Body tissue penetrating device having a vacuum indicator
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorsH. Jonathan Tovey, Sidney D. Autry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for penetrating body tissue. The apparatus includes a handle member having a gas pressure chamber positioned therein and a shaft member having a longitudinal bore therethrough and one end connected to the handle member. The longitudinal bore in the shaft member is in cooperative alignment with the gas pressure chamber to facilitate the passage of gases therethrough. The apparatus also includes a pressure indicating system which provides a visual indication when the shaft member has penetrated the body tissue.
Claims18
Apparatus for penetrating body tissue, which comprises:
- a shaft member having a pressure chamber positioned at a proximal end thereof and a free distal end adapted to penetrate body tissue, said pressure chamber being in gaseous communication with said free distal end;
- and
- a pressure change indicator slidably mounted within the pressure chamber for sensing and indicating a pressure change adjacent said free distal end.
Apparatus for penetrating body tissue, which comprises:
- a handle member having a gas pressure chamber positioned therein;
- a shaft member having a longitudinal bore therethrough and a first end connected to a distal end of said handle member and extending outwardly therefrom to a second free end, said free end having tissue penetrating means thereon, said longitudinal bore being in communication with said gas pressure chamber to facilitate the passage of gas therein;
- and
- a pressure change indicator slidably mounted within said gas pressure chamber and operatively associated with said longitudinal bore for sensing and indicating a pressure change adjacent the second free end.
Apparatus for penetrating body tissue, which comprises:
- a housing adapted for hand gripping and having a pressure chamber positioned therein;
- means extending from said housing to a free end for penetrating body tissue, said penetrating means having a passageway therethrough which is in communication with at least a portion of said pressure chamber;
- and
- means slidably mounted within said pressure chamber and operatively associated with said passageway for sensing and indicating a pressure change adjacent said free end of said penetrating means.
A method for penetrating body tissue comprising:
- providing an apparatus for penetrating body tissue, said apparatus having a handle member having a gas pressure chamber positioned therein, a shaft member having a longitudinal bore therethrough and one end connected to a distal end of said handle member and extending outwardly therefrom, said longitudinal bore being in cooperative alignment with at least a portion of said gas pressure chamber so as to facilitate the passage of gases therethrough, and pressure change indicating means slidably mounted within said gas pressure chamber for indicating when a free end of said hollow shaft member has penetrated the body tissue in response to a pressure change adjacent said free end of said shaft member;
- connecting a gas pressure source to said handle member;
- and
- penetrating the body tissue with said apparatus such that after penetration, said pressure change indicating means is activated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.