Surgical trocars having optical tips defining one or more viewing ports

Claim 2

A surgical apparatus for inserting a cannula through tissue defining a wall of a body cavity, said surgical apparatus comprising: a hollow axially elongated tube having a proximal end and a distal end; a substantially solid optically clear tip, said tip having a distal cutting end and a proximal base end secured to said distal end of said tube and including an axial bore extending from its proximal base end to its distal cutting end; a viewing rod positioned within said axial bore of said tip, said viewing rod having a proximal end defining a viewing port at said proximal base end of said tip and a distal end defining a window at said distal cutting end of said tip for collecting light which is carried to said viewing port by said viewing rod; and a cutting element disposed at the distal end of said tip for cutting said tissue for insertion of a cannula through said tissue into said body cavity, said cutting element comprising: at least one electrode disposed at said distal cutting end of said tip; and at least one electrical conductor extending from said proximal end of said tube to said distal end of said tube, said at least one electrical conductor being connected to said at least one electrode for conducting high frequency energy thereto for electrosurgically cutting said tissue to insert a cannula through said tissue into said body cavity.

Claim 3

A surgical apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one electrode comprises two electrodes extending on either side of said axial bore along said line of said tip and said at least one electrical conductor comprises two electrical conductors adapted at said proximal end of said tube for connection to a source of radio frequency energy, a first one of said two electrical conductors connected to a first one of said two electrodes and a second one of said two electrical conductors connected to a second one of said two electrodes.

Claim 4

A surgical apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the distal cutting end of said substantially solid optically clear tip is formed by a pair of opposing angularly oriented surfaces which converge to a line at said distal cutting end of said tip, said at least one electrode being disposed along said line of said tip.

Claim 5

A surgical apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said window at said distal end of said viewing rod comprises a pair of opposing angularly oriented surfaces which converge to a line at said distal end of said viewing rod.

Claim 6

A surgical apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said line at said distal end of said viewing rod and said line at said distal end of said distal cutting end of said substantially solid optically clear tip are substantially parallel to one another.

Claim 7

A surgical apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said distal end of said viewing rod distally extends beyond said distal cutting end of said substantially solid optically clear tip.

Claim 8

A surgical apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said tube is made of polymeric material and said two electrical conductors are embedded in generally diametrically opposite outer sections of said tube to facilitate insertion of an endoscope into said tube and to insulate said two electrical conductors from said endoscope.

Claim 9

A surgical apparatus assembly for penetrating a tissue wall of a body cavity to provide an operative channel through said tissue wall into said body cavity, said assembly comprising: a cannula having a distal end and a proximal end, and being adapted for insertion through said tissue wall with said distal end inside said body cavity and said proximal end outside said body cavity; and an obturator removably disposed in said cannula and comprising: a hollow axially elongated tube having a proximal end and a distal end; a substantially solid optically clear tip, said tip having a distal cutting end and a proximal base end secured to said distal end of said tube and including an axial bore extending from its proximal base end to its distal cutting end; and a cutting element disposed at the distal end of said tip for cutting said tissue wall for insertion of said cannula through said tissue wall into said body cavity, said cutting element comprising at least one electrode disposed at said distal cutting end of said tip, and at least one electrical conductor extending from said proximal end of said tube to said distal end of said tube, said at least one electrical conductor being connected to said at least one electrode for conducting high frequency energy thereto for electrosurgically cutting said tissue wall to insert said cannula through said tissue wall into said body cavity; and a viewing rod positioned within said axial bore of said tip, said viewing rod having a proximal end defining a viewing port at said proximal base end of said tip and a distal end defining a window at said distal cutting end of said tip for collecting light which is carried to said viewing port by said viewing rod; whereby said distal end of said obturator and the distal end of said cannula can be advanced through a tissue wall and the obturator can be removed from said cannula leaving said cannula inserted through said tissue wall.

Claim 10

A surgical apparatus assembly for penetrating a tissue wall of a body cavity to provide an operative channel through said tissue wall into said body cavity, said assembly comprising: a cannula having a distal end and a proximal end, and being adapted for insertion through said tissue wall with said distal end inside said body cavity and said proximal end outside said body cavity; and an obturator removably disposed in said cannula and comprising: a hollow axially elongated tube having a proximal end and a distal end; a substantially solid optically clear tip, said tip having a distal cutting end and a proximal base end secured to said distal end of said tube and including an axial bore extending from its proximal base end to its distal cutting end; and a cutting element disposed at the distal end of said tip for cutting said tissue wall for insertion of said cannula through said tissue wall into said body cavity, said cutting element comprising at least one electrode disposed at said distal cutting end of said tip, and at least one electrical conductor extending from said proximal end of said tube to said distal end of said tube, said at least one electrical conductor being connected to said at least one electrode for conducting high frequency energy thereto for electrosurgically cutting said tissue wall to insert said cannula through said tissue wall into said body cavity; and a viewing rod positioned within said axial bore of said tip, said viewing rod having a proximal end defining a viewing port at said proximal base end of said tip and a distal end defining a window at said distal cutting end of said tip for collecting light which is carried to said viewing port by said viewing rod; whereby said distal end of said obturator and the distal end of said cannula can be advanced through a tissue wall and the obturator can be removed from said cannula leaving said cannula inserted through said tissue wall.

Claim 11

A surgical apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein said at least one electrode comprises two electrodes extending on either side of said axial bore along said line of said tip and said at least one electrical conductor comprises two electrical conductors adapted at said proximal end of said tube for connection to a source of radio frequency energy, a first one of said two electrical conductors connected to a first one of said two electrodes and a second one of said two electrical conductors connected to a second one of said two electrodes.

Claim 12

A surgical apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the distal cutting end of said substantially solid optically clear tip is formed by a pair of opposing angularly oriented surfaces which converge to a line at said distal cutting end of said tip, said at least one electrode being disposed along said line of said tip.

Claim 13

A surgical apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said window at said distal end of said viewing rod comprises a pair of opposing angularly oriented surfaces which converge to a line at said distal end of said viewing rod.

Claim 14

A surgical apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein said line at said distal end of said viewing rod and said line at said distal end of said distal cutting end of said substantially solid optically clear tip are substantially parallel to one another.

Claim 15

A surgical apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein said distal end of said viewing rod distally extends beyond said distal cutting end of said substantially solid optically clear tip.

Claim 16

A surgical apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein said tube is made of polymeric material and said two electrical conductors are embedded in generally diametrically opposite outer sections of said tube to facilitate insertion of an endoscope into said tube and to insulate said two electrical conductors from said endoscope.

Claim 17

A surgical apparatus for inserting a cannula through tissue defining a wall of a body cavity, said surgical apparatus comprising: a hollow axially elongated tube having a proximal end and a distal end; a substantially solid optically clear tip having a distal cutting end and a proximal base end secured to said distal end of said tube, an axial bore extending from its proximal base end to its distal cutting end, and comprising: a first pole; and a second pole located proximally of said first pole and electrically isolated therefrom by an insulator, said first and second poles receiving bipolar energy for cutting said tissue for insertion of a cannula through said tissue into said body cavity; a first electrical conductor extending from said proximal end of said tube to said distal end of said tube, said first electrical conductor being connected to said first pole; a second electrical conductor extending from said proximal end of said tube to said distal end of said tube, said second electrical conductor being connected to said second pole, said first and second electrical conductors conducting high frequency energy to said first and second poles for electrosurgically cutting said tissue to insert a cannula through said tissue into said body cavity; and a viewing rod positioned within said axial bore of said tip, said viewing rod having a proximal end defining a viewing port at said proximal base end of said tip and a distal end defining a window at said distal cutting end of said tip for collecting light which is carried to said viewing port by said viewing rod.

Claim 18

A surgical apparatus for inserting a cannula through tissue defining a wall of a body cavity, said surgical apparatus comprising: a hollow axially elongated tube having a proximal end and a distal end; a substantially solid optically clear tip having a distal cutting end and a proximal base end secured to said distal end of said tube, an axial bore extending from its proximal base end to its distal cutting end, and comprising: a first pole; and a second pole located proximally of said first pole and electrically isolated therefrom by an insulator, said first and second poles receiving bipolar energy for cutting said tissue for insertion of a cannula through said tissue into said body cavity; a first electrical conductor extending from said proximal end of said tube to said distal end of said tube, said first electrical conductor being connected to said first pole; a second electrical conductor extending from said proximal end of said tube to said distal end of said tube, said second electrical conductor being connected to said second pole, said first and second electrical conductors conducting high frequency energy to said first and second poles for electrosurgically cutting said tissue to insert a cannula through said tissue into said body cavity; and a viewing rod positioned within said axial bore of said tip, said viewing rod having a proximal end defining a viewing port at said proximal base end of said tip and a distal end defining a window at said distal cutting end of said tip for collecting light which is carried to said viewing port by said viewing rod.

Claim 19

A surgical apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said window at said distal end of said viewing rod comprises a pair of opposing angularly oriented surfaces which converge to a line at said distal end of said viewing rod.

Claim 20

A surgical apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said first pole, said insulator and said second pole form a tapered tip having a substantially acute tip angle.

Claim 21

A surgical apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein said distal end of said viewing rod distally extends beyond said distal cutting end of said substantially solid optically clear tip.