Patent ID: 7094199

Claim:
A surgical instrument ( 10 ) for passing a material into a body in a minimally invasive procedure comprising: a first member ( 12 ) having a longitudinal section ( 16 ) defining a longitudinal axis and an arcuate section ( 18 ) extending distally from the longitudinal section, the first member comprising a hollow outer tubular member; and a stylet ( 14 ) at least partially movable within the outer tubular member and engageable with a material to pass the material within the body; wherein a proximal portion ( 36 ) of the arcuate section curves away from the longitudinal axis in a first direction and defines a first radius of curvature (R 1 ), wherein a portion ( 38 , 40 ) of the arcuate section distal of the proximal portion ( 36 ) curves toward the longitudinal axis in a second direction and defines a second radius of curvature (R 2 , R 3 ).