Apparatus and method for minimally invasive surgery

What is this patent about?

'513 is related to the field of minimally invasive surgical procedures, specifically laparoscopic surgery. The background involves the evolution of surgical techniques towards smaller incisions for reduced patient trauma, faster recovery, and lower infection risk. Traditional laparoscopic surgery requires multiple small incisions to introduce instruments and a camera, which can still cause discomfort and complications. The patent addresses the need for a single-incision approach that maintains the benefits of triangulation for effective surgical manipulation.

The underlying idea behind '513 is to enable laparoscopic surgery through a single incision by using a specialized access port. This port incorporates multiple, non-parallel channels that guide surgical instruments into the body cavity. The key inventive insight is that by arranging these channels in a crisscrossing configuration, the instruments can achieve the necessary triangulation for depth perception and manipulation, mimicking the functionality of multiple incisions but through a single point of entry.

The claims of '513 focus on a surgical system comprising an access port body with at least two passageways for surgical instruments. These passageways are arranged in a crisscrossed manner within the port, ensuring that instruments inserted through them achieve triangulation within the body cavity. Some claims specify that the access port body includes conduits that extend from its upper surface and communicate with the passageways, and that these conduits can rotate to aid in vectoring the surgical instruments. The claims also cover a method for performing surgery using this system.

In practice, the surgeon places the access port body within a single incision. Surgical instruments, including a camera and manipulating tools, are then inserted through the crisscrossing channels. The angles of the channels ensure that the instruments converge at a working point within the body cavity, providing the surgeon with a three-dimensional view and the ability to manipulate tissue effectively. The port is secured to the body using sutures attached to the port body.

This design differentiates itself from prior approaches that either use multiple incisions or single-incision ports with parallel channels. Parallel channels limit the surgeon's ability to achieve triangulation, hindering depth perception and maneuverability. By using non-parallel, crisscrossing channels, the invention provides a more natural and intuitive surgical experience, similar to traditional multi-incision laparoscopy, but with the added benefit of a single, smaller incision. The ability to rotate the conduits further enhances the surgeon's control and precision during the procedure, allowing for fine-tuning of the instrument vectors.