Trocar with electrical discharge path
First Claim
1. A combination for accessing a body cavity through a body wall, comprising:
- a trocar including a cannula having an axis and an outer surface, the cannula being adapted to extend through the body wall to provide a working channel into the body cavity;
a laparoscopic clamp operable to releasably engage the outer surface of the cannula of the trocar and maneuverable to an operative position relative to the body wall in order to provide the cannula and the body wall with a generally fixed relationship;
a tube included in the clamp and extending axially of the sleeve, the tube having an outer surface for engaging the body wall;
a protrusion included in the clamp on the outer surface of the tube, the protrusion enhancing the fixed relationship between the clamp and the body wall;
a coupler included in the clamp and disposed between the tube and the sleeve, the coupler comprising a female portion attached to one of the sleeve and the tube and a male portion attached to the other of the sleeve and the tube;
a male portion included in the clamp and being snap-fit into the female portion in order to maintain the tube and the sleeve in a generally fixed relationship;
an elastomeric sleeve included in the laparoscopic clamp and being actuable between a first position wherein the sleeve has a generally fixed relationship with the cannula and a second position wherein the sleeve has a sliding relationship with the cannula; and
an actuation collar included in the laparoscopic clamp and being operable by only one hand of a user to actuate the sleeve between the first position and the second position in order to adjust the position of the clamp relative to the trocar.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An adjustable surgical clamp having an axis that is adapted to releasably engage the outer surface of a cylindrical instrument such as a trocar. An elastomeric sleeve has an outer surface and an inner surface which is sized to frictionally engage the instrument. A constriction member forming a ring around the sleeve is operable between a first position wherein the ring has a first diameter and a second position wherein the ring has a second diameter. A pair of tabs attached to the constriction member are movable relative to each other to operate the constriction member between the first and second positions. A tube extending axially of the constriction member includes a protrusion which may be in the form of a helix, a plurality of annuli or an inflatable balloon enhances the fixed relationship with a body wall.
107 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A combination for accessing a body cavity through a body wall, comprising:
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a trocar including a cannula having an axis and an outer surface, the cannula being adapted to extend through the body wall to provide a working channel into the body cavity; a laparoscopic clamp operable to releasably engage the outer surface of the cannula of the trocar and maneuverable to an operative position relative to the body wall in order to provide the cannula and the body wall with a generally fixed relationship; a tube included in the clamp and extending axially of the sleeve, the tube having an outer surface for engaging the body wall; a protrusion included in the clamp on the outer surface of the tube, the protrusion enhancing the fixed relationship between the clamp and the body wall; a coupler included in the clamp and disposed between the tube and the sleeve, the coupler comprising a female portion attached to one of the sleeve and the tube and a male portion attached to the other of the sleeve and the tube; a male portion included in the clamp and being snap-fit into the female portion in order to maintain the tube and the sleeve in a generally fixed relationship; an elastomeric sleeve included in the laparoscopic clamp and being actuable between a first position wherein the sleeve has a generally fixed relationship with the cannula and a second position wherein the sleeve has a sliding relationship with the cannula; and an actuation collar included in the laparoscopic clamp and being operable by only one hand of a user to actuate the sleeve between the first position and the second position in order to adjust the position of the clamp relative to the trocar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An access assembly adapted to extend across a body wall to provide access for an electrical instrument through the assembly and into the body cavity, comprising the steps of:
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a cannula having an axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end, and being adapted for disposition across the body wall, the cannula being formed of an electrically conductive material and being adapted for electrical contact with the electrical instrument when the cannula is operatively disposed across the body wall; a surgical clamp disposed between the cannula and the body wall, the clamp having electrical insulating properties an inner surface and an outer surface; the assembly having Alpha and Beta electrical discharge paths between the cannula and the body wall; the Alpha discharge path extending from the cannula externally of the surgical clamp to the body wall, and having a first conductivity and a first current density at the body wall; a first conductor disposed generally along the inner surface of the clamp in electrical contact with the cannula; a second conductor disposed generally along the outer surface of the clamp in electrical contact with the body wall and the first conductor; the Beta discharge path extending through the first conductor and the second conductor and having a second conductivity and a second current density at the body wall; the second conductivity being greater than the first conductivity; the second current density being less than the first current density;
whereby the assembly tends to discharge the electrical instrument through the Beta discharge path which provides a reduced current density at the body wall. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An assembly providing access into a body cavity of a patient comprising:
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a body wall formed of tissue and defining a body cavity of the patient; a cannula having metallic properties and disposed to extend through the body wall to provide access into the body cavity; an electrical instrument having an outer surface and extending through the cannula to the body cavity, this instrument having properties for developing a capacitive charge on the outer surface of the instrument; a surgical clamp having an inner surface and an outer surface and being disposed between the cannula and the body wall, the clamp having electrical insulating properties; an Alpha discharge path extending between the cannula and the body wall exteriorly of the surgical clamp, the Alpha discharge path having a first conductivity for discharging the capacitive charge of the electrical instrument through the cannula to the body wall; a Beta discharge path extending from the cannula through the surgical clamp to the body wall, the Beta discharge path having a second conductivity and properties for discharging the capacitive charge on the electrical instrument through the cannula and the surgical clamp to the body wall; and the second conductivity of the Beta discharge path being greater than the first conductivity of the Alpha discharge path to facilitate discharge of the capacitive charge through the surgical clamp. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A surgical clamp having an axis and being adapted to releasably engage the outer surface of a cylindrical instrument, comprising:
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an elastomeric sleeve having an outer surface and an inner surface, the sleeve being sized and configured to frictionally engage the outer surface of the instrument; a constriction member forming a ring around the sleeve, the constriction member being operable between a first position wherein the ring is provided with a first diameter and a second position wherein the ring is provided with a second diameter larger than the first diameter; a pair of tabs attached to the constriction member and being movable relative to each other to operate the constriction member between the first position and second position; and serrations disposed on at least one of the tabs to enhance a frictional relationship between the at least one tab and the hand of the user.
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18. A surgical clamp adapted to for disposition across a body wall, the clamp having an axis and being adapted for releasably engaging the outer surface of a cylindrical instrument, comprising:
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an elastomeric sleeve having an outer surface and an inner surface, the sleeve being sized and configured to frictionally engage the outer surface of the instrument; a constriction member forming a ring around the sleeve, the constriction member being operable between a first position wherein the ring is provided with a first diameter and a second position wherein the ring is provided with a second diameter larger than the first diameter; a pair of tabs attached to the constriction member and being movable relative to each other to operate the constriction member between the first position and second position; a tube extending axially of the constriction member and having an outer surface for engaging the body walls; and an inflatable balloon extending outwardly of the outer surface of the tube for enhancing a fixed relationship between the tube and the body wall.
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19. An access assembly adapted to extend across a body wall to provide access for an electrical instrument through the assembly and into the body cavity, comprising:
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a cannula having an axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end, and being adapted for disposition across the body wall, the cannula being formed of an electrically conductive material and being adapted for electrical contact with the electrical instrument when the cannula is operatively disposed across the body wall; a surgical clamp adjustably coupled between the cannula and the body wall, the clamp having an inner surface adapted to be disposed in proximity to the cannula, an outer surface adapted to be disposed in proximity to the body wall, and elastomeric properties facilitating adjustment of the clamp relative to the cannula; and a conductor extending between the inner surface of the clamp and the outer surface of the clamp, and forming an electrical conductive path from the cannula through the clamp to the body wall, the path facilitating transmission of capacitive discharge from the electrical instrument through the cannula and into the body wall when the clamp is operatively disposed across the body wall.
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20. A combination for accessing a body cavity through a body wall, comprising:
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a trocar including a cannula having an axis and an outer surface, the cannula being adapted to extend through the body wall to provide a working channel into the body cavity; a laparoscopic clamp operable to releasably engage the cannula of the trocar and maneuverable to an operative position relative to the body wall in order to provide the cannula and the body wall with a generally fixed relationship; an elastomeric sleeve included in the laparoscopic clamp and being actuable between a first position wherein the sleeve has a generally fixed relationship with a cannula and a second position wherein the sleeve has a sliding relationship with the cannula; an actuation collar included in the laparoscopic clamp and operable by only one hand of a user to actuate the sleeve between the first position and the second position in order to adjust the position of the clamp relative to the trocar; a tube included in the laparoscopic clamp and extending axially of the sleeve, the tube having an outer surface for engaging the body wall; a protrusion on the outer surface of the tube which enhances the fixed relationship between the clamp and the body wall; a coupler included in the laparoscopic clamp and disposed between the tube and the sleeve, the coupler comprising a female portion attached to one of the sleeve and the tube and a male portion attached to the other of the sleeve and the tube; and the male portion being snap fit into the female portion in order to maintain the tube and the sleeve in a generally fixed relationship.
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Specification