Cannula for receiving surgical instruments

• US 7,892,171 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zimmer Biomet Spine, Inc. (Zimvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Zimmer Spine, Inc. (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Taylor, Timothy E., Sher, Adam, Davison, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Anhtuan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILES, JONATHAN WADE
• Application Number:
  US11/417,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20060276822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 600/201, 600/210, 600/211, 600/214, 600/215, 600/227, 600/234, 604/164.01, 604/164.11, 604/264, 606/86.A, 606/90, 606/105, 606/190, 606/279, 128/898
• US Class Current: 600/184
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0293 with ring member to support retractor elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1735 for rasps or chisels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/282 Jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3439 with means for changing the inner diameter of the cannula, e.g. expandable A61B17/3423, A61B17/3431 take precedence; catheters A61M25/0662
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00238 Type of minimally invasive operation A61B2017/00805 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00261 Discectomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603

Abstract

A cannula (10) receives surgical instruments (120) for performing a surgical procedure on a body (130). The cannula (10) comprises a tube structure (12) defining a passage (16) through which the surgical instruments (120) are inserted into the body (130). The tube structure (12) has a proximal end (20) and a distal end (62). The tube structure (12) includes an expandable portion (40) for enabling an increase in the cross-sectional area of the passage (16) at the distal end (62). The expandable portion (40) of the tube structure (12), when expanded, has a conical configuration.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a surgical location within a patient, the method comprising:

providing an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface, an inner surface, a first planar edge, a second planar edge, and a gap extending from the outer surface to the inner surface between the first and second planar edges, said first and second planar edges extending to the distal end of said elongate body, the elongate body being actuatable between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration, the inner surface creating a path extending through the elongate body from the proximal end to the distal end through which surgical instruments may be inserted;

inserting said distal end of said elongate body into the patient such that the distal end resides proximate the surgical location;

engaging an expansion tool with the elongate body;

rotating the expansion tool while the elongate body is being expanded from its contracted configuration to its expanded configuration; and

disengaging the expansion tool from the elongate body.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the elongate body includes an area of overlap between the inner and outer surfaces, and actuating the expansion tool to expand the elongate body reduces the area of overlap between the inner and outer surfaces.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the elongate body is inserted proximate to a spinal location with the patient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein expanding the elongate body causes the outer surface to engage tissue.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting said distal end of said elongate body further comprises inserting the elongate body such that the proximal end remains outside the patient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the elongate body comprises a first elongate member at least partially defining said inner surface and a second elongate member pivotably coupled with the first elongate member, wherein at least the second elongate member is configured to at least partially reside adjacent the skin of the patient.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first elongate member comprises a distally expandable conical structure and the second elongate member comprises a non-expanding proximal portion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the elongate body remains in the expanded configuration after the expansion tool is disengaged.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting an instrument through the elongate body and performing a surgical procedure at the surgical location.

10. A method for providing access to a spinal location within a patient, the method comprising:

providing an elongate body and an outer member, said elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, the elongate body being actuatable between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration, said outer member at least partially surrounding and contacting said outer surface;

inserting said distal end of said elongate body into the patient such that the distal end resides proximate the spinal location; and

applying a force adjacent a proximal end of an expansion device to rotate a distal portion of the expansion device about a pivot, whereby said elongate body is expanded from its contracted configuration to its expanded configuration.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the expansion device comprises a first leg extending between the proximal end and the distal portion and a second leg extending between the proximal end and the distal portion, the first and second legs being coupled at the pivot for rotation thereabout.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein when the force is applied adjacent to the proximal end, the distal portion rotates into contact with the inner surface to apply a force to the inner surface.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the elongate body further comprises a first planar edge, a second planar edge, and a gap extending from the outer surface to the inner surface between the first and second planar edges, said first and second planar edges extending to the proximal end and the distal end of said elongate body.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the expansion device is provided as a separate element from the elongate body.