Patent · US Expired

Gas-sealed instruments for use in laparoscopic surgery

US5431667A · kind A · utility

337Cited by
7References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 4, 1993
Grant dateJul 11, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 4, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2017/2948
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An gas-sealed instrument for use in laparoscopic procedures in a gas-insufflated body cavity. The instrument comprises a static portion, a moving portion, and a flexible seal for preventing gas from escaping from the body cavity through the static portion. The static portion includes a handle, and an elongate outer tube having a bore, a proximal portion attached to the handle, and a distal portion adapted for inserting into the body cavity. The moving portion includes an operating lever pivotally mounted in the handle, and an elongate operating rod mounted in the bore of the elongate outer tube, and sliding axially relative thereto in response to the operating lever. The flexible seal includes an outer portion attached to the static portion, an inner portion disposed about part of the moving portion, and a flexible mid portion between the outer portion and the inner portion. A rigid seal may be substituted for the flexible seal.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.