Self-sealing cannula

• US 7,563,250 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Wenchell, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koharski; Christopher D
• Application Number:
  US10/704,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 604/264, 604/23, 604/93.01, 604/408, 604/45, 604/256, 604/246, 604/905, 604/268
• US Class Current: 604/167.01
• 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 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

Abstract

A cannula assembly for performing a surgical includes a cannula defining a longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal passageway extending therethrough, a seal for substantially sealing the longitudinal passageway within the cannula in the absence of an object being received through the passageway and an elongated membrane disposed within the longitudinal passageway of the cannula. The elongated membrane is secured to the cannula at respective ends of the elongated membrane to define an annular space between the elongated membrane and the cannula. The cannula has a throughhole in communication with the annular space whereby, when the cannula is positioned within an insufflated body cavity, insufflation gases pass through the throughhole to expand the annular space to thereby cause the elongated membrane to form a seal about an object inserted therethrough.

Claims

1. A cannula assembly for performing a surgical procedure within an insufflated abdominal cavity, which comprises:

a cannula including a cannula housing and a cannula member extending from the cannula housing, the cannula member defining a longitudinal axis and proximal and distal ends, the cannula having a longitudinal passageway extending therethrough;

an expandable elongated object seal membrane disposed within the longitudinal passageway and at least partially within the cannula member, the elongated seal membrane adapted for expansion from an initial condition to an expanded condition upon introduction of fluids within the elongated seal membrane to establish a sealing relation about an object inserted through the elongated seal membrane, the elongated seal membrane being symmetrically arranged about the longitudinal axis in the initial condition and mounted within the longitudinal passageway to provide a predefined substantially annular space at least between an intermediate portion of the elongated seal membrane and the cannula member when in the initial condition, the annular space adapted to receive fluids to expand the second elongated seal membrane to achieve the expanded condition to establish the sealing relation about the object;

a fluid passage in fluid communication with the annular space for introducing insufflation fluid into the annular space to expand the annular space to thereby cause the elongated seal membrane to achieve the expanded condition to establish the sealing relation about the object, the fluid passage being a throughhole adjacent the distal end of the cannula and in communication with the annular space whereby, when the cannula is positioned within an insufflated body cavity, insufflation gases pass through the throughhole to expand the annular space to thereby cause the second elongated seal membrane to establish the sealing relation about the object; and

a closure seal within the cannula housing and proximal of the elongated seal membrane, the closure being adapted to seal the longitudinal passageway in the absence of the object to substantially prevent release of insufflation gases.

2. The cannula assembly according to claim 1 wherein the fluid passage is in fluid communication with an external source of insufflation fluid and in fluid communication with the annular space for introducing insufflation fluid into the annular space to expand the annular space to assist in establishing the sealing relation about the object.

3. The cannula assembly according to claim 1 wherein the elongated seal membrane is further adapted to substantially close the longitudinal passageway in response to introduction of fluids within the annular space and in the absence of an object inserted therethrough.

4. The cannula assembly according to 1 wherein the elongated membrane includes at least one ridge on an inner surface portion thereof.

5. The cannula assembly according to claim 4 wherein the at least one ridge is arranged on the elongated membrane so as to occupy a void between the inner surface portion of the elongated membrane and the object to facilitate sealing relation with the object.

6. The cannula assembly according to claim 5 wherein the elongated membrane comprises a plurality of ridges radially spaced about the inner surface portion of the elongated membrane.