Split sheath for trocar assembly

• US 8,419,762 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Senorx Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Senorx Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Delsman, Jill
• Primary Examiner(s): Hughes, S. Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZPIRA, JULIE ANN
• Application Number:
  US11/981,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20090043328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 606/184, 606/185, 606/108, 606/190, 604/160, 604/164.1
• US Class Current: 606/185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3431 being collapsible, e.g. made of thin flexible material A61B17/3423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/037 with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/038 during shipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0801 Prevention of accidental cutting or pricking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes

Abstract

A trocar assembly including a trocar and a trocar sheath and methods for accessing an intracorporeal site, e.g. biopsy or trocar site, using the trocar assembly. The trocar has a tissue penetrating distal tip, an elongated shaft and a proximal handle portion. The distal portion of the trocar sheath forms a releasable connection, such as a friction fit, with the shaft of the trocar and a slit that extends from the distal portion to the proximal end of the trocar sheath. The trocar assembly is advanced through the patient'"'"'s tissue until the distal end of the trocar sheath is located at the desired site and then the trocar is removed. A treatment device such as a radiation balloon catheter is advanced through the interior of the sheath until the treatment component thereof is at the desired site.

Claims

1. A trocar assembly, comprising:

a. a trocar having a tissue penetrating distal tip, an elongated shaft and a proximal handle portion; and

b. a trocar sheath having a distal end, a proximal end, a distal cylindrical portion having an interior configured to provide a releasable connection with the elongated shaft of the trocar and a single slit that splits a portion of the trocar sheath, the single slit extending proximally from the distal cylindrical portion to the proximal end of the trocar, an inner portion defining at least in part a guide leading to the distal cylindrical portion, the trocar sheath having an expander collar located on an interior of a proximal end portion of the trocar sheath wherein the expander collar is a U-shaped structural support member to hold the proximal end of the sheath so as to form a longitudinally tapered interior channel, wherein the expander collar is configured to hold the single slit open at the proximal end in the absence of external forces applied to the trocar sheath.

2. The trocar assembly of claim 1 wherein the distal cylindrical portion of the sheath is a closed cylindrical portion and has a scored line aligned with the slit thereof.

3. The trocar assembly of claim 2 wherein the scored line is configured to tear upon passage therethrough of another instrument having a transverse dimension or expandable to a transverse dimension slightly larger than the transverse dimension of the closed cylindrical portion.

4. The trocar assembly of claim 1 wherein the slit expands proximally from the closed distal cylindrical portion.

5. The trocar assembly of claim 1 wherein the closed distal cylindrical portion of the sheath defines at least in part an opening in the distal end thereof.

6. The trocar assembly of claim 1 wherein the releasable connection between the trocar and the trocar sheath is a friction fit.

7. The trocar assembly of claim 1 wherein the releasable connection between the trocar and the trocar sheath is a threaded connection.

8. The trocar assembly of claim 1 wherein the releasable connection between the trocar and the trocar sheath is a detent in one of the trocar and trocar sheath and a recess or groove in the other of the trocar and trocar sheath.

9. The trocar assembly of claim 1 wherein the tissue penetrating distal tip has a sharp point and three concaved surfaces which form three cutting edges extending proximal from the sharp point.

23. The trocar assembly of claim 1 wherein the U-shaped structural support member is provided with opposed exterior finger grips.

10. A trocar sheath, comprising:

an elongated shaft with proximal and distal ends, and having a closed cylindrical distal shaft portion;

an elongated slit that forms a single split in the elongated shaft, the elongated slit extending proximally from the closed cylindrical distal shaft portion;

an expander collar located at a proximal end portion of the trocar sheath wherein the expander collar is a U-shaped structural support member to hold the proximal end of the sheath so as to form a longitudinally tapered interior channel, wherein the expander collar is configured to hold the elongated slit open at the proximal end such that the single split diverges in a direction from the closed cylindrical distal shaft portion to the proximal end; and

a score line in the closed cylindrical distal portion at least part of which is aligned with the elongated slit.

11. The trocar sheath of claim 10 wherein the expander collar causes the width of the slit to expand proximally.

12. The trocar sheath of claim 10 wherein the expander collar at the proximal end thereof has opposed exterior finger grips.

13. The trocar sheath of claim 10 wherein the U-shaped structural support member is provided with opposed exterior finger grips.

14. The trocar sheath of claim 10 wherein the distal end thereof is chamfered to provide a smooth transition with a trocar disposed in the interior channel.

22. The sheath of claim 14 wherein the distal end is chamfered.

24. The trocar sheath of claim 10, wherein the expander collar is located on an interior of the proximal end portion.

15. A sheath for delivery of a catheter having a balloon on a distal portion thereof through a passageway to an intracorporeal site from which tissue has been removed, comprising:

an elongate shaft with proximal and distal ends;

a closed cylindrical distal shaft portion which is configured to open upon passage of the

balloon on the catheter,

an elongated expandable proximal shaft portion having free edges and having an expander collar wherein the expander collar is a U-shaped structural support member to hold the proximal end of the sheath so as to form a longitudinally tapered interior channel and configured to hold open the free edges to form a single diverging split in the elongate shaft that expands proximally from the closed cylindrical distal shaft portion, the elongated expandable proximal shaft portion having the single diverging split being configured to guide the catheter to the closed cylindrical distal shaft portion.

16. The sheath of claim 15 wherein the closed cylindrical distal shaft portion has a score line which facilitates opening of the closed cylindrical distal shaft portion upon passage of the balloon therethrough.

17. The sheath of claim 16 wherein the free edges of the proximal shaft portion define an elongated slit.

18. The sheath of claim 17 wherein the score line on the closed cylindrical distal portion is at least in part aligned with the elongated slit.

19. The sheath of claim 17 wherein the expander collar at the proximal end thereof has opposed exterior finger grips.

20. The sheath of claim 15 wherein the expander collar at the proximal end thereof has opposed exterior finger grips.

21. The sheath of claim 15 wherein the U-shaped structural support member is provided with opposed exterior finger grips.

25. The sheath of claim 15, wherein the expander collar is located on an interior of the elongated expandable proximal shaft portion.

26. A sheath for delivery of a catheter through a passageway to an intracorporeal site, comprising:

an elongated shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, the elongated shaft having a cylindrical distal shaft portion and an expandable proximal shaft portion,

the expandable proximal shaft portion having a single slit defining two free edges and having an expander collar located on an interior of the expandable proximal shaft portion, wherein the expander collar is a U-shaped structural support member to hold the proximal end of the sheath so as to form a longitudinally tapered interior channel, the expander collar being configured to hold open the two free edges of the expandable proximal shaft portion in the absence of external forces applied to the sheath to form a single diverging split in the elongated shaft that expands proximally from the cylindrical distal shaft portion toward the proximal end, the expandable proximal shaft portion having the single diverging split being configured to guide the catheter to the cylindrical distal shaft portion.

27. The sheath of claim 26 wherein the cylindrical distal shaft portion has a score line aligned with the single slit which facilitates splitting of the cylindrical distal shaft portion upon passage of the catheter through the cylindrical distal shaft portion.