Tissue specimen removal device, system and method

Abstract

A tissue specimen removal device comprises a specimen bag; a flexible ring, the flexible ring configured to form a top opening of the specimen bag; a cannula assembly comprising: an inner tube portion and an outer tube portion. The device may further comprise a connector carrier, the connector carrier configured to retain at least one connector housing, the at least one connector housing comprising one or more connector portions and reside within an interior of the connector carrier, and wherein the connector carrier can be moved from a position within the cannula assembly to outside the cannula assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tissue specimen removal device comprising:
 a specimen bag;   a flexible ring, the flexible ring configured to form a top opening of the specimen bag;   a cannula assembly comprising:
 an inner tube handle portion; and 
 an outer tube portion; and 
   a connector carrier, the connector carrier configured to:
 retain at least one connector housing, the at least one connector housing comprising one or more connector portions; and 
 reside within an interior of the connector carrier, and wherein the connector carrier can be moved from a position within the cannula assembly to outside the cannula assembly. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more connector portions is configured to connect to one or more components of tissue segmentation devices disposed within the specimen bag. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one connector housing and one or more connector portions is configured to connect to at least one additional piece of tissue segmenting equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the specimen bag is configured to be rolled up and stored within the cannula assembly in a first retracted position. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula assembly is configured to advance the specimen bag into an open position by pushing the handle. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible ring is configured to be disposed in a folded position with the specimen bag within the cannula assembly in a first retracted position. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the flexible ring and specimen bag are configured to be pushed into a second advanced position outside the cannula assembly, and wherein the flexible ring retains a top portion of the specimen bag in an open position. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein in a first retracted position, the specimen bag, flexible ring, and connector carrier are retained within the cannula assembly, the specimen bag being closer to a distal end of the cannula assembly than the connector carrier, and wherein at least a portion of the flexible ring is configured to slide from a proximal end of the cannula assembly to the distal end around the connector carrier. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible ring is configured to slide out of the distal end of the cannula assembly, push the specimen bag out of the distal end, and retain the top opening of the specimen bag in an open position in a second extended position. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible ring is configured to be retracted into the cannula assembly around the connector carrier while closing the top opening of the specimen bag and leaving the specimen bag substantially outside of the cannula assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more connector housings within the connector carrier are configured to lay in a first flat position. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more connector housings are configured to rotate into a second upright position. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more connector housings are removable. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more connector portions within the connector housing are removable. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the one or more connector housings are removably coupled to one or more mechanisms for pulling the connector housings from the first flat position to the second upright position. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more mechanisms for pulling the connector housings comprise a pull-tab and cartridge. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the connector carrier is configured to be disposed in a protected position inside the cannula assembly and secured by a mechanical anchor when the specimen bag is open. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the connector carrier is configured to be disposed in an open position outside the cannula assembly after being advanced past the mechanical anchor. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more components of tissue segmentation devices comprise one or more cutting wires. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one piece of tissue segmenting equipment comprises a tensioning mechanism assembly. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one piece of tissue segmenting equipment is configured to apply RF energy for tissue segmentation. 
     
     
         22 . A system for tissue specimen removal, the system comprising:
 a specimen bag;   a flexible ring, the flexible ring configured to form a top opening of the specimen bag;   a cannula assembly comprising:
 an inner tube handle portion; and 
 an outer tube portion; and 
 wherein the cannula assembly is configured to advance and retract the flexible ring; 
   a connector carrier, the connector carrier configured to:
 retain at least one connector housing, the at least one connector housing comprising one or more connector pins; and 
 reside within an interior of the connector carrier, and wherein the connector carrier can be moved from a position within the cannula assembly to outside the cannula assembly;
 wherein the one or more connector pins attach to one or more tissue segmentation components integrated within the specimen bag; 
 
 a tensioning mechanism assembly, the tension mechanism assembly configured to:
 attach to the one or more connector pins; and 
 apply tension to the one or more tissue segmentation components. 
 
   
     
     
         23 . A method of tissue specimen removal, the method comprising:
 inserting a cannula assembly of a tissue specimen removal device into an incision site of a surgery patient, the tissue specimen removal device comprising:
 a specimen bag; 
 a flexible ring, the flexible ring configured to form a top opening of the specimen bag; and 
 a connector carrier, the connector carrier configured to: 
   retain at least one connector housing, the at least one connector housing comprising one or more connector portions, and reside within an interior of the connector carrier, retain at least one connector housing, the at least one connector housing comprising one or more connector portions; and   reside within an interior of the connector carrier;
 wherein the cannula assembly comprises:
 an inner tube handle portion; and 
 an outer tube portion; 
 
   advancing the inner tube handle of the cannula assembly to:
 open the specimen bag; and 
 move the connector carrier from a position within the cannula assembly to outside the cannula assembly; 
   retracting the handle to close the top opening of the specimen bag.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the connector carrier further comprises a mechanical anchor, and wherein the method further comprises:
 releasing the mechanical anchor to move the connector carrier from a position within the cannula assembly to outside the cannula assembly.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 pulling the top opening of the specimen bag out of a patient incision site.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 detaching the cannula assembly from the specimen bag, the flexible ring, and the connector carrier.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 connecting at least one piece of tissue segmenting equipment to the one or more connector portions.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising rotating the at least one connector housing into an upright position. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more connector portions comprise at least two connector portions, and wherein the method further comprises:
 moving the at least two connector portions independently of each other.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , comprising:
 segmenting a tissue specimen using the at least one piece of tissue segmenting equipment.