Surgical access device with flexible seal channel

• US 8,206,294 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Widenhouse, Christopher W., Shelton, Frederick Earl IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carter, Tara
• Application Number:
  US12/242,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20100081871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 604/164.08, 60416701-16703, 604/167.06, 600200-210, 600/104, 600/114, 600/117, 606190-192
• US Class Current: 600/210
• 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 17/3431 being collapsible, e.g. made of thin flexible material A61B17/3423 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3498 Valves therefor, e.g. flapper valves, slide valves haemostasis valves A61M39/06; check valves A61M39/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3447 Linked multiple cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3466 for simultaneous sealing of multiple instruments

Abstract

A surgical access device is provided that includes a housing having at least one access port therein for receiving a surgical instrument therethrough, and at least one elongate flexible instrument channel extending from the housing and having a lumen extending therethrough and in fluid communication with the at least one access port in the housing. The instrument channel is adapted to move from a first collapsed configuration in which the channel is sealed to substantially prevent fluid from flowing therethrough to a second expanded configuration upon insertion of an instrument therethrough.

Claims

1. A surgical access device, comprising:

a housing having at least one access port therein for receiving a surgical instrument therethrough;

a retractor extending distally from a distal end of the housing and including an opening extending therethrough; and

at least one elongate flexible instrument channel extending distally from a distal end of the retractor and having a lumen extending therethrough and in fluid communication with the at least one access port in the housing, the channel being adapted to move from a first collapsed configuration in which the channel is sealed to substantially prevent fluid from flowing therethrough to a second expanded configuration upon insertion of an instrument therethrough, the elongate instrument channel being in a natural resting state in the first collapsed configuration.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate instrument channel is twisted in the first collapsed configuration and untwisted in the second expanded configuration.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate instrument channel has a substantially planar cross section in the first collapsed configuration.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate instrument channel includes at least one sealing element disposed therein and configured to form a seal around an instrument inserted therethrough.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate instrument channel includes at least one stiffening element extending longitudinally therealong and configured to provide longitudinal strength to the channel for preventing inversion of the channel while allowing for radial flexibility of the channel.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the retractor includes a proximal end coupled to the housing and a distal end coupled to a proximal end of the elongate instrument channel.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a plurality of access ports therein.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the at least one elongate flexible instrument channel comprises a plurality of elongate flexible instrument channels extending from the retractor, each elongate instrument channel being axially aligned with one of the plurality of access ports.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one access port includes at least one seal therein and configured to form at least one of a seal within the access port when no instrument is disposed therein and a seal around an instrument inserted therethrough.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate flexible instrument channel can form a seal around instruments of various diameters.

22. The device of claim 6, wherein the proximal and distal ends of the retractor have a larger diameter than a central portion of the retractor for engaging tissue therebetween.

7. A surgical access device, comprising:

a housing having an access port extending therethrough for receiving a surgical instrument; and

an elongate flexible instrument channel extending from the housing and having an inner lumen extending longitudinally therethrough and in communication with the access port in the housing, the inner lumen including a plurality of stiffening elements extending longitudinally along the channel and configured to provide longitudinal strength to the channel for preventing inversion of the channel while allowing for radial flexibility of the channel;

wherein at least one of the plurality of stiffening elements has a larger diameter than at least one other of the plurality of stiffening elements.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the elongate instrument channel is configured to increase in length in the longitudinal direction upon insertion of an instrument into the channel and decrease in length in the longitudinal direction upon removal of the instrument from the channel.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one stiffening element extends from a distal end to a proximal end of the elongate instrument channel along the elongate instrument channel.

14. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one stiffening element is in the form of at least one longitudinally-extending surface feature.

15. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one stiffening element comprises at least one wire.

16. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one stiffening element comprises at least one spring disposed within a longitudinal groove formed in the channel.

17. The device of claim 7, wherein the elongate instrument channel is adapted to move from a first collapsed configuration in which the channel is sealed to substantially prevent fluid from flowing therethrough to a second expanded configuration upon insertion of an instrument therethrough.

18. The device of claim 7, further comprising a retractor coupled between the housing and the instrument channel and including an opening extending therethrough forming a pathway through tissue.

19. The device of claim 7, wherein the housing includes a plurality of access ports therein.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein each access port has an elongate flexible instrument channel longitudinally aligned therewith.

21. The device of claim 7, wherein first and second larger diameter stiffening elements are disposed on opposed sides of the channel, with a remainder of the plurality of stiffening elements positioned along planar sidewalls extending between the opposed sides of the channel.

23. The device of claim 12, wherein the elongate instrument channel is configured to curl longitudinally upon removal of the instrument from the channel.

24. A surgical access device, comprising:

a housing having at least one access port therein for receiving a surgical instrument therethrough; and

at least one flexible elongate instrument channel extending from the housing and having a lumen extending therethrough and in fluid communication with the at least one access port in the housing, the elongate instrument channel being movable between a first collapsed configuration in which the channel is sealed to substantially prevent fluid from flowing therethrough and a second expanded configuration upon insertion of an instrument therethrough, the elongate instrument channel being in a natural resting state in the first collapsed configuration;

wherein the elongate instrument channel is helically twisted about a longitudinal axis of the channel in the first collapsed configuration and untwisted in the second expanded configuration.