| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080200767 | WOUND RETRACTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A surgical wound retractor is adapted to dilate a wound stretchable to a desired diameter, the retractor includes a first ring having a diameter greater than that desired for the wound and being adapted for disposition interiorly of the wound. A second ring has a diameter greater than that desired for the wound and is adapted for disposition exteriorly of the wound. A plurality of retraction elements are disposed in a generally cylindrical relationship to each other, between the first ring and the second ring. These elements extend through the wound to exert a radial retraction force on the wound which is dependent on the distance separating the first ring and the second ring. Retraction elements, both distensible and non-distensible are contemplated with appropriate attachment means at the rings to provide for variations in the retraction force. With a suitable retraction sleeve, a third ring can be provided to form a circumferential retainer to vary the retraction force. Rings can also be made inflatable or self-expanding to vary the retraction force. An associated method includes the step of rolling the second ring circumferentially of the third ring to form the circumferential retainer. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20090005739 | MULTI-SEAL TROCAR SYSTEM - A multi-seal trocar system includes a plurality of co-axial sealing elements adapted for forming a seal with either a large or small instrument. Small and large sealing elements are disposed in an in-line arrangement such that a-single port is provided for instrument insertion. A zero seal is disposed distally of the sealing elements to seal a working channel of the system and to prevent backflow when no instruments are inserted. The small sealing element is configured such that insertion of a large instrument automatically moves the small sealing element out of its path, thereby avoiding contact with the large instrument. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090131754 | SURGICAL ACCESS APPARATUS AND METHOD - A surgical access device includes a single valve that forms a seal with the body wall and provides an access channel into a body cavity. The valve has properties for creating a zero seal in the absence of an instrument as well as an instrument seal with instruments having a full range of instrument diameter. The valve can include a gel and preferably an ultragel comprised of an elastomer and an oil providing elongation greater than 1000 percent and durometer less than 5 Shore A. The single valve can be used as a hand port where the instrument comprises the arm of a surgeon, thereby providing hand access into the cavity. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090137879 | SURGICAL ACCESS APPARATUS AND METHOD - A surgical access device includes a single valve that forms a seal with the body wall and provides an access channel into a body cavity. The valve has properties for creating a zero seal in the absence of an instrument as well as an instrument seal with instruments having a full range of instrument diameter. The valve can include a gel and preferably an ultragel comprised of an elastomer and an oil providing elongation greater than 1000 percent and durometer less than 5 Shore A. The single valve can be used as a hand port where the instrument comprises the arm of a surgeon, thereby providing hand access into the cavity. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090248007 | ELECTROSURGICAL SYSTEM - An electrosurgical system can include an electrosurgical generator, a feedback circuit or controller, and an electrosurgical tool. The feedback circuit can provide an electrosurgery endpoint by determining the phase end point of a tissue to be treated. The electrosurgical system can include more than one electrosurgical tool for different electrosurgical operations and can include a variety of user interface features and audio/visual performance indicators. The electrosurgical system can also power conventional bipolar electrosurgical tools and direct current surgical appliances. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090248013 | ELECTROSURGICAL SYSTEM - Phase end point determination is provided to automatically halt the application of energy to tissue. Prior to the application of energy, the phase end point determination is identified by measuring the product of permittivity and conductivity of the tissue to be treated. An electrosurgical system can include an electrosurgical generator, a feedback circuit or controller, and an electrosurgical tool. The feedback circuit can provide an electrosurgery endpoint by determining the phase end point of a tissue to be treated. The electrosurgical system can include more than one electrosurgical tool for different electrosurgical operations and can include a variety of user interface features and audio/visual performance indicators. The electrosurgical system can also power conventional bipolar electrosurgical tools and direct current surgical appliances. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090248020 | ELECTROSURGICAL SYSTEM - An electrosurgical tool can be used to fuse tissue. The electrosurgical tool can include a jaw assembly, an elongate shaft, and a handle assembly. Actuation of the handle assembly can actuate the jaw assembly. The elongate shaft can be rotatable without disrupting electrical connection to the jaw assembly. The electrosurgical tool can include a cutting blade to separate fused tissue. The electrosurgical tool can also include a jaw assembly configuration or an exterior cutting electrode to improve surgical access with the tool. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090248022 | ELECTROSURGICAL SYSTEM - Phase end point determination is provided to automatically halt the application of energy to tissue. Prior to the application of energy, the phase end point determination is identified by measuring the product of permittivity and conductivity of the tissue to be treated. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20100210998 | INSUFFLATING OPTICAL SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS - An insufflating surgical instrument adapted for movement across an abdominal wall to insufflate an abdominal region of a patient is disclosed comprising a shaft having an insufflation channel extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end, the insufflation channel being adapted for connection to a source of fluid under pressure at the proximal end, a tip at the distal end of the shaft, and at least one vent hole formed at the tip or the shaft being in connection with the insufflation channel and being adapted to expel the fluid under pressure to insufflate the abdominal region. At least one of the tip and the shaft is formed of a translucent or transparent material such as polycarbonate to facilitate visualization of the abdominal wall and the abdominal region. The shaft includes a lumen extending along the axis between the proximal end and the distal end to enable insertion of a laparoscope. The lumen and insufflation channel may be formed as separate channels or as one shared channel. The tip may be blunt, the shaft and the tip may be integrally formed, and the vent hole may be of any geometric shape including round, oval, square and rectangular. The blunt tip may further comprise a marker to indicate penetration of the abdominal wall. In another aspect, the tip may be sharp, pointed or bladed to facilitate penetration of body tissue. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100249527 | HAND ACCESS LAPAROSCOPIC DEVICE - The invention relates to a hand access laparoscopy device having a gelcap, a retainer, a sleeve and a retention ring. The gelcap includes gel that is bonded to a cap. The cap includes an inner cylindrical wall to which the gel in bonded, thereby providing a sealing area between the device and the wound in a body wall. By securing the gel to the inner cylindrical wall, the thickness of the gel and corresponding cap is minimized along with the overall footprint of the device. With the gel thickness reduced and able to be substantially flush, the “doming” phenomenon produced by insufflation of a patient's abdomen is reduced. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20110005661 | Medical Tubing Having Variable Characteristics and Method of Making Same - The invention primarily is directed to a medical tubing adapted for insertion into a body tissue or cavity and method of manufacturing different variations of the tubing along a length of the tubing. The tubing comprises a plurality of individual, discrete, generally ring-shaped elements arranged in series and fused or bonded together forming a continuous tubular structure. The ring-shaped elements may be formed of a thermoplastic or a thermoset material. The ring-shaped elements may include plastic rings, metallic rings, un-reinforced plastic rings and/or metal reinforced plastic rings assembled along the length of the tubular structure to provide variable flexibility and kink-resistance. The tubular structure may have a cross-section of any geometric shape and it may be bent, twisted or curved without kinking. The ring-shaped elements may have different flexural modulus. The ring-shaped elements may include a combination of flexible and rigid ring-shaped elements assembled along different portions or sections of the tubular structure. The ring-shaped elements may be metallic and may be bonded with a resilient, flexible elastomeric adhesive, wherein the ring-shaped elements may have different lengths and may be fused closer or further apart to one another depending on the characteristics of a portion or section of the tubing. In another aspect of the invention, the medical tubing may further comprise a secondary lumen and a pull wire to control the tubular structure. The ring-shaped elements may be truncated to provide a bending bias. In another aspect of the invention, the ring-shaped elements may vary in diameter and/or composition in different portions or sections of the tubular structure. In yet another aspect of the invention, some of the ring-shaped elements may be radiopaque, or the ring-shaped elements may comprise of different colors to operate as indicators along the tubular structure. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110066105 | STEERABLE KINK-RESISTANT SHEATH - A steerable kink resistant access device is provided having an elongated body and a steerable portion; methods for manufacturing the kink resistant device are also provided. The access sheath has an outside diameter sufficiently small so that it may be inserted into a body cavity or conduit. The access sheath typically has two internal lumen, a first lumen sized and configured as an access to a surgical site and a second lumen sized and configured to contain a tensioning device that, when acted upon, will deflect the steerable portion. The tensioning device may be directly or remotely attached to an actuation device that operates to control the tensioning and loosening of the tensioning device. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110071462 | SURGICAL ACCESS APPARATUS AND METHOD - A surgical access device is adapted for performing laparoscopic surgical procedures with at least one instrument passing through the surgical access device and through an incision in the abdominal wall of a patient with the abdominal cavity pressurized with an insufflation gas. The surgical access device is adapted to provide instrument access to the abdominal cavity for surgical procedures while generally maintaining insufflation pressure in the abdominal cavity. The surgical access device comprises an access seal. The access seal comprises a material formed of a mixture comprising a triblock copolymer and an oil. The access seal is adapted to be disposed relative to the abdominal wall in an operative position. The material of the access seal is adapted to form a seal to generally maintain insufflation pressure within the abdominal cavity. At least one opening is formed through the material of the access seal between a proximal portion and a distal portion of the access seal. The at least one opening when operatively disposed is in communication with the incision and forms a working channel between a location external to the abdominal wall and a location internal to the abdominal wall. The material of the access seal is adapted to conform to a surface of an instrument inserted through the working channel. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110071463 | SURGICAL ACCESS APPARATUS AND METHOD - A surgical access device is adapted for performing laparoscopic surgical procedures with multiple instruments passing through the surgical access device and through a single incision in the abdominal wall of a patient with the abdominal cavity pressurized with an insufflation gas. The surgical access device is adapted to provide instrument access to the abdominal cavity for surgical procedures while generally maintaining insufflation pressure in the abdominal cavity. The surgical access device comprises an access pad. The access pad comprises a material formed of a mixture comprising a triblock copolymer, an oil, and a foaming agent. The access pad is adapted to be disposed within an incision within an abdominal wall. The access pad has an external flange and an internal flange integrally formed with the access pad. The external flange is adapted to be disposed external to the abdominal wall in an operative position and the internal flange adapted to be disposed internal to the abdominal wall in the operative position. The access pad is configured to be maintained in the operative position and adapted to form a seal with the abdominal wall. A plurality of openings are formed through the access pad between an external surface and an internal surface of the access pad. The plurality of openings when operatively disposed are in communication with the incision and form working channels between a location external to the abdominal wall and a location internal to the abdominal wall. The access pad is adapted to conform to a surface of an instrument inserted through the working channel. At least a portion of the access pad between the external flange and the internal flange and within the incision between an external surface of the abdominal wall and an internal surface of the abdominal wall is adapted to form an instrument seal with the instrument. Locating the access pad within the incision creates a radially compressive force to provide an axial seal between the access pad and the abdominal wall. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110112374 | HAND ACCESS LAPAROSCOPIC DEVICE - The invention relates to a hand access laparoscopy device having a gelcap, a retainer, a sleeve and a retention ring. The gelcap includes gel that is bonded to a cap. The cap includes an inner cylindrical wall to which the gel in bonded, thereby providing a sealing area between the device and the wound in a body wall. By securing the gel to the inner cylindrical wall, the thickness of the gel and corresponding cap is minimized along with the overall footprint of the device. With the gel thickness reduced and able to be substantially flush, the “doming” phenomenon produced by insufflation of a patient's abdomen is reduced. | 05-12-2011 |
