Arthroscopic flexible portal cannula device and delivery system
AssigneeCannuflow, Inc.
InventorTheodore R. Kucklick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flexible cannula device and delivery system for use in arthroscopic surgery. The delivery system engages the flexible cannula from the inside near the distal tip and pushes it into the surgical portal, essentially pulling the proximal portion of the cannula from the distal tip while being pushed from the proximal end with the specialized driver. The delivery system provides for single point engagement at the distal tip as well as a multiplicity of engagement points along the length of the system.
Claims21
A system for delivering a flexible cannula into the body for use in an arthroscopic procedure, said system comprising:
- a rigid driver, said rigid driver comprising a rigid tube with a lumen, a distal tip, and an outer surface, said rigid driver further comprising a distally extending protrusion disposed on the outer surface of the rigid tube just proximal to the rigid tube distal tip;
- a cannula, said cannula having a distal tip and a proximal end, said cannula further having a lumen, said distal tip having a proximally extending lip defining a groove sized and dimensioned to receive the distally extending protrusion of the rigid tube;
- said rigid tube distally extending protrusion engaging with the cannula proximally extending lip when the rigid driver is inserted through the proximal end of the cannula through the cannula lumen.
A method of delivering a flexible cannula into the body for use in an arthroscopic procedure, said method comprising:
- providing a rigid driver, said rigid driver comprising a rigid tube with a lumen, a distal tip, and an outer surface, said rigid driver further comprising a distally extending protrusion disposed on the outer surface of the rigid tube just proximal to the rigid tube distal tip;
- providing a cannula, said cannula having a distal tip and a proximal end, said cannula further having a lumen, said distal tip having a proximally extending lip defining a groove sized and dimensioned to receive the distally extending protrusion of the rigid tube;
- providing a switching stick;
- inserting the rigid driver through the lumen of the cannula, wherein said distally extending protrusion engages with the cannula proximally extending lip, and wherein the rigid driver distal tip extends beyond the cannula distal tip;
- inserting the switching stick through the lumen of the rigid driver;
- inserting the switching stick into a surgical portal until the cannula is in a desirable position;
- withdrawing the switching stick;
- and
- withdrawing the rigid driver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.