BIFLOW SPINAL CANNULA

Abstract

An improved cannula that provides improved visibility at a surgical site through the continuous flow of fluid through a cannula positioned in direct proximity of the surgical site, the improved cannula including a handle, a pair of portals, and a trephine.

Claims

1. A bidirectional flow surgical cannula apparatus for providing simultaneous and continuous fluid flow and surgical instrument access to the surgical site during arthroscopy, the apparatus comprising: an elongated trephine with a barbed flange Are located on opposite sides of the trephine tip 34 at the proximal end separated from a trephine tip at the distal end by a conical body; said trephine tip including a plurality of sidewall apertures adapted for simultaneous fluidic communication with the surgical site; said proximal end of the elongated trephine attached to an acorn-shaped handle containing a plurality of contoured elevations on its surface and an internal central mixing chamber adapted for fluidic communication with the surgical site; said elongated trephine containing an internal trephine chamber with a constant radius that extends continuously from said central mixing chamber to said trephine tip and adapted for fluidic communication between the surgical site and said central mixing chamber; said handle presenting a rear portal being axially aligned with said internal trephine chamber and adapted for receipt of a surgical instrument; said handle presenting a side portal radially extending outward from said central mixing chamber; a first chamber extending inwardly from said side portal through said handle to said central mixing chamber adapted for fluidic communication between the surgical site and said side portal; and a second chamber extending inwardly from said rear portal through said handle to the central mixing chamber adapted for communication between the surgical site and said rear portal.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said elongated trephine contains a plurality of vertically spaced indicia extending around the circumference of said elongated trephine near the distal end of said elongated trephine.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein: said internal trephine chamber is adapted for receiving a trocar through said rear portal; and said trocar having a substantially cylindrical top at the proximal end separated from a trocar tip at the distal end by a rigid cylindrical trocar body.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a cap secured to said rear portal containing a cap aperture adapted for receipt of a surgical instrument.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a top elevation view of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of FIG. 1.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line A of FIG. 2.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the present invention with a surgical instrument.

[0019] FIG. 5. is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the cap.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the trocar.

[0022] FIG. 8. is a side elevation view of the trocar with an alternative tip.

[0023] FIG. 9. is a side elevation view of the trocar with an alternative tip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

[0025] Referring to the drawings in more detail, the reference numeral 10 generally designates an embodiment of the biflow spinal cannula instrument (hereinafter “cannula”). The cannula includes a handle 20 with a trephine 30 extending distally therefrom.

[0026] As depicted in FIGS. 1-3, an embodiment of the cannula 10 includes a handle 20 that contains a central mixing chamber 26. The handle 20 is acorn-shaped with a plurality contoured elongations along the surface for grip. A side portal 22 radially extends outward from the handle and is adapted for receipt of a fluid source. A first chamber 23 extends inwardly from the side portal 22 through the handle 20 to the central mixing chamber 26 for fluidic communication therebetween. A rear portal 24 extends proximately from the rear of the handle 20 and is adapted for the receipt of other endoscopic instruments, including a trocar 40 or visual instrument. A second chamber 25 that extends inwardly from the rear portal 24 through the handle 20 to the central mixing chamber 26 for communication therebetween.

[0027] The rear portal chamber 25 may also include an o-ring 28 presenting a hermetic seal limiting fluid flow through the rear portal while permitting removable receipt of a plurality of various surgical instruments, including but not limited to a trocar or optical instrument received at the rear portal 24.

[0028] A trephine 30 extends from the handle 20 with the trephine 30 being axially aligned with the rear portal 24. Both the side portal 22 and the rear portal 24 may include repeatable releasable locking mechanisms (not shown) to hold fluid sources and/or instruments received by the cannula 10 in place during use. One such example may include but is not limited to a leur lock.

[0029] In one embodiment of the cannula 10, the trephine 30 extends forwardly from the handle 20 and includes a conical trephine body 32, which terminates distally at a trephine tip 34. The proximal end of trephine body 32 has a barbed flange which is adjacent to the handle 20. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, a plurality of flow apertures 35 also referred to as sidewall apertures are located on opposite sides of the trephine top 34 and are adapted for the inflow and outflow of fluid as desired during surgical procedure where the trephine tip may be obstructed with, for example, a surgical instrument or surrounding tissue or bone.

[0030] Alternative flow apertures (not shown) may be positioned along the outer surface including a plurality of elongated slots or apertures (not shown) being positioned near the trephine tip 34 and further adapted for the inflow and outflow of fluid from the surgical site.

[0031] The trephine 30 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 contains a chamber 36 that extends continuously with a constant radius from the central mixing chamber 26 and through the trephine body 32 terminating at the trephine tip 34. The trephine 30 contains an outer surface 32 and the trephine chamber 36 contains an inner surface 37, the outer surface and inner surface being radially separated by a sidewall thickness, which generally corresponds to the thickness of the trephine 30 and may vary according to the desired fabrication methods and desired operational characteristics. The trephine chamber 36 is in fluidic communications with the central mixing chamber 26 and is adapted for simultaneous receipt of fluid from the fluid source at the side portal 22 and surgical instruments received from the rear portal 24.

[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 5, an alternative trephine 60 may include a plurality of vertically spaced indicia 62, the indicia circumscribing the trephine 60, with each indicia extending along the trephine outer surface near the distal end of the trephine 64. Each indicia corresponds to a given location. By way of example, the indicia illustrated in FIG. 5 are positioned coaxial to the side portal 22 and generally allow for localization of fractures or other pathology associated with the surgical site.

[0033] The central mixing chamber 26 simultaneously communicates with each of the side portal chamber 23, the rear portal chamber 25, and the trephine chamber 36, independently. In this manner, the trephine chamber 36 can simultaneously communicate with the side portal 23 and the rear portal 25. Thus, the trephine chamber 36 can simultaneously and continuously receive fluid from the fluid source at the side portal chamber 23 and surgical instruments from the rear portal chamber 25.

[0034] In an alternative embodiment, a trocar 40 can be inserted into the rear portal 24 through the central mixing chamber 26 and the trephine chamber 36 and into the surgical site. The trocar has body 42, a tip 44 at the distal end, and a top 46 at the proximal end. The tip 44 may have multiple embodiments as shown in FIGS. 7-9. The tip may be sharp 44a or blunt 44b based upon the desired operational characteristics.

[0035] In an additional embodiment, a cap 50 may be placed on the rear portal 24 in order to shorten the working length of surgical instruments received by the rear portal 24. The cap 50 contains an aperture 52 adapted for receipt of surgical instruments including the trocar 40. The cap 50 may also include an o-ring 54 adapted for creating a hermetic seal with received surgical instruments. Further, the cap contains a locking mechanism 56, such as but not limited to a leur lock so that it may be held in place when adapted to the rear portal 24.

[0036] It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.