Gas circulation system with gas sealed access cap and valve sealed access cap for robotically assisted surgical procedures

Inventors

Thompson, Emily • Brenner, Corey London

Assignees

Conmed Corp

Abstract

A gas circulation system is disclosed for performing robotically assisted surgical procedures in a surgical cavity of a patient, which includes a multi-lumen tube set including a dual lumen portion having a pressurized gas line and a return gas line, and a single lumen portion having a gas supply and sensing line, a valve sealed access cap for cooperative reception with a first robotic cannula and having an inlet path for communicating with the gas supply and sensing line of the tube set, and a gas sealed access cap for cooperative reception with a second robotic cannula and having an inlet path for communicating with the pressurized gas line of the tube set and an outlet path for communicating with the return gas line of the tube set.

Core Innovation

A valve sealed access cap for a robotic cannula includes an outer housing portion adapted for cooperative reception within a proximal bowl portion of the robotic cannula. The outer housing portion has an inlet path for communicating with a gas supply line of a tube set, and an inner body portion supports a mechanical valve assembly, with an annular channel formed between the outer housing portion and the inner body portion in communication with the inlet path.

The cap uses an annular channel that communicates with the proximal bowl portion through an annular nare. In disclosed refinements, the annular nare is defined by inwardly tapered distal walls of the inner body portion and the outer housing portion. The mechanical valve assembly includes a primary valve and a secondary valve, where a circular septum valve is recited as the primary valve and a duckbill valve is recited as the secondary valve.

Sealing and sound control structures are incorporated in the access caps, including O-rings sealing the annular channel and sound attenuating foam associated with the valve sealed access cap. The disclosed cap further includes connector structures for gas communication, including a luer type connector configured to connect to the inlet path. Additional disclosed variants define a gaseous sealing zone and circumferential routing features for spent gas in a gas sealed access cap having an annular jet assembly and circumferential vanes, along with connector/manifold coupling such as bullseye connectors.

Claims Coverage

Independent claim clm-00001 is directed to a valve sealed access cap for a robotic cannula with an outer housing portion, an inlet path, an inner body portion carrying a mechanical valve assembly, and an annular channel between the housing portions in communication with the inlet path. The claim set refines gas communication and sealing through multiple inventive features, including annular nare geometry, connector configuration, and valve assembly structure.

Overall, the claim coverage centers on a valve sealed access cap that forms an annular channel with an inlet path into the robotic cannula bowl, with dependent features specifying a connector pathway, an annular nare communication structure, a two-part mechanical valve assembly (circular septum and duckbill), and sealing elements such as an inner O-ring, with additional structural constraints on nare geometry.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications