Tissue specimen bag furling device and method

A device for furling a tissue specimen retrieval bag, comprising:

• a housing supporting a spindle assembly therein, the spindle assembly including a drive shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a gear disposed therebetween;
• an activation switch pivotably coupled to the housing and configured for selective, operable engagement with the gear, the activation switch selectively positionable relative to the gear between a first position wherein the gear and drive shaft are locked from rotation in a first direction and a second position wherein the gear and drive shaft are free to rotate in the first direction;
• an elongated shaft operably coupled to the distal end of the drive shaft and configured for rotation therewith, the elongated shaft including a slot defined therein and configured to operably engage a dowel pin associated with the tissue specimen bag for loading the tissue specimen bag atop the elongated shaft;
• and
• a biasing element configured to provide a rotational load to the drive shaft,
• wherein, once the dowel pin is operably engaged within the slot of the elongated shaft, actuation of the activation switch to the second position rotates the drive shaft and the elongated shaft to furl the tissue specimen bag about the elongated shaft.

A method of furling a tissue specimen bag, comprising:

• loading a tissue specimen bag onto an elongated shaft of a tissue furler, the tissue furler including:
• a housing supporting a spindle assembly therein, the spindle assembly including a drive shaft having a gear disposed therebetween, the elongated shaft operably coupled to a distal end of the drive shaft for rotation therewith;
• an activation switch pivotably coupled to the housing and configured for selective, operable engagement with the gear, the activation switch selectively positionable relative to the gear between a first position wherein the gear and drive shaft are locked from rotation in a first direction and a second position wherein the gear and drive shaft are free to rotate in the first direction;
• a biasing element configured to provide a rotational load to the drive shaft;
• and
• actuating the activation switch to rotate the drive shaft and the elongated shaft to furl the tissue specimen bag about the elongated shaft.