Laparoscopic access port for surgical instruments or the hand

• US 5,672,168 A
• Filed: 09/27/1995
• Issued: 09/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Surgical Innovations Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: General Surgical Innovations Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Robinson, Janine C., de la Torre, Roger A., Scott, James Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): DAWSON, GLENN K
• Application Number:
  US08/534,835
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/108, 606/167, 606/185, 604/164, 604/264
• US Class Current: 606/1
• 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 17/3462 with means for changing the diameter or the orientation of the entrance port of the cannula, e.g. for use with different-sized instruments, reduction ports, adapter seals expandable cannulas A61B17/3417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3498 Valves therefor, e.g. flapper valves, slide valves haemostasis valves A61M39/06; check valves A61M39/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3419 Sealing means between cannula and body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3449 whereby the instrument channels merge into one single channel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/349 Trocar with thread on outside
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3492 against the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes

Abstract

A flexible, fluid-tight envelope provides access for a hand and surgical instruments through a body tissue incision while maintaining insufflation pressure or a pneumoperitoneum within the body. The envelope is transparent and has an interior volume with opposite proximal and distal ends. A first opening in the envelope at the proximal end adjoins the incision in the body tissue and is secured and sealed to the body tissue. The second opening at the envelope distal end is provided with a closure member that seals closed the second opening on itself or around the forearm of a surgeon or a surgical instrument inserted into the interior volume of the envelope. An access port is provided at the first opening in the envelope. The access port includes a housing containing a valve element that is selectively opened and closed to provide access to the tissue incision while maintaining insufflation pressure in the body cavity.

Claims

1. A surgical apparatus providing hand and surgical instrument access through a body tissue incision and providing a sealing closure of the incision, the apparatus comprising:

an access port housing having a surface configured to be placed on the body tissue over the incision, the housing having an exterior dimensioned sufficiently large to surround the incision, the housing having an access opening extending therethrough that provides access to the incision surrounded by the housing from outside the housing, and a valve element on the housing that is selectively opened providing access to the incision through the access opening and closed preventing access to the incision through the access opening;

the valve element on the housing is manually operable from outside the housing to selectively open and close access to the incision through the access opening; and

,

the valve element is an annular element of compressible, resilient material with an inlet opening extending therethrough;

the housing is comprised of first and second members attached together for relative, selective movement of the first member toward and away from the second member, and the valve element is positioned between the first and second member and is compressed, constricting the inlet opening when the first member moves toward the second member, and the valve element resiliently expands opening the constricted inlet opening when the first member is moved away from the second member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a flexible, fluid tight envelope having an interior volume is secured to the exterior of the housing, the envelope has an exterior and an opening in the envelope that enables insertion of an object into the envelope interior from the envelope exterior through the envelope opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the envelope has a plurality of finger cavities formed in the envelope that are dimensioned to receive fingers of a hand in the finger cavities from outside the envelope.

4. A surgical apparatus providing hand and surgical instrument access through a body tissue incision and providing a sealing closure of the incision, the apparatus comprising:

an access port housing having a surface configured to be placed on the body tissue over the incision, the housing having an exterior dimensioned sufficiently large to surround the incision, the housing having an access opening extending therethrough that provides access to the incision surrounded by the housing from outside the housing, and a valve element on the housing that is selectively opened providing access to the incision through the access opening and closed preventing access to the incision through the access opening;

the valve element on the housing is manually operable from outside the housing to selectively open and close access to the incision through the access opening; and

,

the housing has first and second annular members mounted for rotation relative to each other between first and second positions; and

the valve element is a flexible, tubular sleeve having a length with opposite first and second ends, the first end of the sleeve is attached to the first annular member and the second end of the sleeve is attached to the second annular member, the sleeve has an interior bore dimension to permit insertion of a surgeon'"'"'s hand and arm through the bore with the first and second annular members in their first relative position, and the length of the sleeve twists constricting the bore around the surgeon'"'"'s arm inserted through the bore sealing the housing access opening closed around the arm when the first and second annular members are moved from their first relative positions toward their second relative positions.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

a flexible, fluid tight envelope having an interior volume is secured to the exterior of the housing, the envelope has an exterior and an opening in the envelope that enables insertion of an object into the envelope interior from the envelope exterior through the envelope opening.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the envelope has a plurality of finger cavities formed in the envelope that are dimensioned to receive fingers of a hand in the finger cavities from outside the envelope.

7. A surgical apparatus providing hand and surgical instrument access through a body tissue incision and providing a sealing closure of the incision, the apparatus comprising:

an access port housing having a surface configured to be placed on the body tissue over the incision, the housing having an exterior dimensioned sufficiently large to surround the incision, the housing having an access opening extending therethrough that provides access to the incision surrounded by the housing from outside the housing, and a valve element on the housing that is selectively opened providing access to the incision through the access opening and closed preventing access to the incision through the access opening;

the valve element on the housing is manually operable from outside the housing to selectively open and close access to the incision through the access opening;

the housing has first and second annular members mounted for rotation relative to each other between first and second positions; and

,

the valve element is a flexible, tubular sleeve having a length with opposite first and second ends, the first end of the sleeve is attached to the first annular member and the second end of the sleeve is attached to the second annular member, the sleeve has an interior bore dimensioned to permit access to the incision through the bore with the first and second annular members in their first relative position, and the length of the sleeve twists constricting and closing the bore preventing access to the incision through the bore with the first and second annular members moved to their second relative position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

a flexible, fluid tight envelope having an interior volume is secured to the exterior of the housing, the envelope has an exterior and an opening in the envelope that enables insertion of an object into the envelope interior from the envelope exterior through the envelope opening.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the envelope has a plurality of finger cavities formed in the envelope that are dimensioned to receive fingers of a hand in the finger cavities from outside the envelope.

10. A surgical apparatus providing hand and surgical instrument access through a body tissue incision and providing a sealing closure of the incision, the apparatus comprising:

an access port housing having a surface configured to be placed on the body tissue over the incision, the housing having an exterior dimensioned sufficiently large to surround the incision, the housing having an access opening extending therethrough that provides access to the incision surrounded by the housing from outside the housing, and a valve element on the housing that is selectively opened providing access to the incision through the access opening and closed preventing access to the incision through the access opening;

the valve element on the housing is manually operable from outside the housing to selectively open and close access to the incision through the access opening; and

,

the valve element has a gate mounted on the housing for movement between first and second positions of the gate relative to the housing, and the gate has an inlet opening positioned on the gate so that the gate blocks the access opening of the housing when the gate is in the first position, and the inlet opening is aligned with the access opening when the gate is in the second position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the gate is biased toward the first position.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

a flexible, fluid tight envelope having an interior volume is secured to the exterior of the housing, the envelope has an exterior and an opening in the envelope that enables insertion of an object into the envelope interior from the envelope exterior through the envelope opening.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the envelope has a plurality of finger cavities formed in the envelope that are dimensioned to receive fingers of a hand in the finger cavities from outside the envelope.