Penetrating tip for trocar assembly

• US 6,884,253 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teleflex Medical Incorporated (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Taut, Inc. (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Inventors: McFarlane, Richard H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Julian W.
• Application Number:
  US10/120,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20050107815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 604/164.01, 604/272, 604/274, 604/264, 606/184, 606/185
• US Class Current: 606/185
• 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 2017/3456 blunt

Abstract

A tissue penetrating instrument of the type used in the medical field and which may or may not be embodied in the form of an obturator associated with a trocar assembly, wherein the instrument includes an elongated shaft having a penetrating tip mounted on one end thereof. The penetrating tip includes a base secured to the one end of the shaft and a distal extremity spaced longitudinally outward from the base and formed into an apex which may be defined by a point or other configuration specifically structured to facilitate penetration or puncturing of bodily tissue. The apex may be substantially aligned with a linear extension of the central longitudinal axis of the shaft or alternatively, may be spaced laterally outward or off-set from the central longitudinal axis of the shaft. The penetrating tip further includes an exterior surface extending continuously between the apex and the base and configured to facilitate puncturing of the tissue and an enlargement of an access opening formed in the tissue, in a manner which facilitates separation of the tissue and minimizes cutting, severing or otherwise damaging the contiguous bodily tissue surrounding the access opening.

Claims

1. A laparoscopic instrument comprising:

a) a trocar assembly including an elongated sleeve having an open distal end,

b) an elongated shaft movably disposed within said sleeve and including a penetrating tip secured to one end thereof,

c) said penetrating tip including an apex and a base and an exterior surface extending there between, and

d) said exterior surface having a cross section comprising a substantially elliptical configuration extending along at least a majority of said penetrating tip between said base and said apex.

2. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said cross section is oriented transverse to a length of said penetrating tip.

3. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said cross section is oriented perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

4. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said cross section is oriented transverse to a length of said penetrating tip.

5. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said cross section is oriented perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

6. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said base is disposed at an angular orientation relative to a central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

7. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 6 wherein said apex is linearly coincident with the central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

8. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 6 wherein said angular orientation is substantially 45 degrees.

9. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 6 wherein said base comprises a substantially elliptical configuration.

10. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 6 wherein said exterior surface of said penetrating tip comprises at least two surface segments extending longitudinally between said apex and said base, said two surface segments having different lengths.

11. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 10 wherein said apex is linearly coincident with the central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

12. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 10 wherein each of said surface segments comprises a substantially concave configuration extending along at least a portion of a length thereof.

13. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 10 wherein said base comprises a substantially elliptical configuration.

14. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said base comprises a substantially circular cross sectional configuration.

15. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said substantially elliptical configuration comprises a plane curve.

16. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 15 wherein said plane curve includes at least one substantially linear segment connected thereto.

17. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 15 wherein said plane curve includes a plurality of substantially linear segments connected thereto.

18. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said elliptical configuration comprises at least one curvilinear segment and at least one substantially linear segment connected to said curvilinear segment.

19. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 18 wherein said substantially elliptical configuration comprises a plurality of linear segments interconnected to said curvilinear segment and to one another.

20. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 18 wherein said substantially elliptical configuration comprises a plurality of linear segments and a plurality of curvilinear segments interconnected to one another.

21. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 20 wherein said plurality of linear segments and said plurality of curvilinear segments are collectively interconnected to define a continuous configuration.

22. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 18 wherein said elliptical configuration comprises a plurality of curvilinear segments.

23. A laparoscopic instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said substantially elliptical configuration comprises a plurality of linear segments interconnected together and collectively defining a continuous configuration.

24. An instrument structured for use in laparoscopic surgery, said instrument comprising:

a) a trocar assembly including an elongated sleeve having an open distal end and an elongated shaft disposable within said sleeve,

b) a penetrating tip secured to a distal end of said shaft and disposable in a predetermined operative position relative to said sleeve,

c) said penetrating tip comprising a base and a apex and an exterior surface extending there between,

d) said operative position comprising a portion of said penetrating tip disposed in substantially closing relation to said open distal end, and

e) said exterior surface having a cross section comprising a substantially elliptical configuration extending along at least a majority of said penetrating tip between said base and said apex.

25. An instrument as recited in claim 24 wherein said cross section is oriented substantially perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

26. An instrument as recited in claim 24 wherein said operative position further comprises said base disposed in substantially aligned relation with said open distal end.

27. An instrument as recited in claim 26 wherein said base and said open distal end are correspondingly dimensioned, said base disposable in said closing relation to said open distal end.

28. An instrument as recited in claim 27 wherein said closing relation is defined by said base being disposed to prevent passage of tissue through said open distal end into said sleeve.

29. An instrument as recited in claim 26 wherein said operative position further comprises said base and said open distal end having a common angular orientation relative to a central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

30. An instrument as recited in claim 24 wherein said apex is linearly coincident with a central longitudinal axis of said shaft.

31. A laparoscopic instrument comprising:

a) a trocar assembly including an elongated sleeve having an open distal end,

b) an elongated shaft movably disposed within said sleeve and including a penetrating tip secured to one end thereof,

c) said penetrating tip including an apex and a base and an exterior surface extending there between,

d) said base comprising a substantially circular cross-sectional configuration, and

e) said exterior surface having a cross section comprising a substantially elliptical configuration along at least a portion of said penetrating tip between said base and said apex.

32. A laparoscopic instrument comprising:

a) a trocar assembly including an elongated sleeve having an open distal end,

b) an elongated shaft movably disposed within said sleeve and including a penetrating tip secured to one end thereof,

c) said penetrating tip including an apex and a base and an exterior surface extending there between,

d) said base disposed at an angular orientation relative to a central longitudinal axis of said shaft,

e) said exterior surface of said penetrating tip comprising at least two surface segments extending longitudinally between said apex and said base, said two surface segments having different lengths,

f) each of said surface segments comprising a substantially concave configuration extending along at least a portion of a length thereof, and

g) said exterior surface having a cross section comprising a substantially elliptical configuration along at least a portion of said penetrating tip between said base and said apex.