Wound protector

Inventors

Vaillancourt, Michael J. • Kerr, Marshall • Dwyer, Gregory J. • Herrera, Jeicol • Pfefferkorn, Michael J.

Assignees

VLV ASSOCIATES Inc

Abstract

The wound protector has an annularly collapsible proximal ring and a flexible sleeve extends between the proximal ring and distal ring. After positioning of the distal ring in a wound, the proximal ring is expanded to draw the sleeve taut between the rings and is drawn tight against the wound. In one embodiment, the proximal ring includes a bent hollow tube with an arcuate rod in the tube bridging the open ends of the tube and a compression spring extending within the tube against the ends of the rod to bias the proximal ring into an extended state. Finger grips on the ends of the tube allow for squeezing of the tube into a collapsed state.

Core Innovation

The wound protector includes a collapsible distal ring and an annularly collapsible proximal ring that is circumferentially collapsible from an extended state to a collapsed state, with the diameter of the proximal ring being larger than the diameter of the distal ring in the extended state and being of the same size as the diameter of the distal ring in the collapsed state. The proximal ring includes a one-piece hollow tube bent into an open-ended annular shape, an arcuate rod slidably disposed within the tube bridging an open end of the tube, and a compression spring located within the tube and butted against ends of the rod to bias the proximal ring into the extended state.

A flexible sleeve extends between the proximal ring and the distal ring to form a frusto-conical shape with the proximal ring in the extended state and to collapse with the proximal ring in the collapsed state. The sleeve is configured to become taut against an incision when the proximal ring expands, and the sleeve envelope is formed from urethane film to avoid puncture. The sleeve behavior is described as collapsing and expanding in an accordion-like manner in response to proximal ring motion, shortening and lengthening to draw taut.

The disclosure further describes alternative proximal-ring actuation and locking features, including a serrated rod with a finger grip and a detent locking device. Additional embodiments include an expansion member disposed in a sleeve loop that expands diametrically to draw rings together and employs a locking device with a lever/roller/rod arrangement, as well as retractor assembly embodiments using welded urethane film annular sections and a pocket with modified gear/serration locking expansion members.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim family coverage includes one independent claim (clm-00001). The independent claim contains 3 main inventive areas: (i) the dual-ring wound protector with defined diameter relationship between proximal and distal rings, (ii) a specific proximal-ring structure using a one-piece hollow tube with a slidably disposed arcuate rod and an internal compression spring biasing an extended state, and (iii) a flexible sleeve that forms a frusto-conical shape and collapses with the proximal ring.

Across the independent claim, the combination of a collapsible distal ring with an annularly collapsible proximal ring, a proximal-ring implementation using a one-piece hollow tube with a slidably disposed arcuate rod and internal compression spring biasing into an extended state, and a flexible sleeve forming a frusto-conical shape and collapsing with the proximal ring defines the claimed inventive scope.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications