Sealing sleeve and method for laparoscopy

Claim 2

A sealing assembly for open laparoscopic surgery to provide a gas tight conduit into a peritoneal cavity by insertion through an incision in a patient's abdomen, the assembly comprising: a cannula having tubular means for the introduction of surgical instruments into the body; and a collar having a first portion having a generally conical outer surface extending from an upper end to a lower end, and an inner surface defining an axial passageway, said tubular means extending through said passageway, said tubular means and said passageway being configured to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween, said outer surface being inwardly deformable and resilient to conform to the contours of the skin surrounding the incision, whereby a fluid tight seal may be made by said first portion of said collar with said skin about said cannula, said collar further includes a second portion integrally connected to said first portion and extending vertically from said upper end of said first portion with said axial passageway extending vertically through said second portion, said second portion having a sealing flange located at an upper end of said second portion for forming a sealing engagement with a protruding lip on said cannula.

Claim 3

The device according to claim 1 further including rigid means engaging said collar for receiving at least one suture to maintain said cannula in place with respect to the patient.

Claim 4

The device according to claim 2 where said rigid means comprises a plurality of ears, each of said ears having notch means for receiving said at least one suture, said ears integrally connected to a tube which engages said second portion.

Claim 5

The device according to claim 1 where said tubular means includes a hollow shaft and a mounting cylinder disposed about said hollow shaft, said mounting cylinder having a threaded outer surface and said inner surface of said collar being threaded for threaded movement over said threaded outer surface and the outer surface of said mounting cylinder and said inner surface of said collar are sized to form a gas tight seal.

Claim 6

A laparoscopic assembly for open laparoscopic surgery, said assembly providing a fluid tight conduit into a peritoneal cavity by insertion through an incision in a patient's abdomen, the assembly comprising: a cannula having tubular means for the introduction of surgical instruments into the body; a collar composed of a medically inert material, having a first portion having a generally conical outer surface diminishing in diameter from an upper end to a lower end, said outer surface of said first portion being deformable and resilient to conform to the contours of the skin surrounding the incision, a second portion integrally connected to and extending vertically from said upper end, a sealing flange integrally connected to an upper end of said second portion for forming a gas tight seal with a protruding lip on said cannula, said collar having an inner surface defining an axial passageway for acceptance of said tubular means; a tube engaged to said second portion and located intermediate said upper end of said collar and said sealing flange, a plurality of ears, each of said ears having notch means for receiving a suture, said ears operatively connected to said tube, whereby upon insertion of said cannula in the incision, said outer surface of said collar conforms to the skin surrounding the incision to create a fluid tight seal which can be maintained during movements of said cannula.

Claim 7

A laparoscopic assembly for open laparoscopic surgery, said assembly providing a fluid tight conduit into a peritoneal cavity by insertion through an incision in a patient's abdomen, the assembly comprising: a cannula having tubular means for the introduction of surgical instruments into the body; a collar composed of a medically inert material, having a first portion having a generally conical outer surface diminishing in diameter from an upper end to a lower end, said outer surface of said first portion being deformable and resilient to conform to the contours of the skin surrounding the incision, a second portion integrally connected to and extending vertically from said upper end, a sealing flange integrally connected to an upper end of said second portion for forming a gas tight seal with a protruding lip on said cannula, said collar having an inner surface defining an axial passageway for acceptance of said tubular means; a tube engaged to said second portion and located intermediate said upper end of said collar and said sealing flange, a plurality of ears, each of said ears having notch means for receiving a suture, said ears operatively connected to said tube, whereby upon insertion of said cannula in the incision, said outer surface of said collar conforms to the skin surrounding the incision to create a fluid tight seal which can be maintained during movements of said cannula.

Claim 8

In open laparoscopic surgery, a method for creating a gas tight seal between a cannula and an incision in a patient's abdomen, said incision having contours and providing an opening into the patient's peritoneal cavity, comprising the steps of: assembling said cannula with a sleeve secured to a mounting cylinder of said cannula, said sleeve having a deformable and resilient outer surface; inserting a hollow shaft of said cannula through said incision and into said peritoneal cavity; inserting said sleeve into said incision and thereby establishing a conformance of said deformable and resilient outer surface of said sleeve to the contours of said incision, visually ascertaining said conformance, thereby creating a gas tight seal between said sleeve and said incision; and securing said sleeve to said patient's abdomen by attaching sutures to said abdomen and connecting said sutures to a rigid means on said sleeve while maintaining said gas tight seal between said sleeve and said incision.

Claim 9

In open laparoscopic surgery, a method for creating a gas tight seal between a cannula and an incision in a patient's abdomen, said incision having contours and providing an opening into the patient's peritoneal cavity, comprising the steps of: assembling said cannula with a sleeve secured to a mounting cylinder of said cannula, said sleeve having a deformable and resilient outer surface; inserting a hollow shaft of said cannula through said incision and into said peritoneal cavity; inserting said sleeve into said incision and thereby establishing a conformance of said deformable and resilient outer surface of said sleeve to the contours of said incision, visually ascertaining said conformance, thereby creating a gas tight seal between said sleeve and said incision; and securing said sleeve to said patient's abdomen by attaching sutures to said abdomen and connecting said sutures to a rigid means on said sleeve while maintaining said gas tight seal between said sleeve and said incision.

Claim 10

The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising screwing said sleeve onto said mounting cylinder until a sealing flange on said sleeve abuts a positioning flange on said cannula, whereby a protruding lip on said positioning flange forces an outward radial displacement of said sealing flange to create a gas tight seal between said protruding lip and said sealing flange.