Cannula valve and seal system

A surgical apparatus for introducing an instrument into a patient comprising:

• a cannula having a long central axis, a first end, a second end and a lumen running therethrough;
• a cannula housing removably attached to said cannula;
• a first seal means located within said cannula housing for preventing the leakage of insufflation gas from said patient when said cannula is located in said patient, said first seal means including two opposed lips which contact each other across a slit located between them, wherein said first seal means has a normally closed state and an open state when an instrument is introduced into said lumen of said cannula, said two lips of said first seal means each including an internal and an external edge and a substantially flat intermediate section between said internal and external edges, wherein said internal and external edges and said substantially flat intermediate sections of said lips are in substantial contact with each other when said first seal means is in said closed state, said first seal means including a distal end having a relatively flat external surface which is perpendicular to said long central axis of said cannula, said relatively flat external surface having a width X, said first seal means further having a generally V-shaped cross-section and further including a proximal end and an inner and outer surface which define the sidewalls of said first seal means, said first seal means further including a relatively flat internal surface extending from said internal edges of said lips to said internal sidewalls of said first seal means, wherein the distance between said internal and external edges of said two lips is approximately 1/2 X, and further wherein said first seal means is removably attached to said cannula housing;
• a reducer subassembly attachable to said cannula housing, said reducer subassembly including an internal lumen and further comprising a hollow, movable tubular means having an internal bore therethrough and located within the lumen of said reducer subassembly and concentrically aligned with the long central axis of said cannula, and a spring means located within said reducer subassembly for normally biasing said tubular means away from said first seal means;
• and,
• a hollow tubular means having an internal bore therethrough and located within the lumen of said reducer subassembly and concentrically aligned with the long central axis of said cannula, said hollow tubular means having a first end located near the inner surface of said first seal means which restricts the inward movement and collapse of said lips of said first seal means when an instrument is withdrawn through the lumen of said cannula,
• wherein when an instrument passes through said lumen of said cannula it first comes into contact with the internal edge of said two lips which absorbs the trauma of said contact and parts thereby protecting said external edges so that said first seal means will form a substantially gas-leakproof seal after said instrument is removed and,
• wherein when force is applied to said tubular means against said bias of said spring means, the tubular means contacts the inner surface of said first seal means and opens said first seal means creating a pathway through said first seal means so that an instrument can pass through said hollow interior bore of said tubular means without contacting said first seal means and without interfering with removal of tissues through said cannula.

A surgical apparatus for introducing an instrument into a patient comprising:

• a cannula having a long central axis, a first end, a second end and a lumen running therethrough;
• a cannula housing removably attached to said cannula;
• a first seal means located within said cannula housing for preventing the leakage of insufflation gas from said patient when said cannula is located in said patient, said first seal means including two opposed lips which contact each other across a slit located between them, wherein said first seal means has a normally closed state and an open state when an instrument is introduced into said lumen of said cannula, the two lips of said first seal means each including an internal and an external edge and a substantially flat intermediate section between said internal and external edges, wherein said internal and external edges and said substantially flat intermediate sections of said lips are in substantial contact with each other when said first seal means is in said closed state, said first seal means including a distal end having a relatively flat external surface which is perpendicular to said long central axis of said cannula, said relatively flat external surface having a width X, said first seal means having a generally V-shaped cross-section and further including a proximal end and an inner and outer surface which define the sidewalls of said first seal means, said first seal means further including a relatively flat internal surface extending from said internal edges of said lips to said internal sidewalls of said first seal means, wherein the distance between the internal and external edges of said two lips is approximately 1/2 X;
• a reducer subassembly removably attached to said cannula housing, said reducer subassembly including an internal lumen;
• a hollow tubular means having an internal bore therethrough and located within the lumen of said subassembly and concentrically aligned with the long central axis of said cannula, said hollow tubular means having a first end located near the inner surface of said first seal which restricts the inward movement and collapse of said lips of said first seal means when an instrument is withdrawn through the lumen of said cannula;
• and,
• external seal storage means connected to and located on the exterior of said apparatus for storing one or more seal means,
• wherein when an instrument passes through said lumen of said cannula it first comes into contact with the internal edge of said two lips which absorbs the trauma of said contact and parts thereby protecting said external edges so that said first seal means will form a substantially gas-leakproof seal after said instrument is removed.