Tissue retrieval bag

Abstract

The present disclosure describes bags for retrieving and/or containing tissue and portions thereof that improve insertion and/or containment of tissue (e.g., organs or portions of organs) in such bags. In one embodiment, a bag has an overall tapered shape and includes a relatively wide mouth and a tapered body for containing tissue. The front of the body has a curved longitudinal wall section in an opposing relationship with a rear wall section of the body that extends perpendicular to the mouth along substantially the entire length of the bag. The curved wall section is sized and shaped to allow a relatively large organ, such as a kidney, to easily settle into and occupy a lower end portion of the bag. The bag is also shaped to support the organ in the lower end portion of the bag in an orientation that generally aligns the length of the organ in the removal direction to facilitate extraction of the organ from the body.

1 . A tissue retrieval bag for retrieving tissue from a surgical site, the bag comprising:
 a flexible body defining a bag interior sized and shaped to receive tissue, the body having an open end in communication with the bag interior and a closed end, the body having an overall taper from the open end to the closed end such that the body is wider at the open end than at the closed end, the body having a longitudinal edge comprising a curved convex first section forming the closed end, a curved concave intermediate second section extending from the first section, and a curved convex third section extending from the second section toward the open end of the body; and   a resilient, self-expandable shape-memory member coupled to the open end and configured to be collapsible to a collapsed state by a restraining force for insertion into the body and self-expandable to an expanded state upon removal of the restraining force, the expanded shape-memory member retaining the open end in an open configuration for inserting tissue into the bag interior.   
     
     
         2 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a sheet of flexible material having two longitudinal edge portions that are welded together to define the longitudinal edge of the body. 
     
     
         3 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 1 , wherein the open end of the body is oval when the shape-memory member is in its expanded state. 
     
     
         4 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 1 , wherein the shape-memory member comprises elastomeric tubing. 
     
     
         5 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 1 , further comprising an extension portion extending radially outwardly from the open end of the body adjacent the longitudinal edge. 
     
     
         6 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 5 , wherein the extension portion has color indicia. 
     
     
         7 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a wall section opposite the longitudinal edge, the wall section extending substantially straight along the length of the bag from the open end to the closed end. 
     
     
         8 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal edge comprises a straight section extending from the third section to the open end of the body. 
     
     
         9 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 1 , wherein the shape-memory member is disposed within an annular space circumscribing the bag opening, the annular space being formed from an upper portion of the body that extends around the shape-memory member. 
     
     
         10 . A tissue retrieval bag for retrieving tissue from a surgical site, the bag comprising:
 a flexible body defining a bag interior sized and shaped to receive tissue, the body having an open end in communication with the bag interior and a closed end, the body having an overall taper from the open end to the closed end such that the body is wider at the open end than at the closed end,   the body having a longitudinal edge comprising a curved convex first section forming the closed end, a curved concave intermediate second section extending from the first section, and a curved convex third section extending from the second section toward the open end of the body,   the body also having a wall section opposite the longitudinal edge, the wall section extending perpendicular to the open end and substantially straight along the length of the bag from the open end to the closed end.   
     
     
         11 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 10 , further comprising a deformable and resilient mouth portion that is collapsible to a collapsed state for insertion into the body and expandable to an open configuration for inserting tissue into the bag. 
     
     
         12 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 11 , wherein the mouth portion comprises a shape-memory member substantially surrounding the bag opening. 
     
     
         13 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 10 , further comprising a closure device configured to close the bag. 
     
     
         14 . The tissue retrieval bag of  claim 13 , wherein the closure device comprises a drawstring. 
     
     
         15 . A method for removing tissue from the body, comprising:
 forming an incision in the body;   inserting an access device in the incision to provide a hand port for accessing a body cavity;   inserting a tissue bag through the hand port and into the body cavity, the bag having a deformable, self-expandable mouth portion defining a bag opening and a flexible body defining an interior of the bag sized to receive tissue;   placing tissue in the tissue bag; and   removing the bag and the tissue in the bag from the body cavity via the hand port.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein placing the tissue in the bag comprises holding the mouth portion in a hand and scooping the tissue into the bag using the mouth portion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the organ comprises a kidney and the bag is configured such that the kidney, when placed in the bag, is oriented with its length aligned with the removal direction of the bag through the hand port. 
     
     
         18 . A method for retrieving tissue from the body, comprising:
 forming an incision in the body;   inserting a trocar having a port sleeve into the incision to access a body cavity;   providing a tissue bag, the bag having a deformable, self-expandable mouth portion defining a bag opening and a flexible body defining an interior of the bag sized to receive tissue;   rolling up the bag into a rolled configuration;   advancing the bag through the port sleeve and into the body cavity;   placing tissue into the bag while it is in the body cavity;   removing the mouth portion of the bag from the body cavity such that a portion of the bag body containing the tissue remains in the body cavity; and   inserting a morcellator into the bag and morcellating the tissue contained in the bag.