WO2014147451A1

WO2014147451A1 - A monolithic trocar head with valves

Info

Publication number: WO2014147451A1
Application number: PCT/IB2013/052304
Authority: WO
Inventors: Demircan CANADINC; Senol Ibrahim CARILLI
Original assignee: Koc Universitesi
Priority date: 2013-03-22
Filing date: 2013-03-22
Publication date: 2014-09-25
Also published as: EP2976027A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a trocar, more particularly to a trocar head and valve which isolates the internal body cavity from external environment while a laparoscopic instrument is inserted into the body cavity through the trocar as well as while no laparoscopic instrument is inserted through the trocar. A trocar (1), which is used in various laparoscopic and other minimal invasive surgeries and through which the instruments and/or devices to be used during operation and/or surgery are passed and are inserted inside the patient's body, comprises at least one trocar body (2) at least a part of which enters inside the patient's body, at least one monolithic head (3) consisting of, an outer surface (35) at least a part of which has an increased frictional coefficient to prevent slipping and enabling better gripping, an inner surface (36) with reduced frictional coefficient to enhance slipping ability of medical instrument inside the head (3), at least one passageway (31) for receiving medical instrument, at least one diaphragm seal (32) monolithically formed inside the head (3) isolating interior of the patient's body from exterior while no medical instrument is introduced, at least one subsidiary seal (33) monolithically formed inside the head (3) forming a seal around the medical instrument.

Description

A MONOLITHIC TROCAR HEAD WITH VALVES

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a trocar, more particularly to a trocar head with valves formed inside the head which isolates the internal body cavity from external environment while a laparoscopic instrument is inserted into the body cavity through the trocar as well as while no laparoscopic instrument is inserted through the trocar.

Background of the Invention

Surgical instruments such as but not limited to camera and scissors used during closed surgeries are inserted inside the abdominal cavity through the apparatus called trocar. The trocars placed inside the incisions made on the abdominal wall have various valve mechanisms in order to prevent the gases constituting the intra-abdominal pressure from going out of the body. Therefore valve mechanism is a vital part of a trocar. Conventional trocars consists a head portion which encapsulates the valve mechanism. Said head portion means the part of the trocar that stays out of the patients' body and internal cavity. Most of the times valve mechanisms of trocars consist of multiple elements in order to prevent gas flow from internal cavity of a patient to outside when both a laparoscopic instrument is inserted through the trocar and no laparoscopic instrument are inserted. Complexity and multi-part construction of these valves makes them prone to failures. In addition, trocars including multi-part valves have relatively large head portions to provide sufficient space for the valve mechanism. A large head portion provides increased handling capability to operator; nevertheless, larger head portions cause loss of maneuverability ability especially when trocars placed close to each other. Although some patent applications showing relatively small head portions exist, they have ring like structures attached to the head to serve better grasping. It would be very difficult to pull the trocar out of the patient's body if there were no ring like protrusions since the body of the trocar is made of hard and slippery material.

International patent application no PCT/IB 12/052677 discloses a trocar with an enhanced maneuver capability. Outer diameter of the upper body of said trocar is almost the same as outer diameter of the lower body. A simple valve mechanism is placed in said upper body. But, PCT/IB 12/052677 is silent about how the operator would hold the trocar and pull out it. A skilled person in the art would place a head portion to the upper body to hold the trocar and pull the trocar out of the body. Another drawback of PCT/IB 12/052677 is that valve mechanism is inside the upper body. Valve mechanism inside upper body decreases effective inner diameter of upper body, therefore; limits the diameter of laparoscopic instrument that can be placed.

The United States patent document no US 2007/0232988, another application known in the state of the art, discloses a trocar-cannula device. Two ring like structures are added to upper end of the cannula for better grasping. Although said rings are useful for better grasping, they causes discomfort to the operator. Another drawback of said application is its complicated valve mechanism. The valve mechanism is placed inside the upper part of the cannula; hence, making the inner diameter of upper part less efficient (see figure 20 of US 2007/0232988). It is necessary to construct a larger upper part to eliminate the ineffective usage of inner diameter, which automatically causing problems when multiple trocars are present close to each other.

The United States patent document no US 5330437, another application known in the state of the art, discloses a self sealing elastomeric valve and a trocar assembly incorporating it. Elastomeric valve placed inside the head portion of the trocar; therefore, inner and outer diameters of the trocar are increased at the upper body as best seen in figures 9 and 10 of US 5330437. A handle housing is placed at the head portion. Handling portions hamper multiple trocars to be placed close to each other.

Summary of the Invention

The objective of the present invention is to provide a trocar with a monolithic head with valves.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a trocar that has an improved handling ability without need of a large head portion or ring like protrusions. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a trocar and head which enables effective use of inner diameter of the trocar body.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a head with valves which enables the placement of multiple trocars close to each other.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a head with valves that is simple and easy to produce.

Detailed Description of the Invention

"A monolithic trocar head with valves" realized to fulfill the objectives of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which:

Figure 1 is the cross-section view of the trocar with monolithic head with valves Figure 2 is the cross-section view of the inventive monolithic trocar head with valves. The components in the figures are numbered individually, where the numbers refer to the following:

1. Trocar

2. Trocar body

3. Head

31. Passageway

32. Diaphragm seal

33. Subsidiary seal

34. Housing

35. Outer surface

36. Inner surface

37. Point gate

A trocar (1), which is used in various laparoscopic and other minimal invasive surgeries and through which the instruments and/or devices to be used during operation and/or surgery are passed and are inserted inside the patient's body, comprises

at least one trocar body (2) at least a part of which enters inside the patient' s body,

at least one monolithic head (3) consisting of,

an outer surface (35) at least a part of which has an increased frictional coefficient to prevent slipping and enabling better gripping, an inner surface (36) with reduced frictional coefficient to enhance slipping ability of medical instrument inside the head (3),

at least one passageway (31) for receiving medical instrument, at least one diaphragm seal (32) monolithically formed inside the head

(3) isolating interior of the patient's body from exterior while no medical instrument is introduced,

at least one subsidiary seal (33) monolithically formed inside the head (3) forming a seal around the medical instrument. The inventive trocar (1) comprises at least one trocar body (2) defining a cannula for placing the medical instrument within the patient's body. In a preferred embodiment of the invention both inner and outer surface of the trocar body (2) has a decreased coefficient of friction. There can be a penetrating tip at one end of the trocar body (2). The penetrating tip is used to penetrate through the abdominal wall or other tissue of the patient where the trocar (1) will be placed. The trocar body (2) can be any kind of medical grade plastics especially hard plastics or appropriate metals. The trocar body (2) can optionally have one or more protrusions that prevent the trocar (1) from moving through the patient's body further by leaning the abdominal wall.

The head (3) isolates the body cavity of the patient form the exterior when both there is a medical instrument inside the trocar (1) and there is no medical instrument inside the trocar (1). The head (3) can be any kind of medical grade polymers especially elastomeric ones. Therefore interior diameter of the head (3) can expand when a medical instrument is present. At least a part of the outer surface (35) of the head (3) has an increased coefficient of friction to prevent slipping and enable better gripping while pulling the trocar (1) out of the patient's body. Increased coefficient of friction can be achieved by roughening the outer surface (35). Alternatively outer surface (35) of the head (3) can be coated with a material that has relatively higher coefficient of friction. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, interior surface (36) of the head (3) has a housing (34) for the trocar body (2) in such a way that at least a part of the outer surface of the trocar body (2) is in contact with at least a part of the interior surface (35) of the head (3). In other words, at least a part of upper side of the trocar body (2) with respect to the patient's body stays inside the head (3). Since the head (3) wraps around outer surface of the trocar body (2), inner diameter of the trocar body (2) can be effectively used by a medical instrument. The head (3) can be adhered to the trocar body (2) by medical glue, heat sealing or the like. In an alternative, but discouraged embodiment of the invention at least a part of the head (3) can be placed inside the trocar body (2) in such a way that outer surface of the head (3) becomes in contact with the inner surface of the trocar body (2).

The head (3) has at least one passageway (31) to receive the medical instrument. The passageway (31) preferably extends along the same axis with the trocar body (2). At least one diaphragm seal (32) is located at the passageway (31). The diaphragm seal (32) is monolithic with the head; therefore, it is made of the same material with the head. The diaphragm seal (32) is preferably has a conical nature whose vertex extends towards the penetrating tip of the trocar body (2) and has a point gate (37) at the vertex that stays closed while there is no medical instrument or another object within the passageway (31). In another embodiment of the invention, the vertex of the diaphragm seal (32) extends towards the upper part of the head (3) with respect to patient's body. The point gate (37) expands when a medical instrument or object is introduced, since the diaphragm seal (32) is elastomeric like head (3). Therefore it isolates the interior of the internal cavity of patient's body while there is no instrument inside or there are objects that have relatively small diameters like wire for example. In addition to diaphragm seal (32) preferably, at least one ring like subsidiary seal (33) is located at the passageway (31). Although ring like subsidiary seal (33) is preferred, any kind of shape that permit the passage of the medical instrument can be used as long as the shape overlaps the medical instrument. Inner surface of the subsidiary seal (33) engages with a medical instrument in order to seal the medical instrument whose size is greater than those could be sealed by the diaphragm seal (32) or whose shape is not suitable for diaphragm seal (32). Inner surface of the head (3) and all surfaces of all elements at the passageway (31) preferably have reduced coefficient of friction in order to allow the medical instruments easily slip. Reduces coefficient of friction can be achieved by coating these surfaces with a non-toxic materials that have low frictional coefficients or polishing or any other suitable technique known in the art. In the preferred embodiment the head (3), diaphragm seal (31) and subsidiary seal (32) are manufactured by injection molding and monolithic. In other words diaphragm seal (31) and subsidiary seal (32) are formed or shaped on the inner surface of the trocar head (3) by injection molding therefore the trocar head (3) is realized as a one piece block. For such a trocar head, the terms "monolithic trocar head" or "monolithic head" is used herein.

The inventive monolithic head (3) and trocar (1) comprising said monolithic head (3) is used during laparoscopic or other minimal invasive surgeries to insert the medical instrument inside the patient' s body. Medical instruments are received by the passageway (31) located along longitudinal axis of the head (3). The head (3) is placed at the upper end of the trocar body (3) with respect to the patient's body. In the preferred embodiment, at least a part of the upper end of the trocar body (3) stays inside the lower part of the head (3). In other words, the trocar body (3) stays in the lower portion of the passageway (31) with respect to patient's body. When the trocar (1) is placed to the patient's body the diaphragm seal (32) protects the air inside the patient's body cavity from going outside of the body while there is no instrument inside the trocar (1). The diaphragm seal (32) also can effectively seal small sized instruments like wires. Subsidiary seal (33), on the other hand; engages with the medical instruments that have relatively large diameters so as to seal them.

It is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive "A MONOLITHIC TROCAR HEAD WITH VALVES". The invention cannot be limited to the examples described herein and it is essentially as defined in the claims.

Claims

A trocar (1), which is used in various laparoscopic and other minimal invasive surgeries and through which the instruments and/or devices to be used during operation and/or surgery are passed and are inserted inside the patient' s body, comprises

at least one trocar body (2) at least a part of which enters inside the patient' s body characterized by

at least one monolithic head (3) consisting of,

at least one subsidiary seal (33) monolithically formed inside the head (3) forming a seal around the medical instrument.

The trocar (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that inner and outer surface of the trocar body (2) has a decreased coefficient of friction.

The trocar (1) according to claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the trocar body (2) is made of medical grade hard plastics.

The trocar (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the trocar body (2) is made of a metal.

The trocar (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the head (3) is made of a medical grade elastomeric material.

6. The trocar (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that at least a part of the outer surface of the head (3) has an increased frictional coefficient. 7. The trocar (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the head (3) is adhered to the trocar body (3).

8. The trocar (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 7 characterized in that at least a part of the head (3) wraps around at least a part of the upper side of the trocar body (2).

9. The trocar (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that at least a part of the head (3) is placed inside the trocar body (2). 10. The trocar (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the diaphragm seal (32) has a conical nature whose vertex extends towards penetrating tip of the trocar body (2) and has a point gate (37) at the vertex that stays closed while there is no medical instrument or another object within the passageway (31).

11. The trocar (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 9 characterized in that the diaphragm seal (32) has a conical nature whose vertex extends towards upper side of the head (3) and has a point gate (37) at the vertex that stays closed while there is no medical instrument or another object within the passageway (31).

12. The trocar (1) according to claims 10 or 11 characterized in that the point gate (37) expands when a medical instrument or object is introduced.

13. The trocar (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the head (3), diaphragm seal (31) and subsidiary seal (32) are monolithic and made of a medical grade elastomeric material. 14. The trocar (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that inner surface of the head (3) and all surfaces of all elements at the passageway (31) have reduced coefficient of friction.