A device and method is provided to gain access to interior body regions. The system includes a safety needle assembly, a stylet assembly, a blade assembly, an obturator assembly, and a dilator assembly. The safety needle assembly or stylet assembly accesses an interior body region, after which the blade assembly expands the pathway created by the safety needle assembly or stylet assembly. The obturator then further expands the pathway and delivers the dilator assembly to the desired location. The safety needle assembly, obturator assembly, and blade assembly are removed, leaving the dilator assembly in place for future procedures.

An inflow access cannula system for allowing an instrument to access a remote surgical site, wherein the instrument comprises a distal portion having a smaller diameter and a proximal portion having a larger diameter, the system comprising: an inflow access cannula comprising a distal end, a proximal end and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein the central lumen has a diameter larger than the distal portion of the instrument and smaller than the proximal portion of the instrument; and an instrument adapter for releasable connection to the inflow access cannula, the instrument adapter comprising a lumen communicating with the central lumen of the inflow access cannula, the lumen having a diameter larger than the proximal portion of the instrument, the instrument adapter further comprising a port and a fluid passageway connecting the port with the lumen of the instrument adapter, and a spacer for spacing the proximal portion of the instrument from the distal end of the inflow access cannula, such that when an instrument is disposed in the inflow access cannula system so that the distal portion of the instrument extends within the central lumen of the inflow access cannula and the proximal portion of the instrument is disposed in the central lumen of the instrument adapter and is in engagement with the spacer, fluid can flow into the port of the instrument adapter, along the fluid passageway of the instrument adapter, into the lumen of the instrument adapter and through the lumen of the inflow access cannula.

A surgical access assembly and method of use is disclosed. The surgical access assembly comprises an outer sheath and an obturator. The outer sheath and obturator are configured to be delivered to an area of interest within the brain. Either the outer sheath or the obturator may be configured to operate with a navigational system to track the location of either device within the brain.

A delicate tissue retraction system for use with a navigation probe having a probe shaft and a probe tip at a distal end of the probe shaft. The delicate tissue retraction system includes a retractor and an introducer that is removably installed within the retractor. The introducer has a wall forming a hollow channel extending from a proximal introducer end to a distal introducer end. A mount is integrally formed with the introducer and extends from the distal introducer end into the channel. The mount is positioned to surround the probe tip when the navigation probe is at a fully inserted position within the introducer with the probe tip at the distal introducer end.

A minimally traumatic trocar apparatus for delivering one or more medication pellets to a subcutaneous insertion site is described. The minimally traumatic trocar apparatus includes a blunt cannula and an obturator. The blunt cannula includes a tubular cannula body having an anterior end with a surface that has a smooth edge. The blunt cannula also includes a medication slot disposed along the tubular cannula body and an inner diameter that is at least 3 millimeters (mm). The obturator includes an anterior rounded tip. The obturator body is inserted within the tubular cannula body so that the obturator extends through the tubular cannula body so that the anterior rounded tip of the obturator extends past the anterior end of the tubular cannula body.

A minimally traumatic trocar system is described. The trocar system includes a cannula, a plastic obturator, and hydrodissection microcannula. The cannula includes a tubular cannula body and blunt anterior surface. The obturator includes an anterior rounded tip. The hydrodissection microcannula includes an anterior rounded tip and an opening proximate to the anterior rounded tip. The cannula and plastic obturator assemble to form a minimally traumatic trocar by passing the plastic obturator through an interior passage of a tubular cannula body of the cannula. The hydrodissection microcannula probes an incision to form an insertion path while causing minimal trauma. The assembled trocar probes the incision along the insertion path to reach a delivery site within subcutaneous tissue. The plastic obturator withdraws from the cannula and at least one medication pellet is loaded within the interior passage. The plastic obturator pushes the medication pellet(s) through the interior passage to the delivery site and deposits the medication pellet(s) within the subcutaneous tissue.

A surgical obturator comprising an elongate shaft extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end includes a bladeless tip disposed at the distal end of the shaft. The tip has a blunt point and a pair of shorter side surfaces separated by a relatively longer pair of opposing surfaces to form in radial cross-section a geometric shape that has a longer length and relatively narrower width. The side surfaces and opposing surfaces terminate in end surfaces located proximally from the blunt point. The end surfaces extend radially outwardly from opposite locations of the outer surface. A conical surface facilitates initial insertion of the obturator and the geometric shape facilitates separation of consecutive layers of muscle tissue having fibers oriented in different directions and provides proper alignment of the tip between the layers of muscle.

An illuminating ring assembly is disclosed. The illuminating ring configured to be used with a surgical access element. The illuminating ring assembly comprises a housing defined by a cover and a wall member extending from the cover, wherein the cover and wall member cooperate to define a cavity therein, a light element configured to be disposed with the cavity, and an attachment mechanism configured to selectively attach the housing to a surgical access element. Wherein the cover and the light element both include an opening therethrough.

The present disclosure relates to a needle including a wall structure, a cutting edge and a blunt contour. The needle advantageously can be used to deliver a sensor (such as a glucose or other analyte sensor) through an outer skin layer and into a sensor depth in a less invasive way than prior art needles. The size of the cutting edge is balanced against a portion of the distal wall structure that has blunt contours. Thus, the needle is capable of cutting the more durable outer skin layer (first phase) and then progressively stretching open the cut for further advancement into the subcutaneous layer (second phase). When the needle is sufficiently advanced, it is retracted leaving the sensor in a desired position. Early testing has shown a reduction of “dip and recover” from glucose sensors delivered using the needle.

A needle assembly (10) for relieving a pneumothorax and/or a hemothorax, the needle assembly (10) comprising a canula (12), the canula (12) comprising: a distal end portion (20) comprising a cutting end (22) for puncturing a thoracic cavity wall (24), a proximal end portion (14) for removing a fluid or gas from a thoracic cavity (28), a first curved portion (18) between the distal end portion (20) and the proximal end portion (14), an intermediate portion (16) between the first curved portion (18) and the proximal end portion (14), and a first fixing bulge (42) arranged between the first curved portion (18) and the intermediate portion (16), wherein an outer diameter of the canula (12) at the first fixing bulge (42) is increased with respect to the diameter (D1) of the intermediate portion (16), said first fixing bulge (42) being arranged such as to be placed at or close to the inner surface (24) of the thoracic cavity wall (24i), when the canula (12) is inserted for relieving the pneumothorax, such as to prevent or to reduce the risk that the canula (12) inadvertently slides out of its inserted position.