Apparatus for inserting a surgical device at least partially through a wound opening

Abstract

An apparatus ( 650 ) for inserting a distal ring ( 9 ) of a wound retractor device ( 2 ) through a wound opening comprises a bladeless tip ( 641 ) for creating the wound opening by forcing tissue apart, and a conveying device ( 5 ) for conveying the distal ring ( 9 ) through the wound opening. The conveying device ( 5 ) comprises a hook element ( 6 ) for engaging the distal ring ( 9 ) to convey the distal ring ( 9 ) through the wound opening, and a receiver housing ( 651 ) for receiving a seal ( 652 ) and a proximal ring ( 653 ) of the wound retractor device ( 2 ) to hold the seal ( 652 ) and the proximal ring ( 653 ) externally of the wound opening, and thus maintain a sleeve portion of the wound retractor device ( 2 ) in tension, during conveying of the distal ring ( 9 ) through the wound opening.

1 - 171 . (canceled) 
     
     
         172 . A kit for retracting a wound opening, the kit comprising:
 a wound retractor including:
 a proximal ring, 
 a distal ring, and 
 a retracting sleeve extending between the proximal ring and the distal ring for engaging the wound opening; and 
   an introducer including a holder and a movable member,
 the holder including a distal portion having a distal opening, and 
 the movable member coupled to the holder and movable relative to the holder between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein in the retracted position, a sidewall of the distal portion of the holder extends about a chamber for receiving the distal ring, and moving the movable member distally to the extended position exerts a force on the distal ring for ejecting the distal ring from the chamber. 
   
     
     
         173 . The kit of  claim 172 , wherein the chamber includes a proximal end and a distal end, and the movable member includes a distal-facing surface, and wherein the distal-facing surface defines the proximal end in the retracted position of the movable member. 
     
     
         174 . The kit of  claim 173 , wherein the distal-facing surface is at the distal end of the chamber in the extended position of the movable member. 
     
     
         175 . The kit of  claim 173 , wherein a width of the chamber is less than a diameter of the distal ring, such that the distal ring is compressed by the sidewall of the distal portion of the holder when received in the chamber. 
     
     
         176 . The kit of  claim 172 , wherein at least a portion of the movable member has a cross-sectional shape complementary to a cross-sectional shape of the chamber. 
     
     
         177 . The kit of  claim 172 , wherein a distal portion of the retracting sleeve is coupled to the distal ring, and in the retracted position of the movable member the chamber receives the distal portion of the retracting sleeve and the distal ring. 
     
     
         178 . The kit of  claim 177 , wherein the holder includes an opening through the sidewall for receiving the distal portion of the retracting sleeve. 
     
     
         179 . A kit for retracting a wound opening, the kit comprising:
 a wound retractor including:
 a proximal ring, 
 a distal ring, and 
 a retracting sleeve extending between the proximal ring and the distal ring for engaging the wound opening; and 
   an introducer including a holder and a movable member,
 the holder including a distal portion, the distal portion including:
 a distal opening, 
 a sidewall surrounding the distal opening, the sidewall defining a chamber for receiving the distal ring, and the chamber having an oval cross-sectional shape, and 
 
 the movable member coupled to the holder and movable relative to the holder between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein in the retracted position, the chamber receives the distal ring, and in the extended position, the chamber receives the movable member. 
   
     
     
         180 . The kit of  claim 179 , wherein the distal portion of the holder includes a slot in the sidewall. 
     
     
         181 . The kit of  claim 180 , wherein in the retracted position of the movable member, the slot receives a distal portion of the retracting sleeve, and the chamber receives the distal portion of the retracting sleeve and the distal ring. 
     
     
         182 . The kit of  claim 179 , wherein the oval-cross-sectional shape has a diameter less than a diameter of the distal ring, such that the distal ring is compressed by the sidewall when received in the chamber. 
     
     
         183 . The kit of  claim 179 , wherein at least a portion of the movable member has a cross-sectional shape complementary to the oval cross-sectional shape of the chamber. 
     
     
         184 . The kit of  claim 179 , wherein the chamber includes a proximal end and a distal end, and the movable member includes a distal-facing surface, wherein the distal-facing surface defines the proximal end of the chamber in the retracted position of the movable member. 
     
     
         185 . The kit of  claim 184 , wherein the distal-facing surface of the movable member is at the distal end of the chamber in the extended position of the movable member. 
     
     
         186 . An apparatus for inserting a surgical device at least partially through a wound opening, the apparatus comprising:
 a holder including:
 a distal portion having a distal opening, and 
 a sidewall extending proximally from the distal portion of the holder; 
   a movable member coupled to the holder and movable relative to the holder between a retracted position and an extended position, the movable member including a shaft having a distal-facing surface, wherein retracting the movable member until the movable member abuts a distal-facing surface of the holder places the movable member in the retracted position, in which a portion of the sidewall distal to the distal-facing surface defines a chamber for receiving the surgical device via the distal opening, and wherein extending the movable member until the movable member abuts a proximal-facing surface of the holder places the movable member in the extended position, and during extension of the movable member the shaft fills the chamber as the distal-facing surface moves toward the distal opening and the surgical device is deployed from the distal opening.   
     
     
         187 . The apparatus of  claim 186 , wherein at least a portion of the movable member has a cross-sectional shape complementary to a cross-sectional shape of the chamber. 
     
     
         188 . The apparatus of  claim 186 , wherein the holder includes a slot in the sidewall, and the distal-facing surface of the holder is at a proximal end portion of the slot. 
     
     
         189 . The apparatus of  claim 188 , wherein the movable member includes a projection projecting from a lateral surface of the movable member, and the projection extends into the slot for selectively engaging the distal-facing surface of the holder. 
     
     
         190 . The apparatus of  claim 186  wherein a width dimension of the chamber is greater than a height dimension of the chamber. 
     
     
         191 . The apparatus of  claim 190 , wherein the chamber has an oval cross-sectional shape.