Canula sealing apparatus

Abstract

Cannula sealing apparatus includes a housing having a central axially facing aperture. A surgical instrument of 10.5 mm may seal with that aperture. Alternatively, a sealing member having an aperture that will seal with a 12 mm surgical instrument can be swung up to be aligned with the aperture. If a 10.5 mm instrument is required then a seal member can be swung up to have its seal aperture located over the central aperture. Each seal member is pivotal about a common axis. Each seal member has a surface that faces a housing such that both parts can seal at their facing surfaces when either of the seal members are swung up into the position where the opening is over the central opening.

1 . A cannula sealing apparatus including a plurality of seal members each having a different sized aperture with which, in use, surgical instruments of different sizes may be inserted in a first direction to seal with a selected seal member, at least one seal member being pivotable from an operative position in which a surgical instrument may, in use, be inserted in the first direction to seal with that member and an inoperative position characterised in that the pivot axis of the pivotal movement of the sealing member is in a second direction, transverse to the first direction.  
   
   
       2 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.  
   
   
       3 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which the pivotal axis of the seal member is arranged, in use, to pass through an inserted surgical instrument.  
   
   
       4 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which at least one seal member includes spaced pivotal mountings on each side of the apparatus.  
   
   
       5 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  including an opening in a housing of the apparatus through which, in use, a surgical instrument is arranged to be inserted in the first direction with the seal effected by the seal members being arranged to be in the region of that opening.  
   
   
       6 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 5  in which pivotal axis of the seal member is spaced from the opening in the housing in a direction extending in the first direction.  
   
   
       7 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 5  in which the pivotally movable seal member includes a surface that is arranged, in use, to surround and seal with the surface of the housing that surrounds the opening.  
   
   
       8 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  in which the surfaces of the seal member and housing are part cylindrical.  
   
   
       9 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  in which the surfaces of the seal member and the housing are part spherical.  
   
   
       10 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  in which at least one surface includes a resilient material.  
   
   
       11 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  including at least two pivotally movable seal members.  
   
   
       12 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  in which, when both of the pivotally movable seal members are in the inoperative position, the seal of each seal member is located to a different side of the first direction.  
   
   
       13 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  in which each seal member is pivotally movable about the same pivot axis.  
   
   
       14 . A cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 13  in which, in the region of the pivot axis, one seal member is axially inwards of the other seal member.  
   
   
       15 . The cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein, when each pivotable seal member is in the operable position, said pivotable seal member is restricted by a friction member such that the frictional member restricts movement of the seal member away from the operable position.  
   
   
       16 . The cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the friction member is located on the housing.  
   
   
       17 . The cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the friction member engages with the pivotable members.  
   
   
       18 . The cannula sealing apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the friction member is resilient.  
   
   
       19 . A method of using a cannula sealing apparatus comprising a plurality of seal members each having a different sized aperture comprising inserting a surgical instrument of first size in a first direction to seal with a seal member of a first size aperture and then removing that instrument and subsequently pivoting at least one seal member from an inoperative position to an operative position in which a second surgical instrument of a different size to the first instrument is moved in the first direction to seal with the seal member of a different size characterised in that the seal member of a different size is pivoted about an axis that passes through the surgical instrument when inserted.  
   
   
       20 . A method of using a cannula comprising inserting a surgical instrument through the cannula along a first axis, and, before inserting the surgical instrument, selecting an appropriately sized seal member so that the selected seal member seals against the instrument, the method comprising selecting at least one pivotable seal member and pivoting said seal member about an axis transverse to the first axis and from an inoperable position to an operable position, in which the seal member is coincident with the first axis, the method including causing a frictional member to engage the seal member, when the seal member is in the operable position, such that the frictional member restricts the seal member from moving away from the operable position.