Trocar for improved fluid pressure management during endoscopic surgery
AssigneeUniversity of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorGeorge M. Pantalos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A trocar for arthroscopy and other endoscopic surgeries is provided, including a diaphragm seal, in which the assembly as a whole provides adequate insufflation of the body compartment during a procedure, while limiting or eliminating the leakage of insufflation fluid from the rear of the trocar, thus maintaining adequate insufflation pressure management. The design, placement, and spacing associated with said diaphragm seal provides an enhanced interface between the diaphragm opening and a surgical instrument inserted through such opening to gain access to the body compartment of a surgical patient.
Claims15
A trocar for use with a surgical instrument, comprising:
- a trocar housing with an inner chamber, a rear insert and a forward insert;
- at least one tapered diaphragm seal, having two non-parallel, opposing surfaces that taper from an outer edge of the diaphragm seal to form an opening;
- a forward valve and a rear valve, each having a valve opening, wherein the rear valve opening is closer to the diaphragm seal opening than is the forward valve opening, and the distance between the rear valve and the forward valve is substantially statically maintained.
A diaphragm seal for a trocar, comprising two non-parallel, opposing surfaces that taper from an outer edge of the diaphragm seal to form an opening, wherein the opposing surfaces taper toward the opening at an angle of about 5 to about 30 degrees, and wherein the diaphragm seal is configured to be secured to an end cap of the trocar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.