Trocar-cannula complex, cannula and method for delivering fluids during minimally invasive surgery

A trocar-cannula complex for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures performed through a port site of a patient, comprising:

• a trocar;
• and
• a fluid delivery cannula comprising a multilayer tubular structure including a central lumen receiving said trocar and an outer surface adapted to interface with tissue at the port site, said fluid delivery cannula further including at least one fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet and being at least partially positioned between two separate layers of said tubular structure, said outlet communicating with said outer surface for delivering fluid thereto.

A fluid delivery cannula for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures performed through a port site of a patient, comprising:

• a tubular structure including a central lumen configured to receive a trocar and an outer surface adapted to interface with tissue at the port site, said tubular structure further including at least one fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet communicating with said outer surface for delivering fluid thereto.

A fluid delivery cannula for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures performed through a port site of a patient, comprising:

• a radially expandable tubular structure including a central lumen configured to receive a trocar and an outer surface adapted to interface with tissue at the port site, said tubular structure further including a distal end and at least one fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet communicating with at least one of said outer surface and said distal end for delivering fluid thereto.

A method of performing a minimally invasive surgical procedure using a trocar-cannula complex with a cannula portion having a lumen configured to receive a trocar and a separate fluid passage configured to receive fluid from an inlet on the trocar-cannula complex and deliver the fluid to an outlet on an outside surface of the cannula portion, the method comprising:

• introducing the trocar-cannula complex through a port site of a patient,
• coupling the inlet of the fluid passage to a source of fluid, and
• delivering the fluid from the inlet through the fluid passage and the outlet on the outside surface of the cannula portion into contact with the patient.

A method of performing a minimally invasive surgical procedure using a trocar and a cannula having at least a portion that is radially expandable, the cannula further including a distal end, an outside surface, a lumen configured to receive the trocar, and a fluid passage extending from an inlet to an outlet on at least one of the outside surface and the distal end, the method comprising:

• introducing the cannula and trocar through a port site of a patient,
• coupling the inlet of the fluid passage to a source of fluid, and
• delivering the fluid from the inlet through the fluid passage to the outlet and into contact with the patient.