Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02720417 2010-11-08
SEAL ANCHOR INTRODUCER INCLUDING BIASING MEMBER
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a seal for use in a surgical
procedure. More
particularly, the present disclosure relates to a seal anchor member adapted
for insertion into an
incision in tissue, and, for the sealed reception of one or more surgical
objects such that a
substantially fluid-tight seal is formed with both the tissue and the surgical
object, or objects.
2. Background of Related Art
[0003] Today, many surgical procedures are performed through small incisions
in the
skin, as compared to the larger incisions typically required in traditional
procedures. Generally,
such procedures are referred to as "endoscopic", unless performed on the
patient's abdomen, in
which case the procedure is referred to as "laparoscopic". Throughout the
present disclosure, the
term "minimally invasive" should be understood to encompass both endoscopic
and laparoscopic
procedures.
[0004] During a typical minimally invasive procedure, surgical objects, such
as surgical
access devices (e.g., trocar and cannula assemblies) or endoscopes, are
inserted into the patient's
body through an incision in tissue or into a naturally occurring orifice
(e.g., mouth, anus, or
vagina). In general, prior to the introduction of the surgical object into the
patient's body,
insufflation gases are used to enlarge the area surrounding the target
surgical site to create a
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larger, more accessible work area. Accordingly, the maintenance of a
substantially fluid-tight
seal is desirable so as to prevent the escape of the insufflation gases and
the deflation or collapse
of the enlarged surgical site.
[0005] To this end, various valves and seals are used during the course of
minimally
invasive procedures and are widely known in the art. However, a continuing
need exists for a
seal anchor member that can be inserted directly into the incision in tissue
and that can
accommodate a variety of surgical objects while maintaining the integrity of
an insufflated
workspace.
SUMMARY
[0006] Disclosed herein is a seal anchor member that is adapted and configured
to
transition between a first state defining a first length and a second state
defining a second length.
In particular, the seal anchor member includes a leading portion and a
trailing portion. Disposed
between the leading and trailing portions is an intermediate portion that is
transitionable between
the first and second states. A biasing member is disposed in the intermediate
portion for
transitioning the intermediate portion between the first and second states.
The biasing member
may be a spring. The biasing member may be biased towards an expanded state.
For example,
subsequent to compressing the seal anchor member along the longitudinal axis,
the seal anchor
member may begin to transition back toward an expanded state.
[0007] The seal anchor member may include at least one longitudinally
extending lumen
that extends through the leading and trailing portions of the seal anchor
member. The at least
one lumen may be configured to receive therein an object in a substantially
sealed relation. In an
embodiment, the seal anchor member may include one or more lumens that are
coaxial with the
central longitudinal axis of the seal anchor or are parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the seal
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anchor. The biasing member may be disposed longitudinally about the one or
more lumens. In
an embodiment, the biasing member may be disposed on or within an outer
surface of the
intermediate portion.
[0008] An example of a seal anchor member may be found in U.S. Pat. Pub.
2009/0093752, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference. The various
aspects of the present disclosure will be more readily understood from the
following detailed
description when read in conjunction with the appended figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow
with
reference to the drawings, wherein:
[0010] Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a seal anchor member in
accordance with the
principles of the present disclosure shown in an expanded condition
illustrating a seal anchor
member positioned relative to body tissue;
[0011] Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the seal anchor member of Fig. I
shown in a
first state;
[0012] Fig. 2A is a front perspective view of the seal anchor member of Fig. 1
shown in a
second state;
[0013] Fig. 3 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of a seal anchor
member; and
[0014] Fig. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the seal anchor member taken along
section
line 3A-3A of Fig. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0015] In the drawings and in the description which follows, in which like
reference
numerals identify similar or identical elements, the term "proximal" will
refer to the end of the
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apparatus that is closest to the clinician during use, while the term "distal"
will refer to the end
that is farthest from the clinician during use, as is traditional and known in
the art.
[0016] With reference to Figs. 1-2A, a seal anchor member 100 for use in
minimally
invasive surgical procedures will now be described. The seal anchor member 100
is configured
and adapted to be inserted within tissue tract 12 defined by tissue surfaces
14 formed in tissue
"T", e.g., an incision or a naturally occurring orifice (e.g., mouth, anus, or
vagina). Seal anchor
member 100 defines a longitudinal axis "A" and has respective proximal and
distal ends 102,
104 and an intermediate portion 106 disposed between the proximal and distal
ends 102, 104.
[0017] As depicted in Figs. 1-2A, proximal and distal ends 102, 104 define
substantially
planar surfaces. However, embodiments are also contemplated herein in which
either or both of
proximal and distal ends 102, 104 define surfaces that are substantially
concave or convex to
assist in the insertion of seal anchor member 100 within tissue tract 12.
Intermediate portion 106
defines a radial dimension "R" and extends longitudinally between the proximal
and distal ends
102, 104 to define an axial dimension or length "L". As shown in Figs. 1-2A,
the radial
dimension "R" of intermediate portion 106 varies along the length "L", i.e.,
the cross-sectional
dimension may vary long length "L", to facilitate anchoring of the seal anchor
member 100
within tissue "T". However, in an embodiment of the seal anchor member 100,
the radial
dimension "R" may remain substantially uniform along the length "L".
[0018] The radial dimension "R" of intermediate portion 106 is appreciably
less than the
respective diameters D1, D2 of proximal and distal ends 102, 104 such that
seal anchor member
100 defines an "hour-glass" shape or configuration to assist in anchoring seal
anchor member
100 within tissue "T". However, in an alternate embodiment, the radial
dimension "R" of
intermediate portion 106 may be substantially equivalent to the respective
diameters Dl, D2 of
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proximal and distal ends 102, 104. In cross-section, intermediate portion 106
may exhibit any
suitable configuration, e.g., substantially circular, oval, or oblong.
[0019] Seal anchor member 100 includes a port 101 disposed about a central
longitudinal
axis "A" and will be described in more detail below. It is to be understood
that in alternative
embodiments, port 101 may be positioned differently, e.g., not coaxial about
central longitudinal
axis "A" and the seal anchor member 100 may include a plurality of ports. In
addition, the seal
anchor 100 may be devoid of any port.
[0020] Port 101 in the absence of a surgical object inserted therein is
configured and
adapted to prevent the escape of insufflation gas through the port 101. For
example, the port 101
may be a slit extending the longitudinal length of the seal anchor member 100
through the
proximal and distal ends 102, 104. Alternatively, port 101 may define an
opening within the seal
anchor member 100 having an initial open state having a first inner dimension
and upon the
introduction of a surgical object, the port 101 transitions to a second state
having a second inner
dimension configured and adapted to accommodate the surgical object such that
a substantially
fluid-tight seal is formed therewith by substantially approximating the size
and shape of the
surgical object to inhibit the escape of insufflation gas through the port 101
in the presence of the
surgical object.
[0021] The seal anchor member 100 is configured and adapted to transition
between a
first state (Fig. 2) and a second state (Fig. 2A) to facilitate insertion of
the seal anchor member
100 within tissue "T". As shown in Figs. 1-2A, the seal anchor member 100
includes a biasing
member "SI", e.g., a spring, that facilitates the transition between a first
expanded state shown in
Fig. 2 in which the seal anchor member 100 has a length L1 and a second
collapsed state shown
in Fig. 2A in which the seal anchor member 100 has a length L2. The biasing
member "S 1" is
CA 02720417 2010-11-08
biased towards the expanded state as shown in Fig. 2. A surgeon may collapse
the seal anchor
member 100 such that the seal anchor member 100 has a collapsed length L2.
Subsequent to
insertion of the seal anchor member 100, biasing member S 1 will facilitate
transition back to the
expanded condition in which the seal anchor member has a length L1. The seal
anchor member
100 will therefore transition toward the expanded condition. The biasing
member "Si" is
positioned within the seal anchor member 100 such that the biasing member "Si"
does not
interfere with the function of port 101. It is noted that in other
embodiments, the seal anchor
member 100 may be biased toward a collapsed state.
[0022] In an alternative embodiment shown in Figs. 3-3A, a seal anchor member
200
having an intermediate portion 206 is shown. A biasing member "S2" may be
disposed on or
within a surface 206a, i.e., the outer wall, of an intermediate portion 206
extending between
proximal rim (trailing end) 210 and distal rim (leading end) 212. Biasing
member "S2" is
configured and adapted to be biased in a direction along longitudinal axis "B"
to facilitate a
transition between an expanded first state and a collapsed second state. The
seal anchor member
200 may include a plurality of ports 208 secured to the intermediate portion
206 by connective
members 214 such that the longitudinal portion of the ports 208 remain
substantially constant
with respect to the respective proximal and distal rims 210, 212 during
insertion and removal of
the surgical object.
[00231 It is contemplated that biasing members Si, S2 may be formed from any
material
and have any configuration such that biasing members S 1, S2 will have an
internal biasing force.
For example, biasing members S 1, S2 may be a coiled wire and may be formed
from a shape
memory material, e.g., nitinol, such that biasing members Si, S2 provide a
bias in a particular
direction to facilitate either the compression or expansion of seal anchor
members 100, 200.
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[00241 Although the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure have
been
described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above
description, disclosure,
and figures should not be construed as limiting, but merely as
exemplifications of particular
embodiments. It is to be understood, therefore, that the disclosure is not
limited to those precise
embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected
therein by one
skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the
disclosure.
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