longitudinal bore, in light communication with the patient tissues via said apertures and said bore, for transmitting light which impinges on said puncturing head.

15. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 14, further comprising a plurality of substantially longitudinal blades formed on said puncturing head, each said blade having one of said cutting edges formed thereon, each said blade being oriented substantially coplanar with the longitudinal axis of said shaft.

16. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 15, further comprising planar side surfaces on each of said blades, the plane of each said side surface being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shaft.

17. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 15, wherein a distal periphery of each said aperture is formed by two contiguous said blades.

18. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 15, further comprising a plurality of concave surfaces formed on said puncturing head, each said concave surface lying between said proximal ends of two contiguous said blades.

19. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 18, wherein a proximal periphery of each said aperture is formed by one of said concave surfaces.

20. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 19, further comprising a continuous planar strip surrounding but separated from each said aperture, each said planar strip being bordered by said cutting edges on two contiguous said blades, and each said planar strip being bordered by a proximal periphery of one of said concave surfaces.

21. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 14, wherein a distal end of said light transmitting member is positioned adjacent to a proximal extremity of each of said apertures.

22. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 14, further comprising a lumen in said shaft for flow of irrigation fluid to a point adjacent to said apertures.

23. An endoscopic piercing instrument as recited in claim 14, further comprising a lumen in said shaft for aspiration of fluid from a point adjacent to said apertures.

24. An endoscopic instrument for piercing tissues of a patient, comprising:

a shaft, said shaft having a distal end;

a tapered puncturing head formed on said distal end of said shaft;

a plurality of substantially longitudinal flat blades formed on said puncturing head, each said blade having a proximal end formed adjacent the outer perimeter of said shaft, and each said blade having a distal end joined to the distal ends of the other said blades, the juncture of said distal ends of said blades being coincident with the longitudinal axis of said shaft, each said blade being oriented substantially coplanar with the longitudinal axis of said shaft;

an outwardly facing sharpened cutting edge formed on each said blade;

a blunted distal tip formed on said puncturing head at said juncture of said distal ends of said blades;

a plurality of concave surfaces formed on said puncturing head, each said concave surface lying between said proximal ends of two contiguous said blades;

a longitudinal bore formed within said shaft, said bore having a distal terminus located radially inwardly from said proximal ends of said blades;

a plurality of apertures formed in said puncturing head between said plurality of cutting edges, each said aperture penetrating into said distal terminus of said longitudinal bore, a distal periphery of each said aperture being formed by two contiguous said blades, a proximal periphery of each said aperture being formed by one of said concave surfaces; and

a light transmitting member mounted in said longitudinal bore, in light communication with the patient tissues via said apertures and said bore, for transmitting light which impinges on said puncturing head, a distal end of said light transmitting member being positioned adjacent to said proximal peripheries of said apertures.