Patent ID: 8211135

Claim:
A trocar assembly, which comprises: a cannula including a cannula housing and a cannula sleeve extending from the cannula housing; and an obturator assembly at least partially positionable within the cannula, the obturator assembly including: an obturator housing; an obturator shaft connected to the obturator housing; a bladeless obturator member connected to the obturator shaft, the bladeless obturator member defining, from leading to trailing, a cylindrical element having a generally arcuate leading surface and a generally planar dissecting element extending from the cylindrical portion; an obturator shield coaxially mounted about the bladeless obturator member and being adapted for longitudinal movement between a first position substantially enclosing the bladeless obturator member and a second position to at least partially expose the bladeless obturator member; and a manually manipulative member mounted to the obturator housing and adapted to be selectively moved by the operator relative to the obturator housing between an initial position corresponding to a first mode of operation where a generally blunt leading end of the obturator shield is used to penetrate tissue, and a release position corresponding to a second mode of operation operatively releasing the obturator shield to permit the obturator shield to move to the retracted position thereof to at least partially expose the bladeless obturator member for dissecting tissue; further including a latch member disposed within the obturator housing and in operative engagement with the obturator shield to secure the obturator shield in the extended position thereof, the latch member being actuable to release the obturator shield upon approximating the obturator housing and the cannula housing.