Patent Publication Number: US-2021177459-A1

Title: Seal system for an arthroscopic cannula

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application relates and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/948,373 filed Dec. 16, 2019, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a cannula and, more particularly, to a seal system for an arthroscopic cannula. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Cannulae may be used to support arthroscopic procedures by providing access and maintaining portals to a surgical site. To address issues of fluid management, cannulae may be equipped with a seal system at the proximal end. This seal produces an airtight seal around instrumentation with a circular profile and minimize aspiration of air into the working space when negative pressure is developed. Additionally, the seal system is designed to accommodate instrument and implant passage while controlling fluid loss. 
     Current seal systems have been found to be susceptible to damage when used with sharp and large instruments. Large instruments with sharp edges have been shown to significantly damage the seals when passed through the cannula. This can be observed in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , which capture seals before ( FIG. 1A ) and after ( FIG. 1B ) use with a sharp instrument. 
     Therefore, there exists a need for a cannula system with a protective device for limiting damage to the seals. 
     Description of the Related Art Section Disclaimer: To the extent that specific patents/publications/products are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section or elsewhere in this disclosure, these discussions should not be taken as an admission that the discussed patents/publications/products are prior art for patent law purposes. For example, some or all of the discussed patents/publications/products may not be sufficiently early in time, may not reflect subject matter developed early enough in time and/or may not be sufficiently enabling so as to amount to prior art for patent law purposes. To the extent that specific patents/publications/products are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section and/or throughout the application, the descriptions/disclosures of which are all hereby incorporated by reference into this document in their respective entirety(ies). 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a seal shield system for an arthroscopic cannula for limiting damage to seals, while preserving seal functionality. An embodiment of the seal shield system includes an end cap with an aperture extending therethrough, a seal shield connected to the end cap, the seal shield having a first thickness, and one or more seals connected to the seal shield such that the seal shield is connected between the end cap and the one or more seals, one of the one or more seals having a second thickness. The first thickness is smaller than the second thickness. 
     According to another aspect, the seal shield system includes an end cap with an aperture extending therethrough, a cannula body extending distally from the end cap, a seal shield connected to the end cap, the seal shield having a first thickness, and one or more seals connected to the seal shield such that the seal shield is connected between the end cap and the one or more seals, one of the one or more seals having a second thickness. The first thickness is smaller than the second thickness. 
     These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosed subject matter may admit to other equally effective embodiments. Reference is now made briefly to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a top view of a seal of the prior art; 
         FIG. 1B  is a top view of a damaged seal of the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a seal shield system, according to an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 3  is a side, sectional view of the proximal end of the seal shield system, according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Aspects of the present invention and certain features, advantages, and details thereof, are explained more fully below with reference to the non-limiting examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Descriptions of well-known structures are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the invention in detail. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific non-limiting examples, while indicating aspects of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, and are not by way of limitation. Various substitutions, modifications, additions, and/or arrangements, within the spirit and/or scope of the underlying inventive concepts will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. 
     Referring now to the figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout,  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a seal shield system  10 , according to an embodiment. The seal shield system  10  includes a proximal end cap  12  with a cannula body  14  extending therefrom. The cannula body  14  is a tube  16  with an inner volume (not shown) extending therethrough. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the cannula body  14  has threads  18  extending along at least a portion of the tube  16 . 
     The end cap  12  in  FIG. 2  has a plurality of radial protrusions  20  extending proximally therefrom. The protrusions  20  are positioned radially around a central aperture  22  through the end cap  12 . In the depicted embodiment, the central aperture  22  has a circular cross-section. The seal shield system  10  further comprises one or more seals  24  positioned between the end cap  12  and the cannula body  14 . A seal shield  26  is positioned between the one or more seals  24  and the end cap  12 . 
     In the depicted embodiment, the seal shield  26  is thin and durable. According to an embodiment, the seal shield  26  is composed of an elastomeric material with strong abrasion resistance properties. These characteristics of the seal shield  26  allow the seal shield  26  to protect the distal one or more seals  24  from large and sharp instruments. The seal shield  26  is compatible with any configurations of the one or more seals  24  that allows for the seal shield  26  to expand inside the distal one or more seals  24  and maintain a protective layer between the instrument seals (one or more seals  24 ) prone to damage. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the seal shield  26  comprises one or more slits  28  extending therethrough. In  FIG. 2 , the seal shield  26  has three converging slits  28  forming a Y-shape. The converging slits  28  are centrally located on the seal shield  26  such that the converging slits  28  are substantially aligned with the central aperture  22  through the end cap  12 . Furthermore, the seal shield  26  has a plurality of radial apertures  30  extending therethrough around the converging slits  28 . The radial apertures  30  allow for interconnection of the end cap  12 , seal shield  26 , and one or more seals  24  within the cannula body  14 . According to an embodiment, each of the one or more seals  24  also have the plurality of radial apertures  30 . Each of the one or more seals  24  has either a central aperture  32  or central converging slits  34  (as described above with reference to the seal shield  26 ). As shown, the central aperture  32  and converging slits  34  are encircled by the plurality of radial apertures  30 . In  FIG. 2 , the central aperture  22  of the end cap  12 , the converging slits  28  of the seal shield  26 , and either the central aperture  32  or central converging slits  34  of the one or more seals  24  are substantially aligned along a central longitudinal y-y axis. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a side, sectional view of the proximal end  36  of the seal shield system  10 , according to an embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the seal shield  26  has a first thickness T 1  and each of the one or more seals  24  has a second thickness T 2 . In the depicted embodiment, T 2  is greater than T 1 . In other words, the seal shield  26  is thinner than each of the one or more seals  24 . In alternative embodiment, the seal shield  26  is thinner than at least one of the one or more seals  24  (i.e., seal shield  26  is thinner than one of the one or more seals  24  but not thinner than another of the one or more seals  24 ). The relative thickness (T 1 &lt;T 2 ) of the seal shield  26  and the one or more seals  24  maintains the function of the cannula body  14 . Furthermore, the thin seal shield  26  does not add additional drag force and allows for the intended function to be maintained. 
     It should be understood that the values used above are only representative values, and other values may be in keeping with the spirit and intention of this disclosure. 
     While several inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein with reference to certain exemplary embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the inventive embodiments described herein (and it will be understood by one skilled in the art that various changes in detail may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by claims that can be supported by the written description and drawings). More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the inventive teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto; inventive embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Further, where exemplary embodiments are described with reference to a certain number of elements it will be understood that the exemplary embodiments can be practiced utilizing either less than or more than the certain number of elements. 
     All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
     All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms. 
     The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. The term “connected” is to be construed as partly or wholly contained within, attached to, or joined together, even if not directly attached to where there is something intervening. 
     As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc. 
     It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited. 
     Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about” and “substantially”, are not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value. Here and throughout the specification and claims, range limitations may be combined and/or interchanged; such ranges are identified and include all the sub-ranges contained therein unless context or language indicates otherwise. 
     The recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. 
     All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not impose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. 
     No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
     In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. There is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.