Reclosable pouch for laparoscopic use

A surgical device for attachment to a bag for insertion of the bag into a body cavity and for manipulation of the bag to retrieve a mass, the surgical device comprising:

• an elongated wand having a front end for placement in the body cavity and an opposing back end for extending out of the body cavity for access by the surgeon;
• an elongated flexible rod having a pivot end attached to the front end of the wand, a handle opposing the pivot end and lying close and parallel to the back end of the wand for extending out of the body cavity for access by the surgeon, and a flexible portion between the pivot end and the handle of the rod, wherein the flexible portion bows out from the front end of the wand when the handle is pushed forward toward the front end of the wand and the flexible portion straightens to lie close and parallel to the front end of the wand when the handle is pulled backward away from the front end of the wand;
• and
• a connection means slidably connecting and holding close together the handle of the rod and the back end of the wand, wherein the connection means engages the flexible rod from the handle forward to the flexible portion, the connection means having a front extremity for determining a location where the flexible portion transitions from lying close and parallel to the front end of the wand to bowing out from the front end of the wand,
• wherein the front end of the wand and flexible portion of the rod are adapted for securely receiving the bag so that, when the flexible portion bows out, the bag opens, and, when the flexible portion straightens, the bag closes.

A surgical device for insertion into a body cavity and for manipulation to retrieve a mass, the surgical device comprising:

• an elongated wand having a front end for placement in the body cavity and an opposing back end for extending out of the body cavity for access by the surgeon,
• an elongated rod having a pivot end attached to the front end of the wand, a handle opposing the pivot end and lying close and parallel to the back end of the wand for extending out of the body cavity for access by the surgeon, and a flexible portion between the pivot end and the handle of the rod, wherein the flexible portion bows out from the front end of the wand when the handle is pushed forward toward the front end of the wand and the flexible portion straightens to lie close and parallel to the front end of the wand when the handle is pulled backward away from the front end of the wand;
• a connection means slidably connecting and holding close together the handle of the rod and the back end of the wand, wherein the connection means engages the rod from the handle forward to the flexible portion, the connection means having a front extremity for determining a location where the flexible portion transitions from lying close and parallel to the front end of the wand to bowing out from the front end of the wand;
• and
• a bag having a wall defining an interior space, an entryway for communication with the interior space, and an edge surrounding the entryway and attached to the front end of the wand and the flexible portion of the rod, so that when the flexible portion bows, the bag opens and, when the flexible portion straightens, the bag closes.

A surgical method for manipulating and retrieving a mass from a body cavity, the method comprising:

• directing a surgical device through a laparoscopic sleeve into the body cavity, the surgical device comprising:
• an elongated wand having a front end and an opposing back end;
• an elongated rod having a pivot end attached to the front end of the wand, a handle opposing the pivot end and lying close and parallel to the back end of the wand, and a flexible portion between the pivot end and the handle of the rod;
• a connection means slidably connecting and holding close together the handle of the rod and the back end of the wand;
• and
• a bag having a wall defining an interior space, an entryway for communication with the interior space, and an edge surrounding the entryway and attached to the front end of the wand and flexible portion of the rod;
• opening the entryway of the bag by pushing the handle of the rod forward toward the front end of the wand so that the flexible portion of the rod bows out from the front end of the wand;
• directing the bag relative to the mass so that the mass moves through the entryway of the bag into the interior space of the bag;
• and
• closing the entryway of the bag by pulling the handle of the rod backward away from the front end of the wand so that the flexible portion of the rod straightens to lie close and parallel to the front end of the wand.