Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/585,136, filed on Aug. 14, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/089,340, filed on Apr. 19, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,262,620, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/468,363, filed on May 19, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,951,117, which claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/075,542, filed on Jun. 25, 2008, the entire content of each of the applications identified above being incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to access devices and, more particularly, to a multi-lumen access port. 
     2. Background of Related Art 
     During laparoscopic surgery, a surgeon performs surgical procedures through small incisions. Typically, these incisions measure about half an inch. The surgeon also places small ports through the incisions to gain access into the abdominal cavity of the patient. These ports have a number of uses. For example, a surgeon may use a port for insufflating the abdominal cavity to create space, another port for introducing a laparoscope for viewing, and a number of other ports for introducing surgical instruments for operating on tissue. Generally, laparoscopic surgery costs less than open surgery. In addition, patients typically recover faster from a laparoscopic surgery than from an open surgery. 
     In open surgery, surgeons use their hands, together with surgical instruments, to manipulate tissue. Surgeons performing open surgery may decide to perform particular steps of the procedure with their hands and other steps with surgical instruments. For instance, open surgery allows surgeons to obtain tactile feedback through their fingertips. Surgeons may also use their hands to remove relatively large portions of tissue from a body cavity. Moreover, open surgery facilitates the use of relatively large surgical instruments within the human body. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure relates to an access device. The access device includes a body, a first tube, a second tube, and a mechanism. The first and the second tubes extend through the body of the access device. The mechanism operably couples the first and second tubes such that at least one tube is pivotable about an axis with respect to the other. The proximal ends of the first and second tubes are located within the body. At least one of the tubes extends distally from a surface of the body. The body may be adapted for placement in an opening in body tissue. During use, body may form a substantially fluid-tight seal at the opening or incision. The access device may further include a third tube extending through the body. In this embodiment, the mechanism operably couples the tubes together such that at least two tubes are pivotable about the axis with respect to the remaining tube. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the presently disclosed multi-lumen access port are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is side view of an embodiment of the presently disclosed multi-lumen access port; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the presently disclosed multi-lumen access port; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of an access tube and a portion of a support body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an access tube and a portion of a support body according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the presently disclosed multi-lumen access port will now be described in detail with reference to the drawing figures wherein like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements. In the drawings and in the description which follows, the term “proximal”, as is traditional, will refer to the end of the multi-lumen access port which is closest to the operator while the term “distal” will refer to the end of the device which is farthest from the operator. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , the presently disclosed multi-lumen access port is shown generally as access port  100 . Access port  100  includes a plurality of access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30 . One or more of the access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  may contain a fluid-tight seal. Each access tube  10 ,  20 ,  30  has an open proximal end  14 ,  24 ,  34  and an open distal end  16 ,  26 ,  36 . A passageway  12 ,  22 ,  32  is defined between open proximal ends  14 ,  24 ,  34  and open distal ends  16 ,  26 ,  36 . Each access tube  10 ,  20 ,  30  is generally an elongate tubular structure that is adapted for receiving at least a portion of an endoscopic surgical instrument (not shown) therethrough. In one embodiment, the configuration of at least one passageway  12 ,  22 ,  33  allows passage of a surgical instrument having an outside diameter ranging between about 5 mm and about 12 mm through access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30 . Access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  may be configured, however, to receive surgical instruments having other suitable sizes. The present disclosure envisions access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  having a variety of sizes and shapes. Access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  may have circular cross-sections, oval cross-sections, or any other suitable shape so long as they are capable of receiving a surgical instrument. In addition to their ability to receive a surgical instrument, access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  are able to move axially with respect to one another. 
     Access port  100  includes a mechanism  56  adapted to facilitate relative movement of access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30 . Mechanism  56  operably connects access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  at a pivot point P. Consequently, a portion of each access tube  10 ,  20 ,  30  overlaps at pivot point P. The location of pivot pin P allows users to employ mechanism  56  to pivot access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  with respect to one another. In the depicted embodiment, mechanism  56  includes a pivot pin  58  or any other suitable fastening member adapted to interconnect access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30 . Pivot pin  58  facilitates pivotal movement of access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  about an axis. Alternatively, pivot pin  58  operably couples only two access tubes  10 ,  20 . In any case, the location of pivot pin  58  coincides with the location of pivot point P. Accordingly, access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  rotate about pivot point P upon manipulation by a user during operation. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure. This embodiment is generally designated as access port  200 . Access port  200  is substantially similar to access port  100 . The presently disclosed access port  200  includes a plurality of access tubes  210 ,  220 ,  230 . At least one access tube  210 ,  220 ,  230  may include a fluid-tight seal. Each access tube  210 ,  220 ,  230  has an open proximal ends  214 ,  224 ,  234  and an open distal end  216 ,  226 ,  236 . Open proximal ends  214 ,  224 ,  234  and open distal ends  216 ,  226 ,  236  each defines a passageway  212 ,  222 ,  232  therebetween. Each passageway  212 ,  222 ,  232  has a cross-section adapted to receive an endoscopic surgical instrument. In one embodiment, the cross-section of at least one passageway  212 ,  222 ,  232  is capable of receiving therethrough a surgical instrument having an outside diameter ranging between about 5 mm and about 12 mm. During use, a surgeon may introduce a surgical instrument through open proximal end  214 ,  224 ,  234  until it reaches a location beyond open distal ends  216 ,  226 ,  236 . 
     The open distal ends  216 ,  226 ,  236  of access port  200  form a juncture  256 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Juncture  256  operatively connects open distal ends  216 ,  226 ,  236  with one another. During operation, juncture  256  facilitates relative movement of access tubes  210 ,  220 ,  230  upon manipulation by a user. Therefore, juncture  264  is sufficiently strong to maintain open distal ends  216 ,  226 ,  236  joined, but sufficiently flexible to allow relative movement of access tubes  210 ,  220 ,  230 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the embodiments of the present disclosure include a support body  50 . Support body  50  supports access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30 . In use, support access  50  serves as a standalone component for providing access to a working space in the patient&#39;s body. Alternatively, a user may use support body  50  in conjunction with other access devices (i.e. access ports). In any case, support body  50  has a flexible outer wall  54 . The resiliency of flexible outer wall  54  permits temporarily deformation of support body  50  during its installation. After installation, support body  50  along with its flexible outer wall  54  reverts to its original configuration and provides a fluid-tight seal in conjunction with the patient&#39;s skin (i.e. standalone mode) or the access device. In either mode, support body  50  conforms to the skin at an opening in the patient&#39;s body or the interior wall of the access device, thereby providing a fluid-tight seal for inhibiting leakage of insufflation fluids from the working space or the introduction of external contaminants into the working space. 
     The structural relationships between support body  50  and access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  is substantially similar to the structural relationship between support body  50  and access tubes  210 ,  220 ,  230 . Therefore, the mechanical cooperation and operation of support body  50  and access tubes  210 ,  220 ,  230  will not be described herein in detail. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an embodiment of support body  50  has a circular cross-section. The present disclosure nevertheless envisions support bodies with other configurations. In the depicted embodiment, support body  50  includes a plurality of bores  52 . Bores  52  are laterally and longitudinally spaced apart from one another. Each bore  52  is adapted to receive an access tube  10 ,  20 ,  30  and extends through support body  50 . The cross-section of each bore  55  is larger than the cross-section of access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30 , as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . This configuration provides access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  certain freedom of movement within bores  52 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, support body  50  includes at least one slit  60  extending along at least a portion of the length of support body  50 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Slit  60  enhances the flexibility of support body  50 . The presence of slit  60  allows user to move access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  beyond the boundaries of bores  52 . 
     In use, a surgeon may employ access port  100  or  200  to create and maintain access into a working space inside a patient&#39;s body during a surgical procedure. In particular, physicians may employ either access port  100 ,  200  during a laparoscopy or a HALS procedure. Initially, the surgeon may first incise a body wall with scalpel or any other suitable instrument. Alternatively, the surgeon may penetrate the body wall with a sharp tip. Once the body wall has an opening, the surgeon may place support body  50  in the desired site. 
     The physician may employ support body  50  by itself or in conjunction with other access device. Before placing access port  100  inside a patient&#39;s body, the surgeon may deform support body  50 . Thereafter, the surgeon places access port  100  inside the patient&#39;s body. 
     Immediately after its installation, support body  50  reverts to its original configuration and creates a fluid-tight seal in conjunction with the patient&#39;s skin (in the standalone mode) or an access device. After the establishing the fluid-tight seal, the surgeon inserts one or more surgical instruments through access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30 . In particular, the surgeon may initially insert an insufflation device through any access tube  10 ,  20 ,  30 . Before activating the insufflation device, the user may move access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  20  to direct the delivery of insufflation gas. Once in position, the insufflation device delivers gas to a body cavity upon activation by the surgeon. This gas expands the body cavity and prepares the surgical site. Subsequently, the physician may insert a laparoscope or any other suitable viewing apparatus through another access tube  10 ,  20 ,  30 . The laparoscope facilitates visual observation of the surgical site. Again, the operator may move access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  to observe several areas of the body cavity. After visually inspection the body cavity, the physician may insert a surgical instrument through any of the open proximal ends  14 ,  24 ,  34 . The surgeon should advance the surgical instrument through the corresponding passageway  12 ,  22 ,  32  until it reaches a location beyond corresponding open distal end  16 ,  26 ,  36 . The surgeon may then move access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  to reach the desired surgical site. 
     Access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  may move upon manual manipulation by the operator. The operator, however, may use any suitable means to move access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30 . During operation, access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30  of access port  100  move relative to one another about pivot point “P.” The boundaries of bores  52  may slightly restrict the movement of access tubes  10 ,  20 ,  30 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Nonetheless, access tubes disposed in a support body  50  having a slit  60  may easily move beyond the boundaries of bores  52 . 
     The method of using access port  100  is substantially similar to the method of using access port  200 . During the operation of access port  200 , however, a surgeon may move access tubes  210 ,  220 ,  230  with respect to one another, but their distal open ends  216 ,  226 ,  236  are fixed in relation to each other. 
     It will be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments of the presently disclosed surgical stapling instruments. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Technology Category: 1