Tool insertion device for use in minimally invasive surgery

An insertion device for inserting a surgical tool into a patient cavity for use in an endoscopic procedure;

• the surgical tool comprising an instrument base connection point;
• the insertion device comprising an extracorporeal arm, an intracorporeal arm, and a segment connecting said intracorporeal arm to said extracorporeal arm;
• said intracorporeal arm being spaced below said extracorporeal arm;
• said intracorporeal arm and said extracorporeal arm being generally in the same vertical plane;
• said extracorporeal arm extending over at least a portion of said intracorporeal arm;
• said extracorporeal arm comprising an alignment slot therealong;
• said intracorporeal arm having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an upwardly opening tray in said upper surface;
• said tray having side walls, a front wall and a back wall to define cavity;
• said tray being shaped to retain the surgical tool in the tray during insertion of the intracorporeal arm through an incision in a patient;
• said tray being aligned with said slot of said extracorporeal arm and being adapted to removably receive and hold said surgical tool such that said instrument connection point is aligned with said alignment slot of said extracorporeal arm when said surgical tool is received in and held by said tray.

An insertion device for inserting a surgical tool into a patient cavity for use in an endoscopic procedure;

• the insertion device comprising:
• a. an extracorporeal arm;
• b. an intracorporeal arm operatively connected to said extracorporeal arm and spaced vertically below said extracorporeal arm to be generally in the same vertical plane as said extracorporeal arm;
• said extracorporeal arm extending over at least a portion of said intracorporeal arm;
• said intracorporeal arm comprising an upper surface, a lower surface and upwardly opening tray in said upper surface for receiving the surgical tool from a direction normal to said intracorporeal arm and for removably holding the surgical tool in the intracorporeal arm against movement of the surgical tool relative to the intracorporeal arm;
• said tray having side walls, a front wall and a back wall to define cavity;
• said tray being shaped to retain the surgical tool in the tray during insertion of the intracorporeal arm through an incision in a patient;
• c. anchoring means connectable to the surgical tool for anchoring said surgical tool against an inner surface of a patient cavity;
• said anchoring means having a first end and a second end;
• said first end being adapted to be removably connected to said surgical tool;
• and
• d. aligning means in said extracorporeal arm for receiving said anchoring means through an edge of said extracorporeal arm and for aligning said anchoring means first end with a connection point on said surgical tool to facilitate connection of said anchoring means first end to the surgical tool;
• said aligning means being aligned with said receiving means of said intracorporeal arm;
• e. a slide tube movable relative to said extracorporeal arm between a first position in which said aligning means can receive said anchoring means though said edge of said extracorporeal arm and a second position in which said aligning means is closed to prevent removal of said anchoring means through said edge of said extracorporeal arm.