Integral insufflation valve

Abstract

A trocar assembly includes a trocar valve body defining a cavity. The assembly includes a rotatable valve handle that is elongated and has a first end and a second end. The first end is sized and configured to be rotatably maintained within the cavity and the second end extends outwardly so as to be actuatable by a user. The rotatable valve handle defines a lumen therethrough which extends longitudinally from the first end to the second end. The valve body defines an outlet that communicates with the cavity. The rotatable valve handle is rotatable from an open position, in which the lumen is at least partially aligned with the outlet so as permit fluid to pass through the lumen, and a closed position, in which the lumen is not aligned with the outlet so as prevent fluid to pass through the lumen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A trocar assembly comprising:
 a trocar valve body defining a cavity, the valve body for communicating fluid therethrough;   a selectively rotatable valve handle for controlling a flow of the fluid through the valve body, the rotatable valve handle defining a longitudinal axis and having a first end and a second end, the rotatable valve handle defining a lumen therethrough which extends longitudinally from the first end to the second end to communicate fluid between the first end and the second end, one end configured to be rotatably maintained within the cavity and the other end extending outwardly so as to be actuatable by a user, the rotatable valve handle being rotatable about an axis of rotation that is different from the longitudinal axis of the rotatable valve handle.   
     
     
         2 . The trocar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve body defines an outlet that communicates with the cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The trocar assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the rotatable valve handle is rotatable about the axis of rotation from an open position, in which the lumen of the rotatable valve handle is at least partially aligned with the outlet so as permit fluid flow through the lumen, and a closed position, in which the lumen is not aligned with the outlet so as to prevent fluid flow through the lumen. 
     
     
         4 . The trocar assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the rotatable valve handle has, at its first end, at least one protuberance that engages at least one bore defined in the valve body, the at least one protuberance assisting with maintaining the rotatable valve handle within the cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The trocar assembly of  claim 4 , wherein a first one of the at least one bore and the at least one protuberance includes at least one detent. 
     
     
         6 . The trocar assembly of  claim 5 , wherein a second one of the at least one bore and the at least one protuberance includes at least one ridge, the at least one ridge configured to engage the at least one detent so as to maintain the rotatable valve handle in position relative to the valve body. 
     
     
         7 . The trocar assembly of  claim 6 , wherein a first one of the at least one bore and the at least one protuberance includes a plurality of detents, a second one of the at least one bore and the at least one protuberance includes a plurality of ridges, and the plurality of ridges are configured to engage the plurality of detents to selectively maintain the rotatable valve handle in various different positions relative to the valve body. 
     
     
         9 . The trocar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the axis of rotation of the rotatable valve handle is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable valve handle. 
     
     
         10 . A trocar assembly comprising:
 a trocar valve body defining a cavity and an outlet that communicates with the cavity; and   a selectively rotatable valve handle for controlling a flow of fluid through the valve body, the rotatable valve handle defining a longitudinal axis, the rotatable valve handle defining a lumen therethrough which extends longitudinally from one end to another end to communicate fluid between the ends, one end being maintained within the cavity and the other end extending outwardly to facilitate rotation, the rotatable valve handle being rotatable about an axis of rotation that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable valve handle from an open position to a closed position, the rotatable valve handle having a protuberance at one end that engages a bore defined in the valve body, the protuberance assisting with maintaining the rotatable valve handle within the cavity, one of the bore and the protuberance including a detent, the other of the bore and the protuberance including a ridge, the ridge configured to engage the detent so as to maintain the rotatable valve handle in position relative to the valve body.   
     
     
         11 . The trocar assembly of  claim 10 , wherein one of the bore and the protuberance includes a plurality of detents, the other of the bore and the protuberance includes a plurality of ridges, the plurality of ridges configured to engage the plurality of detents to selectively maintain the rotatable valve handle in various different positions relative to the valve body. 
     
     
         12 . The trocar assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the rotatable valve handle is elongate. 
     
     
         13 . The trocar assembly of  claim 10 , wherein in the open position, the lumen of the rotatable valve handle is at least partially aligned with the outlet so as permit fluid flow through the lumen, and in the closed position, the lumen is not aligned with the outlet so as to prevent fluid flow through the lumen.