Gas flow trocar arrangement

• US 7,413,559 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Surgiquest, Inc. (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Surgiquest, Inc. (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Halgren, Donald N., Stubbs, Jack B., Thompson, Ronald J., Campbell, Michael J., Hartman, George A. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons; Kevin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schell; Laura C
• Application Number:
  US11/517,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 604 23- 26, 604 43- 45, 604/500, 604/506, 604/507, 604/272, 604/164.01, 604/164.02, 604/167.01, 604/167.02, 604/167.03, 604/167.04, 604/167.05, 604/167.06, 128/898, 606/167
• US Class Current: 604/167.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• 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 17/3474 Insufflating needles, e.g. Veress needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00265 Hand assisted surgery, i.e. minimally invasive surgery with at least part of an assisting hand inside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04

Abstract

A trocar assembly for use in surgery in a patient, comprising an elongated outer tubular member having a first or proximal end and a second or distal end. The proximal end has a housing enclosing a fluid pressure chamber therein. The distal end of the outer tubular member has a gaseous fluid discharge arrangement therethrough, through which a medical instrument is disposed for surgical manipulation of the patient.

Claims

1. An access device for introducing surgical instruments into a body cavity comprising:

a) an outer tubular member having opposed proximal and distal end portions, the proximal end portion of the outer tubular member having a proximal housing associated therewith; and

b) an inner tubular member having opposed proximal and distal end portions, the inner tubular member having a proximal flange at a proximal end thereof which is seated within the proximal housing of the outer tubular member so as to define a plenum chamber within the proximal housing of the outer tubular member above the proximal flange of the inner tubular member, wherein the plenum chamber is in fluid communication with an annular nozzle configured to direct pressurized fluid in an axial direction from the plenum chamber into a central bore of the inner tubular member to provide a constant gaseous seal around a surgical instrument inserted through the central bore of the inner tubular member while simultaneously preventing a loss of pressurized fluid from the body cavity through the central bore of the inner tubular member, and wherein the plenum chamber is adapted and configured to receive pressurized fluid and conduct the pressurized fluid to the annular nozzle.

2. An access device as recited in claim 1, wherein the proximal flange is seated within the proximal housing of the outer tubular member so as to further define a sensing chamber below the proximal flange of the inner tubular member within the proximal housing of the outer tubular member.

3. An access device as recited in claim 2, wherein the sensing chamber has an outlet port for communicating with a pressure regulator.

4. An access device as recited in claim 3, further comprising a pressure regulator in fluid communication with the outlet port of the sensing chamber.

5. An access device as recited in claim 2, wherein the sensing chamber is in fluid communication with a sensing channel defined between the inner and outer tubular members.

6. An access device as recited in claim 2, wherein a baffle is arranged within the proximal housing of the outer tubular member, proximal to the plenum chamber.

7. An access device as recited in claim 6, wherein the baffle includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart discs surrounding a central tube.

8. An access device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plenum chamber has an inlet port for communicating with a source of pressurized fluid.

9. An access device as recited in claim 8, further comprising a source of pressurized fluid in communication with the inlet port of the plenum chamber.

10. An access device as recited in claim 1, wherein a resilient valve is arranged within a central bore of the inner tubular member.

11. An access device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a cap removably arranged with the proximal housing portion of the outer tubular member and having a resilient valve arranged therein.

12. An access device as recited in claim 1, wherein the nozzle is defined by a gap formed between a distal end of a nozzle tube disposed within the proximal housing of the outer tubular member and the central bore of the inner tubular member.

13. An access device for introducing surgical instruments into a body cavity comprising:

a) an outer tubular member having opposed proximal and distal end portions;

b) an inner tubular member having opposed proximal and distal end portions; and

c) a housing associated with the proximal end portion of the outer tubular member, the housing defining a proximal plenum chamber and a distal sensing chamber, wherein the proximal plenum chamber is in fluid communication with a nozzle axially aligned and communicating with a central bore of the inner tubular member, wherein the annular nozzle is configured to direct pressurized fluid in an axial direction from the plenum chamber into the central bore of the inner tubular member to provide a constant gaseous seal around a surgical instrument inserted through the central bore of the inner tubular member while simultaneously preventing a loss of pressurized fluid from the body cavity through the central bore of the inner tubular member, wherein the proximal plenum chamber is adapted and configured to receive pressurized fluid and conduct the pressurized fluid to the annular nozzle and wherein the distal sensing chamber is in fluid communication with a sensing channel formed between the inner and outer tubular members communicating with the body cavity.

14. An access device as recited in claim 13, wherein the plenum chamber has an inlet port communicating with a source of pressurized fluid.

15. An access device as recited in claim 13, wherein the sensing chamber has an outlet port communicating with a pressure regulator.

16. An access device as recited in claim 13, wherein a baffle is arranged within the housing proximal to the plenum chamber.

17. An access device as recited in claim 13, wherein the baffle includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart discs surrounding a central tube.

18. An access device as recited in claim 17, wherein the nozzle is defined by a gap formed between a distal end of the central tube of the baffle and the central bore of the inner tubular member.

19. An access device as recited in claim 13, wherein a resilient valve is arranged within a central bore of the inner tubular member.

20. An access device as recited in claim 13, further comprising a cap removably arranged with the proximal housing portion of the outer tubular member and having a resilient valve arranged therein.