Articulating surgical portal apparatus with spring

A surgical portal apparatus is provided which includes a housing and a portal member. The portal member is connected to the housing which extends therefrom. The portal member has a longitudinal axis which includes a longitudinal passageway for permitting a surgical object to pass therethrough. A seal mount is mounted to the housing and has an internal seal adapted to establish a substantial sealed relation with the surgical object, the seal mount adapted to articulate relative to the housing between a first position relative to the housing and at least one second position relative to the housing, the seal mount being normally biased toward the first position.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a surgical portal apparatus adapted to permit the introduction of surgical instrumentation into a patient's body. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a surgical portal apparatus including an articulating valve system adapted to receive an instrument in sealing engagement therewith.

2. Description of the Related Art

Minimally invasive and laparoscopic procedures generally require that any instrumentation inserted into the body is sealed, i.e., provisions must be made to ensure that gases and/or fluids do not enter or exit the body through an endoscopic incision, such as, for example in surgical procedures where the surgical region is insufflated. For such procedure, the introduction of a tube into anatomical cavities, such as the peritoneal cavity, is usually accomplished by use of a system incorporating a trocar and cannula assembly. Since the cannula is in direct communication with the interior of the peritoneal cavity, insertion of the cannula into an opening in the patient's body to reach the inner abdominal cavity should be adapted to maintain a fluid tight interface between the abdominal cavity and the outside atmosphere. In view of the need to maintain the atmospheric integrity of the inner area of the cavity, a seal assembly for a cannula, which permits introduction of a wide range of surgical instrumentation and maintains the atmospheric integrity of the inner area of the cavity is desirable. In this regard, there have been a number of attempts in the prior art to achieve such sealing requirements. A difficulty encountered with conventional seal assemblies, however, is the inability of accommodating the wide range of sizes of instrumentation. In addition, angulation and/or manipulation of instrumentation within the cannula often present difficulties with respect to maintaining seal integrity.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to a surgical portal apparatus which includes a housing and a portal member. The portal member is connected to the housing and extends therefrom. The portal member also defines a longitudinal axis, which includes a longitudinal passageway that permits a passage for a surgical object to be inserted therethrough.

A seal mount is mounted to the housing and has an internal or object seal which is secured by a seal cap to establish a substantial sealed relation with the surgical object. The seal mount is articulated relative to the housing between a first position and a second position. A biasing member, (e.g., a spring), is mounted within the seal mount for biasing, (i.e., returning), the seal mount toward the first position relative to the housing.

The seal mount includes an articulating segment defining an arcuate surface that cooperates with a corresponding surface of the housing to facilitate articulating movement of the seal mount upon offset manipulation of the surgical object. The housing defines an outer arcuate surface that cooperates with a corresponding surface of the seal mount during offset manipulation of the surgical object. The housing also defines a first axis and the seal mount defines a second axis, where the first axis and the second axis is in general alignment at the first position.

The seal mount further includes an enclosure segment operatively connected to the articulation segment and engages the spring member to facilitate mounting of the spring member relative to the seal mount.

Additionally, a closure valve is mounted between the seal housing and the base housing, where the closure valve is adapted to substantially close the longitudinal passageway in the absence of a surgical object.

In embodiments, the seal cap and the seal mount may be connected by a bayonet-type fitting, a threaded fitting, a snap fitting, a glue fitting, or a weld fitting. In the same manner, the enclosure segment and the articulating segment may be connected by the above-mentioned connections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A surgical portal apparatus2of the present disclosure provides access to underlying body tissue and also provides a substantial seal between a body cavity of a patient and the outside atmosphere before, during, and after insertion of an instrument. Moreover, the portal apparatus2of the present disclosure is capable of accommodating instruments of varying diameters, e.g., from 5 mm to 15 mm, by providing a substantially air tight seal when a surgical instrument is inserted therethrough. The present surgical portal apparatus allows a user, during endoscopic surgery, to utilize a variety of instruments having different diameters, which are often needed during a single surgical procedure. The surgical portal apparatus also provides various positions for the user to angulate the instrument within the body cavity of the patient by manipulating the instrument and a seal mount.

The portal apparatus2incorporates a seal adapted for the introduction and manipulation of various types and sizes of instruments while maintaining a fluid tight interface about the instrumentation to preserve the atmospheric integrity of a surgical procedure from gas and/or fluid leakage. Specifically, the seal mount accommodates angular manipulation of the surgical instrument relative to the longitudinal axis of the portal apparatus. This feature of the present disclosure minimizes the stress put on the seal as the instrument is manipulated by the user. Examples of instrumentation include clip appliers, graspers, dissectors, retractors, staplers, laser probes, photographic devices, endoscopes and laparoscopes, tubes, and the like. Such instruments will be collectively referred to herein as “instruments or instrumentation”.

In the following description, as is traditional, the term “proximal” refers to the portion of the instrument closest to the user, while the term “distal” refers to the portion of the instrument farthest from the user.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals identify identical or substantially similar parts throughout the several views, the figures illustrate the surgical portal apparatus2of the present disclosure. Portal apparatus2may be adapted for use as a cannula suitable for the intended purpose of accessing a body cavity, for example, the abdominal cavity, and permit introduction of instruments therethrough. As an alternate embodiment, portal apparatus2may be adapted to receive the hand and possibly the arm of the surgeon during a minimally invasive procedure where hand access is desired. Portal apparatus2is particularly adapted for use in laparoscopic surgery where the peritoneal cavity of the patient is insufflated with a suitable gas, e.g., CO2, to raise the cavity wall from the internal organs therein. Portal apparatus2is typically used with an obturator assembly (not shown) which is a sharp pointed instrument positionable within the passageway of the portal apparatus2. The obturator assembly is utilized to penetrate the abdominal wall and then subsequently removed from the portal apparatus to permit introduction of the surgical instrumentation utilized to perform the procedure.

Referring now toFIG. 1, a portal apparatus2is illustrated having a portal member4, a seal mount12and a seal cap20. The seal mount12and its components will be discussed in further detail below. The portal member4includes a portal sleeve6having a proximal end8and distal end10, where a seal housing18is attached to the proximal end8of portal sleeve6by conventional means or may be integrally bound with sleeve6. The portal sleeve6defines a longitudinal axis “A” extending along the length of sleeve6and further defines an internal longitudinal passage22dimensioned to permit passage of surgical instrumentation. The sleeve6may be formed of stainless steel or any other suitable rigid material such as a polymeric material titanium, or the like. The sleeve6may also be configured to be clear or opaque to allow the user to monitor the instrument as it is being inserted and/or removed through the portal member4. The diameter of sleeve6may vary, but typically ranges from 10 to 15 mm for use with the seal housing18of the present disclosure.

Turning now toFIG. 2, a perspective view is depicted with parts of portal apparatus2separated. The seal cap20is configured to attach on the proximal portion of seal mount12, which is also referred to as an enclosure segment14to secure and contain an object seal24. The seal mount12provides for mounting object seal24and to facilitate in maneuvering object seal24over the housing18.

As depicted inFIG. 3, seal cap20is secured onto the enclosure segment of seal mount12by a bayonet-type fitting. The enclosure segment14defines an inner channel25alongside the perimeter and also having grooves23. Seal cap comprises a plurality of tabs21, which are defined on the inner lip of seal cap20. As the seal cap20is placed on the enclosure segment14, the tabs21are configured and dimensioned to pass through the grooves23of enclosure segment14. When seal cap20is placed into grooves23, seal cap may be rotated, in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, where tabs21are guided within the inner channel25. The inner channel25of enclosure segment14may also have a slight incline to guide tabs21along the inner channel25. As tabs21move along the inner channel25, a frictional force may be exerted towards tabs21, thus creating a secure seal towards object seal24. In embodiments, seal cap20may be connected to seal mount12by any conventional technique including a snap fit arrangement, threaded coupling, clamp coupling, bayonet coupling, etc.

During a surgical procedure, the user may require to use a different type and/or sized surgical instrument. When a situation such as this occurs, the user may remove the seal cap20from the portal apparatus2and replace the existing object seal24with a different sized object seal. By replacing only the object seal, the user may safely and effectively use a different type sized surgical instrument, without the need of replacing portal apparatus2with a different type and/or sized portal apparatus.

Additionally, in accordance with the present disclosure, object seal24may be constructed from a rubber or any other suitable elastomeric material contemplated in the art. As mentioned above, the longitudinal passageway22of object seal24may vary in size depending on the types of instruments being utilized. During the surgical procedure, the object seal24is configured to minimize the loss of insufflated gasses through portal member4by forming a substantial seal about surgical object “I”, e.g., surgical instrument, as shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B.

Turning now toFIG. 4, another embodiment of a portal apparatus102having a seal mount112is configured in a one-piece design. The seal mount112includes a seal cap120, an object seal124, a biasing member128, and a zero-closure valve126, as similarly shown in portal apparatus2. The seal cap120and the object seal124are secured onto seal mount112in a similar fashion as mentioned above with respect to portal apparatus2. The one-piece seal mount112may be constructed from an elastic material to allow the articulating segment of seal mount112to expand over seal housing118, thus allowing seal mount112to have substantially similar manipulative properties as seal mount12, which will be described in detail below.

Referring back toFIG. 2, the enclosure segment14of seal mount12facilitates to the securement of closure valve on to housing18. Articulating segment16is configured in a cup-shaped design and is constructed from any suitable material or combinations of materials (e.g., metal or plastic, polyurethane, etc). The articulating segment16of seal mount12includes a spherical internal surface to provide a rotational swiveling motion around the bottom portion of housing18.

The seal mount12also includes a biasing member28which is contained within the enclosure segment14and the articulating segment16, where both segments define a biasing member channel12a. The biasing member28, (e.g., a spring) helps to facilitate in restoring seal mount12to return to a first position, which is a flat, normally perpendicular position with respect to housing18. As shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B, the biasing member28provides a comfortable, flexible and resistive motion thus allowing the seal mount12to be articulated about housing18by a user to any second position, defining the “B” axis. The seal mount12is adapted to return back to the first position relative to the housing18, which is along the “A” axis, upon the user selecting the surgical instrument “I”.

FIG. 2also illustrates a zero-closure valve26enclosed and situated within enclosure segment14and housing18. Zero-closure valve sits on housing18, while enclosure segment14facilitates securement to zero-closure valve26. Closure valve26may be a duck bill valve, which tapers distally and inwardly to a sealed configuration as shown in the figure. Valve26opens to permit passage of the surgical instrumentation and closes in the absence of the instrumentation “I”. The valve26is adapted to close upon exposure to the forces exerted by the insufflation gases in the internal cavity. Other zero closure valves are also contemplated including single or multiple slit valve arrangements, trumpet valves, flapper valves, etc.

FIGS. 5A and 5Billustrates a side cross-sectional view of portal apparatus2, further illustrating the seal mount12in first and second positions. Both housing18and seal mount12contain longitudinal passageways, axis “A” and variable axis “B”, respectively. When both housing18and seal mount12are in the first position, (i.e., aligned with each other), the instrument “I” passes through seal mount12and housing18, thus passing through both longitudinal passageways “A” and “B”. Housing18is in a fixed position relative to the portal apparatus2. However, seal mount12is not fixed in one position, as mentioned above, and is movable about housing18. Movement of the seal mount12is provided by articulating segment16of seal mount12having an arcuate surface. The inner arcuate surface of seal mount12cooperates with the outer arcuate surface of housing18to facilitate articulating movement of seal mount12upon any offset manipulation of instrument “I”, shown inFIG. 6A.

As shown inFIG. 6B, seal mount12may be moved to a second position, along the variable “B” axis, which may be anywhere articulating member16may rotate and swivel around housing18. When seal mount12is in a first position, seal mount12and housing18are in alignment with each other, thus axis “A” and axis “B” are in alignment with each other. When seal mount12is in a second position, seal mount12and housing18are not in alignment, thus the position of axis “B” varies and is not in alignment with axis “A”.

As shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B, instrument “I” passes further distally into seal mount18, passing through zero closure valve26and portal sleeve6and into the body cavity of a patient (not shown). The above-mentioned articulation, allows the user to easily manipulate instrument “I”, without adding substantial stress to the internal seals of portal apparatus2, since the seal mount12is configured to substantially move about axis “B” along with instrument “I”.

While the invention has been particularly shown, and described with reference to the embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, modifications such as those suggested above, but not limited thereto, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.