Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A surgical access device comprising: a tubular member having a distal end portion for insertion through an insertion opening into a body cavity, organ or blood vessel and an extracorporeal proximal end portion for the introduction of at least one throughput device into said tubular member; and means for facilitating the introduction of the at least one throughput device into said extracorporeal proximal and portion of said tubular member; said tubular member being formed of flexible wall material forming said tubular member and having longitudinal stiffening elements incorporated therein to permit non-buckling rotation of the tubular member when it is inserted into the body cavity, organ or blood vessel, and said tubular member being radially deformable, with a substantially constant circumference, to permit the tubular member to optimize cross-sectional area of the insertion opening by conforming to the outer surface configuration of at least one throughput device introduced into said tubular member; whereby tissue trauma is reduced at the insertion opening by reducing the size of the opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
A surgical access device comprising: a tubular member having a distal end portion for insertion through an insertion opening into a body cavity, organ or blood vessel and an extracorporeal proximal end portion for the introduction of at least one throughput device into said tubular member; and means for facilitating the introduction of the at least one throughput device into said extracorporeal proximal and portion of said tubular member; said tubular member being formed of flexible wall material forming said tubular member and having longitudinal stiffening elements incorporated therein to permit non-buckling rotation of the tubular member when it is inserted into the body cavity, organ or blood vessel, and said tubular member being radially deformable, with a substantially constant circumference, to permit the tubular member to optimize cross-sectional area of the insertion opening by conforming to the outer surface configuration of at least one throughput device introduced into said tubular member; whereby tissue trauma is reduced at the insertion opening by reducing the size of the opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The surgical access device of claim 1 wherein said wall material defines a pre-formed optimized cross-sectional area and cross-sectional configuration which can be deformed to a generally circular cross-sectional configuration to facilitate the insertion of said tubular member into a body cavity, organ or blood vessel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The surgical access device of claim 1 wherein said means for facilitating the introduction of the at least one throughput device comprises: an enlarged, generally circular inlet sleeve projecting from said extracorporeal proximal end of said tubular member and adapted to receive and guide the at least one throughput device into said tubular member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The surgical access device of claim 3 further comprising a generally tubular transitional extending axially and section coaxially disposed in communication between said inlet sleeve and said extracorporeal proximal end portion of said tubular member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The surgical access device of claim 4, wherein said tubular transitional section is smoothly tapered as the section extends axially and is formed of a radially deformable, axially stiff material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The surgical access device of claim 1 further comprising means for sealingly engaging a housinq adjacent to said extracorporeal proximal end portion of said tubular member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
150 words
A surgical access device comprising: a tubular member having a distal end portion for insertion through an insertion opening into a body cavity, organ or blood vessel and an extracorporeal proximal end portion for the introduction of at least one throughput device into said tubular member; an enlarged, generally circular inlet sleeve projecting from said extracorporeal proximal end portion of said tubular member to facilitate the introduction of the at least one throughput device into said tubular member; said tubular member being axially stiff, to permit smooth, non-buckling rotation of the tubular member when it is inserted into the body cavity, organ or blood vessel, and radially deformable, with a substantially constant circumference, to permit the tubular member to optimize the cross-sectional area of the insertion opening by conforming to the outer surface configuration whereby tissue trauma is reduced at the insertion opening by reducing the size of the opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
150 words
A surgical access device comprising: a tubular member having a distal end portion for insertion through an insertion opening into a body cavity, organ or blood vessel and an extracorporeal proximal end portion for the introduction of at least one throughput device into said tubular member; an enlarged, generally circular inlet sleeve projecting from said extracorporeal proximal end portion of said tubular member to facilitate the introduction of the at least one throughput device into said tubular member; said tubular member being axially stiff, to permit smooth, non-buckling rotation of the tubular member when it is inserted into the body cavity, organ or blood vessel, and radially deformable, with a substantially constant circumference, to permit the tubular member to optimize the cross-sectional area of the insertion opening by conforming to the outer surface configuration whereby tissue trauma is reduced at the insertion opening by reducing the size of the opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The surgical access device of claim 7 wherein said tubular member comprises: a flexible wall material forming said tubular member and further incorporating longitudinal stiffening elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
The surgical access device of claim 7 wherein said tubular member defines a pre-formed optimized cross-sectional area and cross-sectional configuration which can be deformed to a generally circular cross-sectional configuration to facilitate the insertion of said tubular member into a body cavity, organ or blood vessel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The surgical access device of claim 7 further comprising a generally tubular transitional section extending axially and coaxially disposed in communication between said inlet sleeve and said extracorporeal proximal end portion of said tubular member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The surgical access device of claim 10, wherein said tubular transitional section is smoothly tapered as the section extends axially and is formed of a radially deformable, axially stiff material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The surgical access device of claim 7 further comprising means for connecting a housing in sealing engagement with said inlet sleeve.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
154 words
A surgical access device having optimizable post-insertion geometry, said device comprising: a generally tubular member formed of a radially deformable, axially stiff material and having a distal end portion for insertion into a body cavity, organ or blood vessel and an extracorporeal proximal end portion for the introduction of at least one throughput device; an enlarged, generally circular inlet sleeve projecting from said extracorporeal proximal end portion to facilitate the introduction of the at least one throughput device into said tubular member; said tubular member being axially stiff, to permit smooth, non-buckling rotation of the tubular member when it is inserted into the body cavity, organ or blood vessel, and radially deformable, with a substantially constant circumference, to permit the tubular member to optimize the cross-sectional area of the insertion opening by conforming to the outer surface configuration; whereby tissue trauma is reduced at the insertion opening by reducing the size of the opening.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
154 words
A surgical access device having optimizable post-insertion geometry, said device comprising: a generally tubular member formed of a radially deformable, axially stiff material and having a distal end portion for insertion into a body cavity, organ or blood vessel and an extracorporeal proximal end portion for the introduction of at least one throughput device; an enlarged, generally circular inlet sleeve projecting from said extracorporeal proximal end portion to facilitate the introduction of the at least one throughput device into said tubular member; said tubular member being axially stiff, to permit smooth, non-buckling rotation of the tubular member when it is inserted into the body cavity, organ or blood vessel, and radially deformable, with a substantially constant circumference, to permit the tubular member to optimize the cross-sectional area of the insertion opening by conforming to the outer surface configuration; whereby tissue trauma is reduced at the insertion opening by reducing the size of the opening.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The surgical access device of claim 13 further comprising: means for connecting a housing in sealing engagement with said inlet sleeve.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The surgical access device of claim 13 wherein said tubular member is provided with a pre-formed optimized cross-sectional area and an optimized non-circular cross-sectional configuration which can be deformed to a generally circular cross-sectional configuration to facilitate the insertion of said tubular member into a body cavity, organ or blood vessel.