Two-component separable plug

Abstract

The surgical access device includes an obturator head, an elongate shaft extending distally from the obturator head along a longitudinal axis, and an obturator tip. The obturator tip includes a reusable portion and a replaceable tip. The reusable portion is attached to a distal portion of the elongate shaft such that the reusable portion is configured to be sterilized along with the elongate shaft. The replaceable tip includes a tapered distal tip and a proximal coupling body. The tapered distal tip is configured to facilitate insertion of the surgical access device through a body wall of a patient. The proximal coupling body is configured to selectively couple with the reusable portion. The replaceable tip is generally movable relative to the reusable portion along a mating pathway to couple the proximal coupling body with the reusable portion. The mating pathway extends transversely to the longitudinal axis.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Priority) This application claims priority to Indian Provisional Patent Application No. 2020 / 11018667, entitled "Two-Piece Separable Obturator", filed on May 1, 2020.

Background Art

[0002] Some surgical procedures may require a clinician to access a surgical site through a patient's abdominal cavity. To obtain such access, first, an opening is formed through the abdominal wall tissue overlying the abdominal cavity. In some surgical procedures (referred to as "laparoscopic" or "endoscopic" surgery), a relatively small opening is created through the abdominal wall tissue, and then the surgical site is accessed with an elongated instrument inserted through an access device generally referred to as a "trocar" positioned within the opening. Conventional trocars generally include a cannula assembly and an obturator removably received within the working channel of the cannula assembly. In use, the obturator is fitted with the cannula assembly, and the combined structure (i.e., the trocar) is directed downward by the clinician through the patient's abdominal wall, such that the distal ends of the obturator and the cannula assembly extend into the abdominal cavity. The clinician then withdraws the obturator from the cannula assembly so that a surgical instrument can be directed downward through the working channel of the cannula assembly to access the surgical site.

[0003] Trocars, merely exemplary variations of its components, and other types of surgical access devices are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,981,092 entitled "Vibratory Trocar" disclosed on July 19, 2011, U.S. Patent No. 8,226,553 entitled "Access Device with Insert" issued on July 24, 2012, U.S. Patent No. 8,251,900 entitled "Surgical Access Devices and Methods Providing Seal Movement in Predefined Paths" issued on August 28, 2012, U.S. Patent No. 8,579,807 entitled "Absorbing Fluids in a Surgical Access Device" issued on November 12, 2013, U.S. Patent No. 8,568,362 entitled "Surgical Access Device with Sorbents" issued on October 29, 2013, U.S. Patent No. 8,636,686 entitled "Surgical Access Device" issued on January 28, 2014, U.S. Patent No. 8,690,831 entitled "Gas Jet Fluid Removal in a Trocar" issued on April 8, 2014, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0000496 entitled "Method of Suturing a Trocar Path Incision" published on January 3, 2019. The disclosure of each of the above-cited U.S. patents and U.S. patent application publications is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] Various types of surgical instruments and other related components, including surgical access devices and end effectors, have been made and used, but it is believed that no one prior to the inventors has made or used the invention described in the appended claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0005] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the embodiments below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

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[0006] The drawings are not intended to limit in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in various other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate some aspects of the present invention and serve to explain the principles of the present invention together with the description. However, it is understood that the present invention is not limited to the exact arrangements shown.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] The following description of specific embodiments of the present invention should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention. Other embodiments, features, aspects, embodiments, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, which is one of the best modes contemplated for carrying out the present invention by way of example. As will be understood, the present invention is capable of other different and distinct aspects without departing from the present invention. Therefore, the drawings and the description are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive in nature.

[0008] For the sake of clarity in this disclosure, the terms "proximal" and "distal" are defined herein with respect to a surgeon or other operator holding a surgical device. The term "proximal" refers to the position of an element located closer to the surgeon, and the term "distal" refers to the position of an element located farther away from the surgeon. Also, to the extent that spatial terms such as "above", "below", "upper", "lower", "vertical", "horizontal", etc. are used herein with reference to the drawings, it will be understood that such terms are used for illustrative descriptive purposes only and are not intended to be limiting or absolute. In that regard, it will be understood that surgical instruments such as those disclosed herein may be used in various orientations and positions not limited to those illustrated and described herein.

[0009] Furthermore, terms such as "about," "substantially," etc. used herein in relation to any numerical value or range of numerical values are intended to encompass the exact value being referenced, as well as a reasonable tolerance within which the referenced feature, or combination of features, can function for the intended purposes described herein.

[0010] I. Exemplary Single-Use and Reusable Trocars Figures 1-5 illustrate exemplary surgical access devices in the form of a first single-use trocar (10) and a second reusable trocar (110), each configured to provide access to a surgical site in laparoscopic surgery. Each trocar (10, 110) includes a cannula assembly (12, 112) having a working channel (14, 114) and an obturator (16, 116) configured to be removably inserted coaxially into the working channel (14, 114), such that the assembled trocar (10, 110) can be directed distally through the patient's abdominal wall, as described below in connection with FIGS. 3A-3D, for example.

[0011] A. Exemplary Single-Use Trocar As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the cannula assembly (12) of the single-use trocar (10) includes a cannula (20) and a seal housing (30). The cannula (20) and the seal housing (30) cooperate to define a working channel (14) that extends longitudinally along the central axis (A) of the trocar (10). In particular, the working channel (14) is defined by the lumen of the cannula (20) that communicates with the hollow interior of the seal housing (30). The cannula assembly (12) is configured to receive a distal elongate surgical instrument through the working channel (14) and provide access to a surgical site within the patient's abdominal cavity. As described in more detail below, the seal housing (30) houses a pair of seal structures that define a seal assembly configured to maintain insufflation of the patient's abdominal cavity while allowing passage of surgical instruments and tissue fragments along the working channel (14).

[0012] The cannula (20) of this modification example may include a bell-shaped hub (not shown) at its proximal end and an elongated cylindrical tube (22) extending distally from the hub and terminating at an angled cannula tip (24). The outer surface of the cannula tube (22) includes a plurality of tissue gripping features in the form of annular ribs (26) arranged axially along the inner portion of the cannula tube (22). The ribs (26) are configured to grip the layers of abdominal wall tissue into which the cannula (20) is inserted, thereby assisting in axially and radially stabilizing the cannula (20) while the cannula (20) is positioned within the opening formed in the patient's abdominal wall.

[0013] More specifically, the tissue gripping ribs (26) of this embodiment are formed as annular scallops in the side wall of the cannula tube (22) such that each rib (26) tapers radially inwards in the distal direction from the outermost edge of the rib (26) in the radial direction. Thus, the outermost edge of the rib (26) in the radial direction is generally coplanar with the non-ribbed proximal and distal portions of the cannula tube (22). The resulting configuration of the rib (26) facilitates the advancement of the cannula tube (22) through the tissue layer in the distal direction and resists the withdrawal of the cannula tube (22) through the tissue layer in the reverse proximal direction. Advantageously, this configuration protects against the unintentional withdrawal of the cannula tube (22) from the patient's abdominal wall during surgery. However, it will be understood that the cannula tube (22) may be provided with various other types of tissue gripping features in other modifications of the trocar (10). For example, the cannula tube (22) may include tissue gripping features in the form of one or more helical ribs that extend around at least the inner portion of the cannula tube (22) and may be scalloped similar to the rib (26).

[0014] The seal housing (30) of the cannula assembly (12) includes a proximal housing portion (32) and a distal housing portion (34) to which the proximal housing portion (32) is removably attached. The proximal housing portion (32) includes a proximal head (36) and a distal base (38) fixed together. The distal housing portion (34) includes a distal shroud (40) that surrounds a proximal hub (not shown) of the cannula (20), a cap plate (42) fixed to the proximal end of the distal shroud (40), and a latch ring (44) rotatably disposed therebetween and having a radially outwardly projecting tab (46). The latch ring (44) is selectively rotatable about the central axis (A) of the trocar (10) via the tab (46) between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the latch ring (44) locks the proximal housing portion (32) to the distal housing portion (34). In the unlocked position, the latch ring (44) allows the proximal housing portion (32) to be separated from the distal housing portion (34), for example, to provide direct access to a distal seal structure (not shown) housed within the distal housing portion (34). In some variations, the distal shroud (40) may be integrally formed with the proximal end of the cannula tube (22) such that the distal shroud (40) is a component of the cannula (20).

[0015] Although not shown, the proximal housing portion (32) houses a proximal (or "outer") seal structure, and the distal housing portion (34) houses a distal (or "inner") seal structure, both disposed along the central axis (A) of the trocar (10). The proximal and distal seal structures cooperate to define a seal assembly that allows passage of surgical instruments and tissue fragments along the working channel (14) while maintaining insufflation of the patient's abdominal cavity during a surgical procedure. For example, the proximal seal structure may include an annular seal member configured to sealingly engage the shaft of a laparoscopic surgical instrument directed through the working channel (14). The distal seal structure may include a duckbill seal member configured to maintain the sealed working channel (14) described in the absence of a surgical instrument shaft.

[0016] The cannula assembly (12) is operably coupled to the proximal end of the cannula (20) and further includes a blowing port (50) having an adjustable valve in the form of a stopcock (52). The blowing port (50) is configured to direct a blowing fluid such as carbon dioxide distally from a fluid source (not shown) through the working channel (14) into the patient's abdominal cavity, thereby expanding (or "blowing") the cavity with fluid. This expansion of the abdominal cavity creates additional space for performing laparoscopic surgery with improved ease.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the obturator (16) of the trocar (10) includes a proximal head (60), an elongated cylindrical shaft (62) extending distally from the head (60), and a tapered distal tip (64). The obturator shaft (62) is configured to be received within the working channel (14) of the cannula assembly (12) such that the obturator tip (64) extends distally through the cannula tip (24). The obturator head (60) includes a dome-shaped upper body (66), a base plate (68), and an operable latch member (70) including a pair of latch arms (72) and a corresponding pair of latch buttons (74). The latch arms (72) are configured to be captured within respective slots (not shown) formed in the upper surface of the seal housing head (36) for coupling the obturator (16) to the cannula assembly (12). The latch buttons (74) are operable to release the latch arms (72) from the slots, thereby enabling separation of the obturator (16) from the cannula assembly (12). The obturator (16) further includes a central passage (76) extending longitudinally therethrough through the obturator head (60) and the obturator shaft (62) and is configured to receive an endoscope (not shown) therein to provide visualization during insertion of the trocar (10) through the patient's abdominal wall. The clamp lever (78) of the obturator head (60) is pivotable to selectively secure the endoscope within the central passage (76). The central passage (76) and the clamp lever (78) are merely optional features and may be omitted from the obturator (16) in other variations.

[0018] The cannula assembly (12) and the occluder (16) can be constructed to be disposed of after a single use with a patient. In other variations, one or more components of the trocar (10) can be suitably constructed to withstand sterilization and multiple reuses, as will be described in more detail below in connection with, for example, the trocar (110) of FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0019] B. Exemplary Deployment of a Trocar within a Patient's Abdomen FIGS. 3A - 3D illustrate an exemplary method of accessing a patient's peritoneal cavity (1) through the patient's abdominal wall (2) using the trocar (10) described above. It will be appreciated that the abdominal wall (2) includes an outer surface layer and an inner deep layer. Generally, the surface layer includes an outer layer of skin (3) and an inner layer of fat (4). On the other hand, the deeper layer includes an alternative layer of muscle (5) and fascia (6), and the fascia is more highly tensioned, fibrous, and flexible than the surface layer.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3A, with the occluder (16) received within the cannula assembly (12) and connected to the seal housing (30), the clinician manipulates the trocar (10) through the occluder head (60) and the seal housing (30), rotating the trocar (10) back and forth while pressing the distal end of the occluder (64) inwardly against the skin (3) and in the direction of the abdominal cavity (1). As shown in FIG. 3B, by continuing to press the trocar (10) inwardly, the distal end of the occluder (64) and the distal end of the cannula (24) are further directed distally through the fatty layer (4) and fascia (5) and into the cavity (1). As described above, this step can be facilitated by visualization provided by an endoscope (not shown) mounted within the occluder (16). When the cannula (20) reaches the desired insertion depth into the cavity (1), the clinician releases the occluder head (60) from the seal housing (30) via depression of the latch button (74) and then withdraws the occluder (16) proximally from the cannula assembly (12) as shown in FIG. 3C. Thereby, the working channel (14) of the cannula assembly (12) becomes free to receive surgical instruments distally therethrough for performing laparoscopic surgery. As described above, the tissue engagement ribs (26) provided on the cannula tube (22) grip the layers of tissue (3, 4, 5) of the abdominal wall (2) and thus provide a cannula assembly (12) having at least a minimum of stability with respect to the abdominal wall (2). At the completion of the laparoscopic surgery, the clinician grasps the seal housing (30) and withdraws the cannula assembly (12) proximally from the abdominal wall (2) as shown in FIG. 3D.

[0021] C. Exemplary Reusable Trocar with a Disposable Seal Assembly In some cases, it may be desirable to configure the trocar such that one or more of its components can be sterilized and reused for multiple surgical procedures, while one or more other components can be easily and economically disposed of and replaced after each procedure. FIGS. 4 - 5 show another exemplary trocar (110) configured in such a manner and having a structure and function similar to the above-described trocar (10), except as otherwise described below.

[0022] Similar to the trocar (10), the trocar (110) includes a working channel (114) and a cannula assembly (112) having an obturator (116) configured to be coaxially inserted into the cannula assembly (112) along the working channel (114). The cannula assembly (112) includes a cannula (120) having a bell-shaped hub (122) at its proximal end and an elongated cylindrical tube (124) extending distally from the hub (122) and terminating at an angled cannula tip (126). The outer surface of the cannula tube (124) includes a plurality of tissue gripping features in the form of annular ribs (128) that are axially disposed along the inner portion of the cannula tube (124) and are similar to the above-described ribs (26).

[0023] The cannula assembly (112) further includes a seal assembly (130). Unlike the seal assembly defined by the seal housing (30) of the trocar (10), the seal assembly (130) is constructed as a modular replaceable unit configured to releasably fit with the proximal hub (122) of the cannula (120). As best shown in FIG. 5, the seal assembly (130) of the present embodiment generally includes an upper frame member (132), an intermediate frame member (134), and a lower frame member (136) coaxially arranged and fixed to each other. Although not shown, a proximal (or "outer") seal structure is supported within the upper frame member (132), and a distal (or "inner") seal structure is supported within the lower frame member (136). Such seal structures may be similar in structure and function to the proximal and distal seal structures of the trocar (10) described above. The seal assembly (130) further includes a blow port (140) having an adjustable valve in the form of a stopcock (142).

[0024] The lower portion of the distal seal assembly (130) of the blow port (140) is configured to seat within the proximal hub (122) of the cannula (120), such that an annular seal member (144) circumferentially disposed around the lower portion is in sealing engagement with the inner surface of the cannula hub (122). In this way, the interior of the seal assembly (130) is in fluid communication with the lumen of the cannula (120) to define a working channel (114) of the cannula assembly (112) through which the insufflation fluid, surgical instruments, and tissue fragments can be directed in generally the manner described above in relation to the trocar (10). The seal assembly (130) may be further configured in accordance with one or more teachings of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0090905, published on March 28, 2019, entitled "Trocar Seal Assemblies", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, and / or U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0380742, published on December 19, 2019, entitled "Asymmetric Shaft Seal", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0025] As best shown in FIG. 5, the obturator (116) of the trocar (110) includes a proximal head (150), an elongated cylindrical shaft (152) extending distally from the head (150), and a tapered distal tip (154) at the distal end of the shaft (152). The obturator head (150) includes a domed upper body (156), a base plate (158), and an operable latch member (160) including a pair of latch arms (162) and a corresponding pair of downwardly extending latch buttons (164). The latch arms (162) are configured to be captured within respective slots (138) formed in the upper surface of the upper frame member (132) of the seal assembly (130) for coupling the obturator (116) to the cannula assembly (112). The latch buttons (164) are operable to release the latch arms (162) from the slots (138), thereby enabling separation of the obturator (116) from the cannula assembly (112).

[0026] The cannula (120) and obturator (116) of the present embodiment are preferably constructed of a robust material such as surgical steel, such that they can be sterilized and reused for multiple surgical procedures. In contrast, as described above, the seal assembly (130) is constructed as a disposable unit intended to be separated from the cannula (120) and replaced after each procedure. For example, the seal assembly (130) can be constructed of various polymeric materials including plastics and rubbers such that the seal assembly (130) can be easily manufactured and sold at a price suitable for disposing of the seal assembly (130) in the same manner as the trocar (10) described above.

[0027] II. Exemplary Obturator Having Multiple Components As described above, the obturators (16, 116) are preferably received within the cannula assemblies (12, 112), but the obturator tips (64, 154) are configured to bias the skin (3) inwardly through the various layers forming the patient's abdominal wall (2) such that the obturator tips (64, 154) and the cannula tips (24, 126) preferably access the abdominal cavity (1). In some instances, the obturator tips (64, 154) may comprise "bladeless tip" obturators. A "bladeless tip" obturator includes a tip geometry that is sharp enough to allow for non-traumatic, still user-friendly, tissue dilation of the patient's abdominal wall (2) while the trocar (10, 110) enters in accordance with the above description, but not so sharp as to be excessive.

[0028] Also as described above, in some instances, one or more components may be sterilized and reused for multiple surgical procedures, while one or more other components may be configured in the trocar such that they can be easily and economically disposed of and replaced after each procedure and / or can be sterilized and reused for a second, fewer number of procedures. Therefore, the cannulas (12, 120) and obturators (16, 116) may be constructed of a robust material such as surgical steel so that they can be sterilized and reused for multiple surgical procedures.

[0029] However, in cases where the obturators (16, 116) are configured to be sterilized and reused, the tip geometry of the obturator tips (64, 154) may ultimately deviate from the intended dimensions after multiple uses through wear, degradation, damage, etc., in accordance with the description herein. The deviation in the tip geometry of the obturator tips (64, 154) may be undesirable because the obturator tips (64, 154) may no longer be sharp enough with respect to the trocars (10, 110) to suitably access the abdominal cavity (1) through tissue dilation in a non-traumatic and still user-friendly manner in accordance with the teachings herein. Therefore, it may be desirable to have an obturator that includes an interchangeable obturator tip configured to be ultimately disposed of and replaced, while other portions of the obturator may then be sterilized and reused multiple times.

[0030] Figures 6A - 6C show an alternative trocar (210) that can be used in place of the trocars (10, 110) described above. The trocar (210) includes a cannula assembly (212) that defines a working channel (214) and an obturator (216) configured to be removably inserted coaxially into the working channel (214), such that the assembled trocar (210) can be distally directed into the abdominal cavity (1) through the patient's abdominal wall (2) in accordance with the description herein.

[0031] As described in more detail below, the obturator (216) includes an interchangeable tip assembly (300) having a reusable portion (302) and an interchangeable obturator tip (310). Also as described in more detail below, the interchangeable obturator tip (310) can be selectively replaced with a new obturator tip (310) to ensure an appropriate tip geometry for non-traumatic, still user-friendly tissue dilation in accordance with the teachings herein. Therefore, the reusable portion (302) and the remaining portions of the obturator (216) can be sterilized and reused for multiple surgical procedures, while a new obturator tip (310) can be easily incorporated to ensure an appropriate tip geometry.

[0032] The cannula assembly (212) can be substantially similar to any of the cannula assemblies (12, 112) described above. The cannula assembly (212) includes a cannula (220) and a seal housing (230) that together define a working channel (214). The cannula (220) and the seal housing (230) can be substantially similar to either (A) the cannula (20) and the seal housing (30), respectively, or (B) the cannula (120) and the seal assembly (130), respectively. In other words, the cannula (220) can be configured for either single-use or multiple-use purposes, while the seal assembly (230) can be partially attached to the cannula (220) or constructed as an interchangeable unit.

[0033] The cannula (220) includes an elongate central tube (222), an angled cannula tip (224), and a plurality of annular ribs (226), which can be similar to the elongate central tube (22, 124), the angled cannula tip (24, 126), and the annular ribs (26, 128), respectively.

[0034] The seal housing (230) houses a pair of seal structures that define a seal assembly configured to maintain insufflation of the patient's abdominal cavity while allowing passage of surgical instruments and tissue fragments along the working channel (214). In addition, the cannula assembly (212) includes an insufflation port (250) that can be substantially similar to the insufflation ports (50, 140) described above. Therefore, the insufflation port (250) is configured to direct an insufflation fluid, such as carbon dioxide, distally from a fluid source (not shown) through the working channel (214) into the patient's abdominal cavity, thereby expanding (or "insufflating") the cavity with fluid. This expansion of the abdominal cavity creates additional space for performing laparoscopic surgery with improved ease.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the obturator (216) of the trocar (210) includes a proximal head (260) and an elongated cylindrical shaft (262) extending distally from the head (260), which are substantially similar to the proximal head (60) and the elongated cylindrical shaft (262) described above, except for the differences detailed below. In addition, the obturator (216) includes an exchangeable tip assembly (300) located at the distal end of the elongated cylindrical shaft (262).

[0036] The obturator head (260) includes a domed upper body (266), a base plate (268), and an operable latch member (270) including a pair of latch arms (272) and a corresponding pair of latch buttons (274). The latch arms (272) are configured to be captured within respective slots (238) formed in the upper surface of the seal housing (230) for coupling the obturator (216) to the cannula assembly (212). The latch buttons (274) are operable to release the latch arms (272) from the slots, thereby enabling separation of the obturator (216) from the cannula assembly (212). Although not shown, the obturator (216) may also include a central passage (not shown) similar to the central passage (76) described above that extends longitudinally through the obturator head (260) and the obturator shaft (262), configured to receive an endoscope (not shown) therein to provide visualization during insertion of the trocar (210) through the patient's abdominal wall. In such cases, a clamp lever (not shown) of the obturator head (260) may be pivotable to selectively secure the endoscope within the central passage (not shown). Of course, the central passage (not shown) and the clamp lever (not shown) are merely optional features and may be omitted from the obturator (216) in other variations.

[0037] As described above, and as best shown in FIGS. 7A-9, the interchangeable tip assembly (300) includes a reusable portion (302) and an interchangeable occluder tip (310). Also as described above, and as will be described in more detail below, the interchangeable occluder tip (310) can be selectively coupled and decoupled from the reusable portion (302) to replace a used occluder tip (310) with a new occluder tip (310).

[0038] The reusable portion (302) is fixed to the distal end of the elongated cylindrical shaft (262). The reusable portion (302) includes a key post (304) and a pair of lateral snap-fit ribs (305) extending laterally from respective sides of the key post (304). The key post (304) further includes a proximal narrow portion (306) extending into the distal wide portion (308). As will be described in more detail below, the key post (304) and the lateral snap-fit ribs (305) are configured to selectively couple the interchangeable occluder tip (310) to the elongated cylindrical shaft (262).

[0039] The reusable portion (302) is configured to be sterilized and reused for multiple surgical procedures. The reusable portion (302) can be formed from any suitable material that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein, such as surgical steel. In some instances, the reusable portion (302) can be formed from the same material as the elongated cylindrical shaft (262). Alternatively, the reusable portion (302) can be formed from another suitable material different from the material used to form the elongated cylindrical shaft (262).

[0040] The replaceable occluder tip (310) includes a coupling body (312) and a tapered distal tip (320) fixed to the coupling body (312). The tapered distal tip (320) has a suitable tip geometry that is sharp enough to allow for non-traumatic, still user-friendly tissue spreading of the patient's abdominal wall (2) when the replaceable tip assembly (300) is properly assembled according to the description herein, but not so sharp as to be excessive. The tapered distal tip (320) is configured for single use (or a predetermined number of multiple uses) such that after surgery, the occluder tip (310) is removed, the reusable portion (302) and the remainder of the occluder (216) are sterilized, and a new occluder tip (310) is coupled to the reusable portion (302) according to the description herein. Therefore, undesirable deviations in the tip geometry can be prevented from being used multiple times according to the description herein. The replaceable occluder tip (310) can be formed from any suitable material that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein. For example, the replaceable occluder tip (310) can be formed from any suitable plastic, any suitable metal, any suitable alloy, and the like.

[0041] The coupling body (312) includes a plurality of internal ribs (316) and a plurality of gripping features (318). The gripping features (318) extend from the outer surface of the coupling body (312). The gripping features (318) can assist an operator in properly gripping the coupling body (312) to couple and decouple the replaceable occluder tip (310) to the reusable portion (302) according to the description herein. In this example, the gripping features (318) include a plurality of longitudinally extending protrusions, but any other suitable gripping features and / or geometries that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein may be used.

[0042] The outer surfaces of the coupling body (312) and the internal ribs (316) define complementary keyholes (314). Additionally, as best seen in FIGS. 7A and 9, the outer surface of the coupling body (312) that defines the complementary keyholes (314) includes a pair of outward snap-fit surfaces (315) and a pair of inward snap-fit surfaces (315).

[0043] As best shown in FIGS. 6A and 7A, complementary keyholes (314) are dimensioned to receive the key post (304) along the insertion path (P1). In particular, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B and FIGS. 7A and 7B, when the complementary keyholes (314) and key posts (304) are properly aligned, the operator can advance the replaceable occluder tip (310) and / or the key post (304) toward each other along the insertion path (P1) such that the key post (304) is properly received within the keyhole (314). In this example, the insertion path (P1) is perpendicular (or "lateral") to the longitudinal central axis of the trocar (210), but this is merely optional. In some cases, the key post (304) and keyhole (314) can be configured to be coupled along an insertion path that is oblique to the central axis of the trocar (210). In other words, the insertion path (P1) can simply cross or extend along an axis that crosses the central axis of the trocar (210) from the perspective of a two-dimensional plane containing both the central axis and the axis along which the insertion path (P1) extends.

[0044] In addition, the lateral snap-fit rib (305) is dimensioned to interact with a pair of outward snap-fit surfaces (315) of the coupling body (312) such that when the key post (304) is inserted into the complementary keyhole (314), the rib (305) abuts against the outward snap-fit surface (315) to provide a snap-fit connection. The snap-fit surface (315) and / or the outer surface portion forming the rib (305) may be sufficiently elastic to deform slightly when the key post (304) enters the keyhole (314). As best shown in FIG. 9, when the key post (304) is fully inserted into the complementary keyhole (314), the outer surface portion forming the snap-fit surface (315) and / or the rib (305) elastically returns to an undeformed position such that the rib (305) can be received within the keyhole (314) adjacent to the inward snap-fit surface (315). The snap-fit rib (305) and surface (315) may provide tactile feedback to the operator to confirm a suitable connection of the reusable portion (302) with the replaceable occluder tip (310).

[0045] As best shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, with the replaceable occluder tip (310) suitably coupled to the reusable portion (302) and the remainder of the occluder (216), the operator can suitably insert the occluder (216) into the working channel (214) of the cannula assembly (212). The occluder shaft (262) is configured to be received within the working channel (214) of the cannula assembly (212) such that the tapered distal tip (320) of the replaceable occluder tip (312) extends distally through the cannula tip (224). With the trocar (210) fully assembled, the operator can use the trocar (210) in accordance with the teachings herein.

[0046] As best shown in FIGS. 8-9, when the key post (304) of the reusable portion (302) is suitably inserted into the keyhole (314) of the replaceable occluder tip (310), the complementary geometric shapes of the key post (304) and the keyhole (314) are configured to prevent movement of the occluder tip (310) relative to the reusable portion (302) in all directions that are non-parallel along the insertion path (P1). For example, the connection between the replaceable occluder tip (310) and the occluder shaft (262) described above effectively resists movement of the occluder tip (310) relative to the occluder shaft (262) in the axial direction along the longitudinal axis of the occluder shaft (262) in response to an axial force. This connection also effectively resists rotational movement of the occluder tip (310) relative to the occluder shaft (262) about the longitudinal axis, for example, when the occluder tip (310) is advanced distally through the patient's abdominal wall (2) in the manner described above in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B, in response to a torsional force.

[0047] As best shown in FIG. 9, the snap-fit rib (305) and the inwardly facing snap-fit surface (315) can abut each other to prevent the key post (304) from unexpectedly exiting the keyhole (314) along the insertion path (P1).

[0048] The sidewalls of the narrow portion (306) that contact the internal rib (316) can be slightly tapered such that the end of the narrow portion (306) adjacent to the outer surface of the coupling body (312) is wider than the end of the narrow portion (306) received within the keyhole (314). Slightly tapering the narrow portion (306) allows the sidewalls of the narrow portion (306) to contact the internal rib (316) when the key post (304) is suitably inserted into the keyhole (314), thereby preventing accidental over-insertion of the key post (304) into the keyhole (314).

[0049] In addition, when the trocar (210) is assembled, the key post (304) and the keyhole (314) are both preferably received within the working channel (214) of the cannula (220) such that the inner wall of the cannula (220) is aligned and maintained with the reusable portion (302) of the replaceable obturator tip (310). In other words, when the trocar (210) is properly assembled for use in accordance with the description herein, the inner wall of the cannula (220) can assist in (A) allowing the key post (304) to exit the keyhole (314) along the insertion path (P1), and (B) preventing over-insertion of the key post (304) into the keyhole (314). Therefore, in some instances, the snap-fit surface (315) and the snap-fit rib (305) may be omitted. Also, in some instances, tapering the narrow portion (306) slightly to prevent accidental over-insertion may also be omitted.

[0050] After use of the obturator (216) in accordance with the description herein, the operator can remove the replaceable obturator tip (310) from the reusable portion (302) by actuating the key post (304) out of the keyhole (314) along the insertion path (P1) with sufficient force to overcome the snap-fit connection between the snap-fit rib (305) and the inwardly facing snap-fit surface (315). The operator can then discard the used replaceable obturator tip (310), sterilize the remainder of the obturator (216), and attach a new obturator tip (310) to the sterilized reusable portion (302) in preparation for another surgical procedure.

[0051] In this example, the proximal narrow portion (306) includes a rectangular cross-sectional geometry, while the distal wide portion (308) includes a circular cross-sectional geometry. However, it should be understood that the key post (304) can have any suitable geometry, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein. For example, the key post (304) can include a doubletail geometry that flares as the key post (304) extends distally from the elongated cylindrical shaft (262). As another example, the key post (304) can include a contoured surface.

[0052] In this example, the reusable portion (302) includes a male coupling portion (i.e., the key post (304)), while the replaceable obturator tip (310) includes a female coupling portion (i.e., the keyhole (314)). However, this is merely optional, as the reusable portion (302) may include a female coupling portion and the replaceable obturator tip (310) may include a male coupling portion.

[0053] FIGS. 10A and 10B show another exemplary replaceable tip assembly (330) that can be readily incorporated into an obturator (216) instead of the replaceable tip assembly (300) described above. The replaceable tip assembly (330) includes a reusable portion (332) and a replaceable obturator tip (340). As will be described in more detail below, the replaceable obturator tip (340) can be selectively coupled and decoupled from the reusable portion (332) to replace a used obturator tip (340) with a new obturator tip (340).

[0054] The reusable portion (332) can be fixed to the distal end of the elongated cylindrical shaft (262). The reusable portion (332) includes a cylindrical body that defines an internal passage extending between an open distal end (336) and a pair of lateral notches (338).

[0055] Similar to the reusable portion (302) described above, the reusable portion (332) is configured to be sterilized and reused for multiple surgical procedures. The reusable portion (332) can be formed from any suitable material that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein, such as surgical steel. In some instances, the reusable portion (332) can be formed from the same material as the elongated cylindrical shaft (262). Alternatively, the reusable portion (332) can be formed from another suitable material that is different from the material used to form the elongated cylindrical shaft (262).

[0056] The replaceable occluder tip (340) includes a coupling body (342) and a tapered distal tip (346) secured to the coupling body (342). The tapered distal tip (346) includes a suitable tip geometry that is sufficiently sharp yet not overly sharp to allow for non-invasive, still user-friendly, tissue spreading of the patient's abdominal wall (2) when the replaceable tip assembly (330) is properly assembled according to the description herein. The tapered distal tip (346) is configured for single use (or a predetermined number of multiple uses) such that after surgery, the occluder tip (340) is removed, the reusable portion (332) and the remainder of the occluder (216) are sterilized, and a new occluder tip (340) is coupled to the reusable portion (332) according to the description herein. Therefore, undesirable deviations in the tip geometry can be prevented from being used multiple times according to the description herein.

[0057] The coupling body (342) includes a pair of proximally extending resilient latches (344). As best seen between FIGS. 10A and 10B, the resilient latches (344) are configured to bend inwardly while being inserted into the open distal end (336) due to contact between the resilient latches (344) and the inner surface of the cylindrical body of the reusable portion (332). When the proximal ends of the resilient latches (344) are properly aligned with the lateral notches (338), the resilient latches (344) can bend laterally outwardly due to no longer being in proper contact with the inner surface of the reusable portion (332). When in the position shown in FIG. 10B, the shoulders presented distally of each resilient latch (344) can abut against a portion of the respective lateral notch (338), and therefore prevent the replaceable occluder tip (340) from being decoupled from the reusable portion (332). In other words, the resilient latches (344) and the lateral notches (338) can secure the occluder tip (340) to the reusable portion (332).

[0058] In addition, the proximal-facing shoulder of the coupling body (342) can abut against the distal end of the reusable portion (332) that defines the open distal end (336), thereby preventing the replaceable tip (340) from translating proximally beyond the position shown in FIG. 10B.

[0059] With the replaceable occluder tip (340) suitably coupled to the reusable portion (332) and the remainder of the occluder (216), the operator can suitably insert the occluder (216) into the working channel (214) of the cannula assembly (212) such that the operator can use the trocar (210) in accordance with the teachings of this specification.

[0060] After use of the occluder (216) in accordance with the description of this specification, the operator can remove the replaceable occluder tip (340) from the reusable portion (332) by actuating both elastic latches (334) inwardly such that the distal-facing shoulders of the elastic latches (334) no longer abut against the reusable portion (332) that defines the lateral notch (338). Any suitable tool can be used to actuate the elastic latches (334) inwardly, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings of this specification. At the same time, the operator can pull the replaceable tip (340) distally such that the elastic latches (334) engage the inner surface of the reusable portion (332). The operator can further pull the replaceable tip (340) out of the reusable portion (332), discard the used replaceable occluder tip (340), sterilize the remainder of the occluder (216) and the reusable portion (332), and couple a new occluder tip (340) to the sterilized reusable portion (332) in preparation for another surgical procedure.

[0061] Figures 11A-11C show another exemplary replaceable tip assembly (360) that can be readily incorporated into the occluder (216) instead of the replaceable tip assembly (300) described above. The replaceable tip assembly (360) includes a reusable portion (362) and a replaceable occluder tip (380). As will be described in more detail below, the replaceable occluder tip (380) can be selectively coupled and decoupled from the reusable portion (362) to replace a used occluder tip (380) with a new occluder tip (380).

[0062] The reusable portion (332) includes a tubular body (364) and a sliding drawer (370) slidably attached to the tubular body (364) between an extended position (as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B) and a retracted position (as shown in FIG. 11C). The tubular body (364) can be fixed to the distal end of the elongated cylindrical shaft (262). The tubular body (364) defines an internal passage extending between an open distal end (366) and an elongated slot (338). As best seen in FIG. 12, the sliding drawer (370) includes a cylindrical body sized to slidably fit within the internal passage defined by the tubular body (364).

[0063] The sliding drawer (370) also includes a lateral pin (372) and an elastic latch (374) disposed on the outer surface of the cylindrical body. The lateral pin (372) is slidably received within the elongated slot (338) such that the elongated slot (338) defines a range of movement within which the sliding drawer (370) can translate. Therefore, the lateral pin (372) and the elongated slot (338) together prevent the sliding drawer (370) from becoming decoupled from the tubular body (364).

[0064] The elastic latch (374) is configured to selectively lock the sliding drawer (370) in the retracted position. The elastic latch (374) can be compressed due to contact with the inner wall of the tubular body (364) when the sliding drawer (370) is distal compared to the retracted position. When the sliding drawer (370) is actuated to the retracted position, the elastic latch (374) can expand within the elongated slot (368) such that the sliding drawer (370) is prevented from sliding distally relative to the tubular body (364). Additionally, when the sliding drawer (370) is in the retracted position, the lateral pin (372) abuts against the proximal end of the elongated slot (338) such that the sliding drawer (370) is prevented from translating proximally within the tubular body (364). To unlock the sliding drawer (370) from the retracted position, the operator can drive the elastic latch (374) toward the cylindrical body of the sliding drawer (370) such that the elastic latch (374) no longer abuts against the distal end of the elongated slot (338). Simultaneously, the operator can pull the sliding drawer (370) distally from the retracted position to unlock the sliding drawer (370).

[0065] The sliding drawer (370) also includes a distal sheath (376) and a pair of coupling pins (378). The distal sheath (376) is dimensioned to receive the proximal coupling body (382) of the replaceable tip (380). The coupling pins (378) are dimensioned to be inserted into pin holes (384) defined by the proximal coupling body (382) of the replaceable tip (380).

[0066] Similar to the reusable portion (302) described above, the reusable portion (362) is configured to be sterilized and reused for a plurality of surgical procedures. The reusable portion (362) can be formed from any suitable material such as surgical steel that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein. In some instances, the reusable portion (362) can be formed from the same material as the elongate cylindrical shaft (262). Alternatively, the reusable portion (362) can be formed from another suitable material different from the material used to form the elongate cylindrical shaft (262).

[0067] The replaceable occluder tip (380) includes a coupling body (382) and a tapered distal tip (386) fixed to the coupling body (382). The tapered distal tip (386) includes a suitable tip geometry that is sufficiently sharp yet not too sharp to allow for non-invasive, still user-friendly, tissue spreading of the patient abdominal wall (2) when the replaceable tip assembly (380) is properly assembled according to the description herein. The tapered distal tip (386) is configured for single use (or a predetermined number of multiple uses) such that after surgery, the occluder tip (380) is removed, the reusable portion (362) and the remainder of the occluder (216) are sterilized, and a new occluder tip (380) is coupled to the reusable portion (362) according to the description herein. Therefore, undesirable deviations in the tip geometry can be prevented from being used multiple times according to the description herein.

[0068] As described above, the coupling body (342) defines a pair of pin holes (384). As best seen between FIGS. 11A and 11B, the coupling body (342) can be inserted into the sheath (376) of the sliding drawer (370), while the sliding drawer (370) is in an extended position such that the pins (378) are inserted into the pin holes (384). At this point, as shown in FIG. 11B, the coupling body (342) is longitudinally constrained by the sliding drawer (370). Next, as shown in FIGS. 11B and 11C, the operator can advance the sliding drawer (370) proximally from the extended position to the locked storage position while the coupling body (342) is attached. Therefore, the sliding drawer (370) and the obturator tip (380) will be locked to the tubular body (364) in accordance with the above description. In addition, the obturator tip (380) of the sliding drawer (370) and the proximal coupling body (382) of the sheath (376) will be received within the tubular body (364), and therefore, laterally constrain the obturator tip (380) with respect to the tubular body (364).

[0069] With the replaceable obturator tip (380) suitably coupled to the reusable portion (362) and the remainder of the obturator (216), the operator can suitably insert the obturator (216) into the working channel (214) of the cannula assembly (212) such that the operator can use the trocar (210) in accordance with the teachings of this specification.

[0070] After use of the occluder (216) in accordance with the description herein, the operator can remove the replaceable occluder tip (380) from the reusable portion (332) by actuating the resilient latch (374) inwardly such that the resilient latch (374) no longer abuts against the distal end of the elongated slot (368). Any suitable tool can be used to actuate the resilient latch (374) inwardly, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein. At the same time, the operator can pull distally on the replaceable tip (340) such that the sliding drawer (370) moves distally from the retracted position to the extended position. The operator can further pull the replaceable tip (380) out from the reusable portion (362), discard the used replaceable occluder tip (380), sterilize the remainder of the occluder (216) and the reusable portion (362), and couple a new occluder tip (380) to the sterilized reusable portion (362) in preparation for another surgical procedure.

[0071] The replaceable occluder tips (310, 340, 380) have been described above as being used once and then disposed of, but it should be understood that in some instances, the occluder tips (310, 340, 380) may be sterilized and reused multiple times and then replaced after a certain number of uses. In such instances, the remaining portion of the occluder (216) can be sterilized and reused more times compared to a single replaceable occluder tip (310, 340, 380).

[0072] III. Exemplary Combinations The following examples relate to various non-exhaustive ways in which the teachings of this specification can be combined or applied. It should be understood that the following examples are not intended to limit the scope of the claims that may be presented at any time in this application or in subsequent applications of this application. No waiver of any rights is intended. The following examples are provided for illustrative purposes only. It is contemplated that the various teachings of this specification can be configured and applied in many other ways. Also, in some variations, it is contemplated that certain features mentioned in the following examples may be omitted. Accordingly, none of the aspects or features mentioned below should be considered important unless explicitly so indicated later by the inventors or their successors in right. If the claims presented in this application or in subsequent applications related to this application include additional features other than those mentioned below, those additional features should not be considered to have been added for any reason related to patentability.

Example

[0073] A surgical access device comprising: (a) an occluder head; (b) an elongate shaft extending distally from the occluder head along a longitudinal axis, the elongate shaft being dimensioned to fit within the working channel of a cannula; and (c) an occluder tip assembly, the occluder tip assembly comprising: (i) a reusable portion attached to the distal portion of the elongate shaft, the reusable portion being configured to be sterilized together with the elongate shaft; and (ii) a replaceable tip, the replaceable tip comprising: (A) a tapered distal tip configured to facilitate insertion of the surgical access device through the patient's body wall; and (B) a proximal coupling body configured to selectively couple with the reusable portion, the replaceable tip being movable relative to the reusable portion along a mating path for coupling the proximal coupling body to the reusable portion as a whole, the mating path extending transversely to the longitudinal axis.

Example

[0074] The reusable portion comprises a male coupling portion, and the proximal coupling body comprises a complementary female coupling portion configured to receive the male coupling portion, the surgical access device according to Example 1.

Example

[0075] The male coupling portion includes a key post, and the female coupling portion includes a keyhole, the surgical access device according to Example 2.

Example

[0076] The male coupling portion includes a doubletail, and the female coupling portion includes a doubletail slot, the surgical access device according to Example 2.

Example

[0077] The male coupling portion further includes a snap fit rib, and the female coupling portion is at least partially defined by a snap fit surface configured to abut against the snap fit rib when the proximal coupling body is coupled to the reusable portion, the surgical access device according to any one or more of Examples 2 to 4.

Example

[0078] The proximal coupling body further comprises a plurality of internal ribs defining a complementary female coupling portion, the surgical access device according to any one or more of Examples 2 to 5.

Example

[0079] The plurality of internal ribs are configured to abut against the male coupling portion of the reusable portion to prevent over-insertion of the female coupling portion into the female coupling portion, the surgical access device according to Example 6.

Example

[0080] The surgical access device according to any one or more of claims 1 to 8, wherein the proximal coupling body further comprises a user-gripping feature.

Example

[0081] The surgical access device according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 8, wherein the replaceable tip is formed of a plastic material.

Example

[0082] The surgical access device according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 9, wherein the replaceable tip is configured to couple to the reusable portion via a snap fit.

Example

[0083] The surgical access device according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 10, further comprising a cannula assembly.

Example

[0084] The surgical access device according to Example 11, wherein the cannula assembly further comprises a cannula defining a working channel, and the working channel is configured to receive a surgical instrument therethrough to access a surgical site within a patient's body cavity when an elongate shaft is removed from the working channel.

Example

[0085] The surgical access device according to Example 12, wherein the cannula assembly further comprises a seal assembly defining a portion of the working channel.

Example

[0086] The surgical access device according to Example 13, wherein the seal assembly is releasably coupled to the cannula.

Example

[0087] The surgical access device according to any one or two or more of Examples 1 to 14, wherein the occluder head comprises a dome-shaped body.

Example

[0088] A surgical access device, comprising: (a) a cannula assembly, including (i) a cannula, (ii) a seal assembly coupled to the proximal end of the cannula, and (iii) a working channel at least partially defined by the cannula and the seal assembly and extending longitudinally along the central axis of the cannula assembly, the working channel being configured to receive a surgical instrument therethrough for accessing a surgical site within a body cavity of a patient; and (b) an occluder configured to be removably coupled to the cannula assembly along the central axis to facilitate insertion of the surgical access device through a body wall of the patient, the occluder comprising (i) an elongated shaft extending distally from the occluder head along the longitudinal axis, the elongated shaft being dimensioned to fit within the working channel of the cannula assembly, and (ii) a replaceable tip comprising (A) a tapered distal tip and (B) a proximal coupling body configured to selectively couple to the elongated shaft, the replaceable tip being movable relative to the elongated shaft along a coupling path that is non-parallel to the central axis.

Example

[0089] The surgical access device according to Example 16, wherein one of the elongated shaft or the proximal coupling body comprises a key post and the other of the elongated shaft or the proximal coupling body defines a complementary keyhole configured to receive the key post.

Example

[0090] The cannula is a surgical access device according to Example 17, configured to accommodate a key post and a keyhole while the occluder is coupled to the cannula assembly.

Example

[0091] The cannula is a surgical access device according to any one or two or more of Examples 16 to 18, comprising a plurality of annular ribs.

Example

[0092] A surgical access device comprising: (a) an occluder head, (b) an elongate shaft extending distally from the occluder head along a longitudinal axis, and (c) an occluder tip assembly, wherein the occluder tip assembly comprises: (i) a reusable portion attached to the distal portion of the elongate shaft, the reusable portion comprising a first mating feature and being configured to be sterilized together with the elongate shaft, and (ii) a replaceable tip, the replaceable tip comprising: (A) a distal tip configured to facilitate insertion of a surgical device through the patient's body wall, and (B) a proximal coupling body fixed to the distal tip, the proximal coupling body comprising a second mating feature, the second mating feature being movable relative to the first mating feature of the reusable portion along a mating path transverse to the longitudinal axis.

[0093] IV. Others It should be understood that any one or two or more of the teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein can be combined with any one or two or more of the other teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein. Therefore, the above teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. should not be considered in isolation from each other. Various suitable ways of combining the teachings of this specification will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the teachings of this specification. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

[0094] Furthermore, any one or more of the teachings of this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety from U.S. Patent Application No. [Agent Docket No. REF NO END9247USNP1] (entitled "Pinch-To-Release Cannula Depth Limiter"), filed on the same date as this application; U.S. Patent Application No. [Agent Docket No. REF NO END9247USNP2] (entitled "Multi-Diameter Cannula Depth Limiter"), filed on the same date as this application; U.S. Patent Application No. [Agent Docket No. REF NO END9247USNP3] (entitled "Pinch-To-Clamp Cannula Depth Limiter"), filed on the same date as this application; U.S. Patent Application No. [Agent Docket No. REF NO END9247USNP4] (entitled "Universal Size Multi-Walled Elastomer Cannula Depth Limiter"), filed on the same date as this application; U.S. Patent Application No. [Agent Docket No. REF NO END9247USNP5] (entitled "Threaded Cannula Depth Limiter"), filed on the same date as this application; U.S. Patent Application No. [Agent Docket No. REF NO END9247USNP6] (entitled "Tilting Tang Cannula Depth Limiter"), filed on the same date as this application; U.S. Patent Application No. [Agent Docket No. REF NO END9247USNP8] (entitled "Latchless Obturator with Interference Fit Feature"), filed on the same date as this application; U.S. Patent Application No. [Agent Docket No. REF NO END9247USNP9] (entitled "Balancing Feature for Reusable Trocar"), filed on the same date as this application; U.S. Patent Application No. [Agent Docket No. REF NO END9247USNP10] (entitled "Airflow Channels and Patterns in Lumen for Cannula"), filed on the same date as this application; and / or U.S. Patent Application No. [Agent Docket No. REF NO END9247USNP11] (entitled "Stabilizer for Surgical Shafts orIt can be combined with any one or more of the teachings disclosed in (entitled "Cannulas"). The disclosure of each of these patent applications is incorporated herein by reference.

[0095] It should be understood that all or part of any patent, publication, or other disclosure referred to herein as being incorporated by reference is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated content does not conflict with existing definitions, opinions, or other disclosure in this disclosure. By itself, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure expressly set forth herein shall supersede any conflicting disclosure incorporated herein by reference. Any content, or portions thereof, that are referred to as being incorporated herein by reference but conflict with the current definitions, opinions, or other disclosure set forth herein shall be incorporated only to the extent that there is no conflict between the incorporated content and the current disclosure.

[0096] The deformations of the above-described devices can be applied not only to conventional medical procedures and surgeries performed by medical professionals, but also to robot-assisted medical procedures and surgeries. As just one example, the various teachings herein can be readily incorporated into robotic surgical systems such as the DAVINCI (trademark) system by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (Sunnyvale, California). Similarly, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the various teachings herein can be readily combined with any of the following various teachings: U.S. Patent No. 5,792,135, entitled "Articulated Surgical Instrument For Performing Minimally Invasive Surgery With Enhanced Dexterity and Sensitivity," issued August 11, 1998, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference; U.S. Patent No. 8,783,541, entitled "Robotically-Controlled Surgical End Effector System," issued July 22, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference; U.S. Patent No. 8,479,969, entitled "Drive Interface for Operably Coupling a Manipulatable Surgical Tool to a Robot," issued July 9, 2013; U.S. Patent No. 8,800,838, entitled "Robotically-Controlled Cable-Based Surgical End Effectors," issued August 12, 2014 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference); and / or U.S. Patent No. 8,573,465, entitled "Robotically-Controlled Surgical End Effector System with Rotary Actuated Closure Systems," issued November 5, 2013 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference).

[0097] The variations of the above-described devices can be designed to be disposed of after a single use, or they can be designed to be used multiple times. The variations can, in either or both cases, be reconditioned for reuse after at least one use. Reconditioning can include any combination of a device disassembly process, a subsequent cleaning or replacement process of specific parts, and a subsequent reassembly process. In particular, some variations of the device can be disassembled, and any number of specific parts or components of the device can be selectively replaced or removed in any combination. When cleaning and / or replacing specific parts, some variations of the device can be reassembled for subsequent use in a reconditioning facility or by the user immediately prior to treatment. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various techniques for disassembly, cleaning / replacement, and reassembly can be utilized in reconditioning the device. The use of such techniques, and the resulting reconditioned device, are all within the scope of this application.

[0098] Merely by way of example, the variations described herein may be sterilized before and / or after treatment. In one sterilization technique, the device is placed in a sealed and encapsulated container such as a plastic or TYVEK bag. The container and device may then be placed in a radiation field that can penetrate the container, such as gamma rays, X-rays, or high-energy electron beams. The radiation may kill bacteria on the device and within the container. The sterilized device may then be stored in the sterilized container for later use. The device can also be sterilized using any other technique well known in the art, including but not limited to beta or gamma rays, ethylene oxide, or steam.

[0099] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, further adaptations of the methods and systems described herein can be achieved by those skilled in the art with appropriate modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention. Some of such possible modifications have been described, but other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the above examples, embodiments, geometric shapes, materials, dimensions, ratios, processes, etc. are illustrative and not essential. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be considered with respect to the following claims, and it is understood that it is not limited to the details of the structures and operations shown and described in this specification and the drawings.

[0100] 〔Embodiment〕 (1) A surgical access device, comprising: (a) An occluder head; (b) An elongate shaft extending distally from the occluder head along a longitudinal axis, the elongate shaft being dimensioned to fit within a working channel of a cannula; (c) An occluder tip assembly, the occluder tip assembly comprising: (i) A reusable portion attached to the distal portion of the elongate shaft, the reusable portion being configured to be sterilized together with the elongate shaft; and (ii) A replaceable tip, the replaceable tip comprising: (A) A tapered distal tip configured to facilitate insertion of the surgical access device through a patient's body wall; and (B) A proximal coupling body configured to selectively couple with the reusable portion. The replaceable tip is movable relative to the reusable portion along a mating path to couple the proximal coupling body to the reusable portion as a whole, the mating path extending transversely to the longitudinal axis. A surgical access device. (2) The surgical access device according to embodiment 1, wherein the reusable portion comprises a male coupling portion, and the proximal coupling body comprises a complementary female coupling portion configured to receive the male coupling portion. (3) The surgical access device according to embodiment 2, wherein the male coupling portion includes a key post, and the female coupling portion includes a keyhole. (4) The surgical access device according to embodiment 2, wherein the male coupling portion includes a doubletail, and the female coupling portion includes a doubletail slot. (5) The surgical access device according to embodiment 2, wherein the male coupling portion further includes a snap-fit rib, and the female coupling portion is at least partially defined by a snap-fit surface configured to abut against the snap-fit rib when the proximal coupling body is coupled to the reusable portion.

[0101] (6) The surgical access device according to embodiment 2, wherein the proximal coupling body further comprises a plurality of internal ribs defining the complementary female coupling portion. (7) The surgical access device according to embodiment 6, wherein the plurality of internal ribs are configured to abut against the male coupling portion of the reusable portion to prevent over-insertion of the male coupling portion into the female coupling portion. (8) The surgical access device according to embodiment 1, wherein the proximal coupling body further comprises a user gripping feature. (9) The surgical access device according to embodiment 1, wherein the replaceable tip is formed of a plastic material. (10) The surgical access device according to embodiment 1, wherein the replaceable tip is configured to be coupled to the reusable portion via a snap fit.

[0102] (11) The surgical access device according to embodiment 1, further comprising a cannula assembly. (12) The cannula assembly further comprises the cannula that defines the working channel, and the working channel is configured to receive a surgical instrument therethrough for accessing a surgical site within a patient's body cavity when the elongated shaft is removed from the working channel, according to Embodiment 11 of the surgical access device. (13) The cannula assembly further comprises a seal assembly that defines a portion of the working channel, according to Embodiment 12 of the surgical access device. (14) The seal assembly is releasably coupled to the cannula, according to Embodiment 13 of the surgical access device. (15) The occluder head comprises a dome-shaped body, according to Embodiment 1 of the surgical access device.

[0103] (16) A surgical access device, (a) A cannula assembly, (i) A cannula, and (ii) A seal assembly coupled to the proximal end of the cannula, and (iii) A working channel at least partially defined by the cannula and the seal assembly and extending longitudinally along a central axis of the cannula assembly, the working channel being configured to receive a surgical instrument therethrough for accessing a surgical site within a patient's body cavity, a working channel, and (b) An occluder configured to removably couple to the cannula assembly along the central axis to facilitate insertion of the surgical access device through the patient's body wall, the occluder comprising (i) An elongated shaft extending distally from the occluder head along a longitudinal axis, the elongated shaft being dimensioned to fit within the working channel of the cannula assembly, an elongated shaft, and (ii) Comprising an interchangeable tip, wherein the interchangeable tip is (A) A tapered distal tip, and (B) A proximal coupling body configured to selectively couple with the elongated shaft, wherein the interchangeable tip is movable relative to the elongated shaft along a coupling path that is non-parallel to the central axis. A surgical access device comprising a proximal coupling body. (17) The surgical access device according to embodiment 16, wherein one of the elongated shaft or the proximal coupling body comprises a key post, and the other of the elongated shaft or the proximal coupling body defines a complementary keyhole configured to receive the key post. (18) The surgical access device according to embodiment 17, wherein the cannula is configured to accommodate the key post and the keyhole while the occluder is coupled to the cannula assembly. (19) The surgical access device according to embodiment 16, wherein the cannula comprises a plurality of annular ribs. (20) A surgical access device, comprising: (a) An occluder head, (b) An elongated shaft extending distally from the occluder head along a longitudinal axis, (c) An occluder tip assembly, wherein the occluder tip assembly comprises: (i) A reusable portion attached to the distal portion of the elongated shaft, the reusable portion comprising a first mating feature and being configured to be sterilized together with the elongated shaft. A reusable portion, and (ii) An interchangeable tip, wherein the interchangeable tip is (A) A distal tip configured to facilitate insertion of the surgical device through the patient's body wall, and (B) A proximal coupling body fixed to the distal tip, the proximal coupling body comprising a second mating feature, the second mating feature being movable relative to the first mating feature of the reusable portion along a mating path transverse to the longitudinal axis, the surgical access device comprising a proximal coupling body.

Claims

**Claim 1** A surgical access device, (a) an occluder head, (b) an elongate shaft extending distally from the occluder head along a longitudinal axis, the elongate shaft being dimensioned to fit within a working channel of a cannula, (c) an occluder tip assembly, the occluder tip assembly comprising (i) a reusable portion attached to a distal portion of the elongate shaft, the reusable portion being configured to be sterilized with the elongate shaft, and (ii) a replaceable tip, the replaceable tip comprising (A) a tapered distal tip configured to facilitate insertion of the surgical access device through a patient's body wall, and (B) a proximal coupling body configured to selectively couple with the reusable portion, the replaceable tip being movable relative to the reusable portion along a mating path to couple the proximal coupling body to the reusable portion as a whole, the mating path extending transversely to the longitudinal axis, the reusable portion comprising a male coupling portion projecting distally from the elongate shaft, the proximal coupling body comprising a complementary female coupling portion having a tapered surface defining a laterally provided opening configured to receive the male coupling portion, the tapered surface being configured to engage the male coupling portion to inhibit over-insertion of the replaceable tip along the mating path, A surgical access device. **Claim 2** The surgical access device according to claim 1, wherein the male coupling portion includes a key post and the female coupling portion includes a keyhole. **Claim 3** The surgical access device according to claim 1, wherein the male coupling portion includes a double tail and the female coupling portion includes a double tail slot. **Claim 4** The surgical access device according to claim 1, wherein the male coupling portion further includes a snap-fit rib, and the female coupling portion is at least partially defined by a snap-fit surface configured to abut the snap-fit rib when the proximal coupling body couples with the reusable portion. **Claim 5** The surgical access device according to claim 1, wherein the proximal coupling body further comprises a plurality of internal ribs that define the complementary female coupling portion.

6. The surgical access device according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of internal ribs are configured to abut against the male coupling portion of the reusable portion to prevent over-insertion of the male coupling portion into the female coupling portion.

7. The surgical access device according to claim 1, wherein the proximal coupling body further comprises a user gripping feature.

8. The surgical access device according to claim 1, wherein the replaceable tip is formed of a plastic material.

9. The surgical access device according to claim 1, wherein the replaceable tip is configured to couple with the reusable portion via a snap fit.

10. The surgical access device according to claim 1, further comprising a cannula assembly.

11. The surgical access device according to claim 10, wherein the cannula assembly further comprises the cannula that defines the working channel, and the working channel is configured to receive a surgical instrument therethrough to access a surgical site within a patient's body cavity when the elongated shaft is removed from the working channel.

12. The surgical access device according to claim 11, wherein the cannula assembly further comprises a seal assembly that defines a portion of the working channel.

13. The surgical access device according to claim 12, wherein the seal assembly is releasably coupled to the cannula.

14. The surgical access device according to claim 1, wherein the obturator head comprises a dome-shaped body.

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