Soft cannula and methods for use

Details Soft cannula and methods for use Soft cannula and methods for use

1999-07-23

2001-01-09

Kennedy, Sharon (Department: 3763)

Surgery

Means for introducing or removing material from body for...

Treating material introduced into or removed from body...

C604S175000, C604S164110, C604S506000, C604S264000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06171282

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a soft cannula and methods for insertion into, removal from, and use within a patient's body cavity.
During many types of arthroscopic operations a rigid cannula is inserted into a patients body to provide access for medical instruments. The rigidity of the cannula creates several problems: large insertion points are generally required to accommodate the circumference of the rigid cannula; the circumference available for manipulating the instruments is strictly limited; the gasket or ribbing on the outer circumference of the cannula provides very little traction; and apparatus for sealing the cannula tends to leak.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,517 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,611 (the “Bonutti et al. references”) are directed to cannulas that are inserted through tissue in an unexpanded condition. Once inserted, the inserted cannula is expanded radially to allow for instrument passage. Each Bonutti et al. cannula uses a plurality of wires or longitudinally extending members that extend through the length of the of the cannula to expand an elastic sheath. To use a Bonutti et al. cannula, a narrow trocar is inserted into the cannula which are then jointly inserted into a small incision in the patient's epidermis. A small tubular insert is then inserted between the cannula and the trocar to expand the cannula radially and allow the trocar to be removed. Additional tubular inserts of progressively increasing diameters are then inserted into the cannula. A final full sized tube is left in place within the expanded cannula so that medical instruments may be inserted there through. Although the Bonutti et al. cannulas may provide an expanding circumference that allow for a small insertion point, problems such as the strict limitation of the circumference available for manipulating instruments, little traction, and leakage are not addressed. Further, it is questionable as to whether the Bonutti et al. Cannulas are significantly flexible.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The soft cannula of the present invention allows more room for manipulation of surgical instruments, more traction to prevent the cannula from slipping out of its insertion point, can be closed with a standard clamp, and can be sealed with an elastic band or clamp to form a substantially leak proof seal.
More specifically, a cannula of the present invention includes a flexible exosheath having an open body insertion end and an open instrument insertion end. A flexible, shape retainable annular member is preferably annularly attached to the body insertion end of the flexible exosheath. Preferably the cannula also includes a retrieval suture attached to the annular member. The body insertion end is designed to be positioned within a patient's body cavity so that medical instruments may be inserted into the instrument insertion end and thereby have access to the patient's body cavity. The cannula may also include an annular constriction band integral with the flexible exosheath and positioned between the body insertion end and the instrument insertion end.
The present invention also includes two preferred methods of insertion of the soft cannula. One method attaches the soft cannula to an attachment member of an inserter so that both are inserted together into the patient's body cavity. The annular member is then dislodged from the attachment member and the inserter is withdrawn from the patient's body cavity. The second preferred method uses a pre-inserted rigid cannula through which a compressed soft cannula and an alternate inserter are inserted. When the soft cannula is in position, the alternate inserter is removed from the retrieval suture as the inserter is withdrawn, leaving the soft cannula in place.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5151105 (1992-09-01), Kwan-Gett
patent: 5257980 (1993-11-01), Van Antwerp et al.
patent: 5320611 (1994-06-01), Bonutti et al.
patent: 5391156 (1995-02-01), Hildwein et al.
patent: 5573517 (1996-11-01), Bonutti et al.
patent: 5730724 (1998-03-01), Plishka et al.
patent: 5766220 (1998-06-01), Moenning
patent: 5947940 (1999-09-01), Beisel

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