Abstract:
A laparoscopy cannula having an acutely angled suction irrigation branch, incorporating a suction irrigation fluid seal which is accessible for replacement and a cooperating rotatable and axially slidable coupling having an internal portion for connection to and support of a suction irrigation handpiece.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a laparoscopic surgical cannula. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,507 shows a Y-connector for angioplasty in which a casing has an elongate main passageway for receiving a dilation catheter longitudinally therethrough and a branch passageway intersecting the main passageway. The angle between the main and the branch passageways is acute and faces proximately (faces the user). The proximal end of the branch passageway is connectable to a fluid valve structure. The proximal end of the main passageway is provided with a membrane having a small hole for receiving a dilation catheter and a Tuohy-Borst valve coaxial with and spaced from the membrane and for receiving the dilation catheter coaxially therethrough. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,752 discloses a surgical cannula having a central bore whose proximal end is enlarged radially to receive the seal member with a central hole and a further, axially spaced seal member having a central slit, all for insertion therethrough of a surgical instrument, for example an endoscope in sealed relation therethrough. The proximal end portion of the cannula is formed as an enlarged cup-shaped housing, to provide room for the above mentioned valves therein. The housing has a side extension extending at right angles from the instrument path through the cannula. The side extension has at its free end a pair of flanges disposed in diametrally opposed relation, each with a circularly curved outer surface. A cap with a screw threaded blind hole on one end cooperates with these flanges on the extension to form a screw on cap arrangement. Upon removal of the cap, access can be had to the surgical site through a bore on the extension and the instrument path through the cannula, whereby fluid may be introduced or removed with respect to the surgical site. The apparatus can serve simultaneously as both an instrument cannula and an irrigation cannula so long as the instrument being used is not so large as to close off the main instrument path to fluid flow, i.e., so that fluid can flow through the main instrument path in the space left between the instrument and the walls of such path. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,714 discloses a cannula for laparoscopic surgery comprising a housing and an elongated tube extending distally from the housing so that laparoscopic instruments can be passed through the housing and elongated tube into the abdominal cavity of a patient. The housing includes valve structure to close the proximal end of the passage whether or not a laparoscopic instrument is present in the cannula. A gas valve extends at right angles to the tube, at a location below the housing to admit gas through the tube into the abdominal cavity for insufflation of the abdomen. The valve structure in the housing is intended to prevent escape of such gas from the abdomen therepast, either with or without an instrument inserted down through the housing and tube. 
     However, none of these prior patents discloses a laparoscopy cannula having the structure and advantages of the present invention. 
     Accordingly, the objects and purposes of this invention include provision of a laparoscopic cannula in which a surgeon can simultaneously with one hand manipulate a laparoscopic instrument extending through a main passage of the inventive cannula into a surgical site and with the other hand manipulate a suction flow and irrigation flow with respect to the surgical site through the passage in which the laparoscopic instrument is moveable; and in which the surgeon can also maintain the position of the inventive cannula with respect to the patient by moving or maintaining the position of the suction irrigation handpiece. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the invention includes a laparoscopy cannula having an acutely angled suction irrigation branch, incorporating a suction irrigation fluid seal which is accessible for replacement and a cooperating rotatable and axially slidable coupling having an internal portion for connection to and support of a suction irrigation handpiece. 
     Further objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in this art upon reading the following description and inspecting the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of an apparatus embodying the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partially broken elevational view of the FIG. 1 apparatus. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged central cross sectional view of the upper portion of the FIG. 2 apparatus. 
     FIG. 3A is a view similar to FIG. 3 but with an instrument inserted longitudinally into the proximal end portion of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 3B is a fragmentary elevational view generally similar to FIG. 3 but with the cap on the fitting body removed and the coupling retracted along the angled tubular arm for access to the O-ring seal on the arm. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view substantially taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 5 is a pictorial view of the FIG. 3 valve. 
     FIG. 6 is a central cross sectional view, somewhat enlarged in scale, of the FIG. 5 valve. 
     FIG. 6A is a bottom view of the FIG. 6 valve. 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged pictorial view of the tubular arm of FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 8 is a somewhat schematic, partially broken, fragmentary, elevational view of the FIG. 1 apparatus, showing it in association with a laparoscopic tool, a suction irrigation handpiece, a surrounding lead-in cannula, and a surgical site in a patient, and showing the handling of the apparatus by the two hands of a surgeon. 
     FIG. 9 is a central cross sectional view similar to FIG. 3 of the inventive cannula and the suction irrigation handpiece fixed thereto. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A laparoscopic surgical cannula 10 (FIGS. 1-3) embodying the invention comprises a generally Y-shaped member 11 including an elongate tubular stem 12. The stem 12 in turn comprises a distal elongate tube 13 for insertion into a laparoscopic surgical site SS (FIG. 1) and an annular proximal fitting 14 coaxially fixed to the proximal (upper in FIGS. 1-3) end thereof. 
     In the preferred embodiment shown, the fitting 14 comprises an annular body 15 (FIG. 3). The proximal (upper in FIG. 3) end of the elongate tube 13 seats in a coaxial downward opening recess 16 in a reduced diameter bottom part, or coaxial depending spigot 17, at the bottom of the body 15. In the preferred embodiment shown, the elongate tube 13 and body 15 are preferably of surgical grade stainless steel and are fixed together in a fluid tight manner by any convenient means such as silver soldering. The annular body 15 and elongate tube 13 together define a coaxial through passage 20 for insertion of laparoscopic surgical tools sequentially therethrough from the proximal end (upper end in FIG. 1 and 8 therethrough to the surgical site SS). The through passage 20 includes coaxial portions 21, 22 and 23 (FIG. 3) in the elongate tube 13, an inwardly directed annular flange 24, and the upper portion of the body 15. The inwardly directed annular flange 24 provides an upper end stop locating the elongate tube 13 axially in the bottom side of the body 15 and thus separates the portion 23 of the through passage 20 from the depending tube 13. The portion 23 of the through passage 20 forms a chamber in the upper part of the body 15, which chamber opens through the top thereof. In the embodiment shown, the diameter of the chamber 23 slightly exceeds the inside diameter of the through passage portions 22 and 21. 
     As seen in FIG. 3, the upper end of the body 15 is externally threaded at 25. An annular, inverted cup-shaped cap 26 is internally threaded to thread onto the upper end portion 25 of the body 15. The cap 26 has an end wall 27 which overlies the upper end of the body 15 and has a central hole 28 therethrough. 
     A resilient annular plate-like wiper seal 32 rests atop the body 15 under the end wall 27 of the cap 26. The wiper seal 32 has a central hole 33 of substantially smaller diameter than the hole 28 in the cap end wall 27 and than the passage 20, for snugly gripping the shank S (FIG. 3A) of a laparoscopic surgical tool T so as to stretch and sealingly but slidably grip such shank S during its insertion into and retraction from the annular body 15 and tube 13. 
     A normally closed valve 40 (FIGS. 3, 3A, 5 and 6), here of duck-bill type, is preferably molded out of a suitable resilient material. The valve 40 comprises a radially outward extending rim 41 at the proximal end of the valve, which rim is preferably seated in a shallow recess 42 in the top of the body 15. The rim 41 and recess 42 are preferably of outside diameter less than the outside diameter of the wiper seal 32 and the relaxed axial thickness of the valve rim 41 is preferably slightly greater than the axial depth of the recess 42. Thus, threaded tightening of the cap 26 on the top of the body 15 causes the cap end wall 27 to firmly axially clamp and slightly crush the wiper seal 32 and valve rim 41 fixedly against the top portion of the body 15, so as to positively coaxially locate the wiper seal 32 and valve 40 at the upper end of the through passage portion 23 in the body 15. While the disclosed threaded connection of cap 26 to body 15 is preferred, other means for such connection are contemplated to the extent capable of the mentioned clamping the wiper seal 32 and valve rim 41 fixedly against the body 15. 
     The resilient valve 40 further includes a downward tapering integral resilient skirt 43 comprising a diametrally opposed pair of resilient, convergent leaves 44 circumferentially joined by skirt portions 45. The bottom edges of the leaves 44 meet in a normally closed diametral slit 46 (FIG. 6A). In the embodiment shown, the diametral slit 46 has a short central perpendicular cross cut at 47 to facilitate opening of the slit to promote insertion of a laparoscopic surgical tool T therethrough. 
     The resilient valve 40 preferably further includes a resiliently flexible, flange-like, annular, reinforcing disk 39 circumferentially surrounding and extending radially out from the leaves 44 and spaced axially between the rim 41 and diametral slit 46 for helping press the leaves 44 together at the slit 46 to help close the valve 40, the reinforcing disk 39 having an outer perimeter preferably radially backed by the inner surface of the through passage 23 of the fitting 14. The disk 39 acts like a spring to more strongly return the resilient leaves 44 to their closed position. The disk 39 is here coaxial with the rim 41 of the valve 40. 
     The valve 40 is preferably molded in one piece of a suitable elastomeric material e.g. surgical grade silicone rubber. 
     The Y-shaped tubular member 11 (FIGS. 1-3) further includes a tubular arm 50. The tubular arm 50 is fixed to the peripheral wall of the body 15 between the cap 26 and spigot 17 and extends proximally at an acute angle, preferably about 45° to the length axis of the body 15 and elongate tube 13. The tubular arm 50 is substantially shorter than the elongate tube 13 but longer than the fitting 15. The tubular arm 50 has a coaxial through passage 51 in distal end communication with a port 52 in the peripheral wall of the body 15, which port 52 communicates with the lower portion of the chamber 23. In the preferred embodiment shown, the tubular arm 50 is of stainless steel, similar to the preferred material of the body 15 and is received in a radially and distally opening recess 53 of the port 52. In one unit constructed according to the invention, the distal end of the tubular arm 50 was fixed by silver soldering within the recess 53. However, it is contemplated that other means may be utilized to establish the fixed connection, for example, by use of a threaded connection (not shown). 
     The tubular arm 50 comprises an elongate hollow shank 49 and a radially enlarged substantially cylindrical head 54 at the proximal end of the shank. The tubular arm 50 is of circular outside cross section. The proximal end of the head 54 has a frustoconical recess 55 which coaxially tapers into the proximal end of the through passage 51. The head 54 further includes an annular groove 56 (FIGS. 3 and 7) in the periphery thereof for receiving an annular seal member, preferably a conventional O-ring. 
     A coupling 60 is in the form of an axially elongate hollow sleeve rotatably and axially slidably sleeved over the tubular arm 50. 
     The coupling 60 preferably has a textured outer peripheral surface for easy gripping and twisting by the human hand, such surface being here provided by a circumferentially spaced series of longitudinal grooves 51 (FIG. 2). 
     The coupling sleeve 60 has a coaxial through opening generally indicated at 62 and comprised of four successively radially outwardly stepped portions 63-66 arranged between the proximal and distal ends, respectively, thereof. More particularly, the opening portion 66 at the distal end of the coupling 60 is of least diameter and short axial length. Such opening portion 66 is bounded by a radially inward extending annular flange (FIG. 3) which snugly surrounds, but is axially and rotatably movable on, the shank 49 of the arm 50 and acts to axially oppose the fitting body 15 and head 54, so as to positively trap the coupling 60, and hold same captive, on the arm 50. 
     Immediately proximal beyond the annular flange 70 is the substantially cylindrical opening portion 65 (FIGS. 3 and 3B) in which the head 54 is received in clearance relation, for axial and rotation motion of the coupling 60 on the head 54. The opening portion 65 bears with its internal peripheral wall against the O-ring 57 to seal against axial fluid flow therepast. Proceeding proximally, the next cylindrical opening portion 64 is internally threaded for threadedly receiving a male threaded end 71 of elongate hollow tip 72 of a suitable suction/irrigation handpiece 73 schematically indicated in FIGS. 1 and 8. While the mentioned threaded connection at 64, 71 is preferred, other positive connections, particularly those involving a twisting of the coupling 60 to connect and disconnect, are contemplated. The handpiece 73 may handle both the suction and irrigation functions or only one such function, as desired. 
     As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the handpiece 73 preferably includes suitable manually actuable valves VL and VS for controlling flow between the hollow tip 72 and a conventional irrigation liquid source IL and suction source SU, respectively. The valves VL and VS are actuable to turn on and off the flow therethrough and, if desired, may be adjustable to operate also in a partially open condition. The valves VL and VS may be actuated in any desired manner, for example by spring returned push buttons PL and PS respectively. 
     The proximal portion 63 of the through opening 62 of the coupling 60 is, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6A, provided with a cylindrical peripheral wall stopped radially outward from the threaded internal wall of opening portion 64. The proximal opening portion 63 is sized for receiving a radially enlarged, substantially cylindrical, coaxial boss 80 of the handpiece tip 72 snugly but slidably therein. The boss 80 is preferably provided with an annular groove 81 in turn provided with a resilient annular seal member, for example, an O-ring 82. The O-ring 82 is adapted to seal against the peripheral wall of the opening portion 63. In this way, suction or irrigation flow between the hollow shank 49 of the tubular arm 50 and the suction irrigation handpiece tip 72 is prevented from leaking both distally and proximally from the coupling 60 by the O-rings 57 and 82 respectively. At the same time, even with the handpiece hollow tip 72 threaded tightly into the coupling 60, the coupling 60, and with it the handpiece 2, can rotate relatively freely on the tubular arm 50 without risk of leakage axially outward past the O-rings 57 and 82. To facilitate rotation of the coupling 60 on the tubular arm 50, some axial clearance is preferably left between the head 54 and the flange 70 or free end of the threaded end 71 of the handpiece tip 72. An axial clearance of 0.005 to 0.010 inch is sufficient for such axial clearance, although in FIG. 9 such axial clearance is shown exaggerated at 83. 
     The laparoscopic surgical cannula 10 embodying the invention may be reusable. Where intended to be reusable, the nonresilient parts thereof, namely the elongate tube 13, body 15, cap 26, and tubular arm 50 are preferably constructed of stainless steel. 
     It may be desirable to replace, after extended use, resilient parts such as the wiper 32, valve 40 and O-ring 57. The wiper seal 32 and the valve 40 are readily replaceable by removal of the cap 26. The O-ring 57 is replaceable by displacing the collar 60 distally along the hollow shank 49 toward the body 15. The length of the shank 49 and collar 60 are set so that the O-ring 57 is exposed with the collar 60 in its position closest to the body 15, as shown in FIG. 3B. In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 3B, the cap 26 is removed from the threads 25 on the body 15 to allow the collar 60 to be close enough to the body 15 as to fully expose the O-ring 57. Thus exposed, the O-ring 57 can be removed by any convenient means, for example by prying it off or cutting it off. A new O-ring can readily be slipped over the proximal end of the head 54 and into the groove 56. 
     During assembly of the laparoscopic surgical cannula 10, the collar 60 is telescoped on the tubular arm 50 before the distal end of the tubular arm 50 is fixed to the body 15, thereby capturing axially the flange 70 of the collar 60 between the body 15 and the head 54 of the tubular arm 50. 
     To use the laparoscopic surgical cannula 10, the suction/irrigation (either or both) handpiece 73 is easily fixed to the cannula 10 by inserting the male threaded end 71 of the hollow handpiece tip 72 into the female threaded portion 64 of the collar 60, and rotating the collar 60 in the on-threading rotational direction, with respect to both the laparoscopic surgical cannula 10 and handpiece 73. More particularly, during such threading, neither the laparoscopic surgical handpiece 10 nor the suction irrigation handpiece 73 need rotate, or even move. This is helpful since it avoids a cumbersome rotation of the elongated Y-shaped member 11 and also avoids twisting of the usual flexible hoses connecting the handpiece 73 to the usual irrigation liquid and suction sources. 
     After the suction irrigation handpiece 73 is connected to the laparoscopic surgical cannula 10, the distal end of the elongate tube 13 (FIG. 1) can be inserted into a previously installed conventional laparoscopic outer cannula OC (FIGS. 1 and 8) and be lead thereby into the surgical site SS in the patient P. Thereafter a suitable laparoscopic surgical tool (e.g. a cutter, dissector, scissors, etc.), indicated at T in FIGS. 1 and 8, can be inserted down through the cap 26 (FIG. 3A) and wiper seal 32, valve 40, portions 21, 22 and 23 of the through passage 20 (as shown in FIG. 3A) and then finally into the surgical site SS as seen in FIG. 8. 
     Depending on the type of laparoscopic surgical tool T used, the proximal end thereof may be supported by some sort of a hand engageable and/or actuable handpiece, a suitable example of which is generally indicated at TH in FIG. 8. By way of example only, the tool handpiece TH in FIG. 8 is suitable for hand actuating a scissors-like tool T. 
     Carrying out laparoscopic surgery, it will be understood that other cannulae (not shown) will normally enter the surgical site to provide for lighting, camera or direct eye vision, etc. in a conventional manner. 
     In carrying out a surgical procedure, the surgeon can conveniently grip the suction irrigation handpiece 73 in one hand LH and the tool handpiece TH in the other hand RH. The surgeon can then directly control suction and irrigation flow and tool operation, without need for the usual human assistant in charge of suction and irrigation flow. In this way, the surgeon can instantaneously control suction and irrigation flow, without the delay previously needed to formulate and vocalize instructions to a human assistant and wait for that assistant to assimilate the instructions and act thereon, occasionally with error requiring additional delay for correction. 
     In addition, as can be seen at FIG. 8, by reason of the two-hand connection to the laparoscopic surgical cannula 10, provided on one side by the suction irrigation handpiece 73 and on the other side by the tool handpiece TH, the surgeon can, in addition to controlling suction and irrigation flow and actuation of the laparoscopic surgical tool T, also use the handpieces 73 and TH to make the laparoscopic surgical cannula 10 move up and down within the outer cannula OC, pivot parallel to the plane of the paper in FIG. 8, pivot in a direction transverse to the plane of the paper in FIG. 8 and twist about the axis of the tube 13 in FIG. 8. Thus, while actuating the suction end or irrigation liquid with hand LH and actuating or raising or lowering the tool T with hand RH, the surgeon can simultaneously change the effective angle of attack of the laparoscopic surgical cannula 10 with respect to the patient as well as twist the apparatus around the upstanding central axis of the outer cannula OC. The generally bicycle hand grip stance of the hands LH and RH in FIG. 8 provides sure and finally incremental adjustments in the attitude and insertion depth of the tool T. 
     In addition, the ability of the hand LH to rotate with respect to the cannula 10, for example while rocking the laparoscopic surgical cannula 10 into and out of the page in FIG. 8, allows the hand LH supporting the suction irrigation handpiece 73 to maintain a comfortable orientation with respect to the body of the surgeon. More particularly, as the surgeon rocks the laparoscopic surgical cannula 10 into and out of the plane of the page in FIG. 8, the collar 60, and with it the handpiece 73, can pivot around the length axis of the tubular arm 50, allowing the surgeon to maintain the most comfortable wrist angle (hand to forearm angle), rather than having to twist his wrist as would be the case if the suction irrigation handpiece 73 coupling were not rotatable with the respect to the tubular arm 50. 
     To avoid any tendency of the valve leaves 44 to stick to the tool T as it is being withdrawn upwardly (proximally) from the cannula 10, at least the leaves 44 are preferably impregnated with a suitable low friction agent, such as PTFE (tradename Teflon) or more particularly polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.