Atropos Limited

Alan Reid

Frank Bonadio

John Butler

Derek William Young

Shane Joseph MacNally

Trevor Vaugh

Ronan Bernard McManus

Aoibheann Gill

Shane Joseph McNally

Alfred Cuschieri

Catherine Deegan

Aoibbhean Gill

Frank Harewood

Conor Hand

Alfred Cushieri

Shane Joseph Mcnally

A wound protector and retractor devicecomprises a sleeve, a distal member provided by a distal ringof resilient material and a proximal member provided by a proximal ring. The sleeveis led around the ringand is free to move axially relative to the distal ringsomewhat in the manner of a pulley. The proximal ringis fixed to the sleeve, in this case at the proximal inner end thereof. The sleeveterminates in a handle or gripping portion which is reinforced by a gripping ring. The sleeve extends from the proximal ringand the distal ringis contained between inner and outer layersof the sleeve. The resilient distal ringis scrunched up and inserted through the incision. The sleeveis then pulled upwardly. On pulling of the sleeveupwardly the outer layeris pulled up while the inner layeris drawn around the proximal ring. This results in shortening the axial extent between the proximal ringand the distal ring, tensioning the sleeve and applying a retraction force to the margins of the incision. As the incision is being retracted the margins are also protected by the sleeve. On retraction, an access port is provided, for example for a surgeon to insert his hand and/or an instrument to perform a procedure. The device may be used as a retractor in open surgery or as a base for a valve/seal to allow it to be used in hand assisted laparoscopic surgery or for instrument access or hand access generally.

Wound retractor device

A retractor () for retracting the margins of a wound opening () comprises an inner anchoring O-ring () attached to a cylindrical sleeve () at a distal end and a reinforcing O-ring () attached to a proximal end of the sleeve (). The sleeve () is led between an inner ring part () and a corresponding recess () in an outer ring part (). The outer ring part () has anchor formations () over which the proximal end of the sleeve () is attached to anchor the sleeve (). To retract the wound opening () the sleeve () is pulled while the guide rings () are moved against the tissue surrounding the wound opening (). This pulls the inner O-ring () against the inside of the tissue adjacent the wound opening (), and retracts the wound opening (). The sleeve () is manipulated locally for maximum retraction efficiency.

Retractor

A seal comprises a first sealing member and a second sealing member. The sealing members each have an accessway to facilitate access from one side of the sealing member to the other side of the sealing member. The accessways are offset to facilitate sealed access of an object through the sealing members.

Surgical device

A surgical device may include a wound retractor. The wound retractor may include a distal member, a proximal member, and a wound retracting sleeve extending between the distal member and the proximal member. The surgical device may also include a sealing assembly coupled to the wound retractor.

Apparatus for use in surgery comprises a sleeve () having an entry opening () at an outer end and an exit opening () at an inner end to access a patient's body. Exit sealing means () are provided for sealing the exit opening () to a body. Entry sealing means () are provided for sealing the outer entry against an arm passing therethrough to create a controlled environment within the sleeve. A valve () comprises an outer ring () and a sealing sleeve () of flexible material mounted to the ring () and extending into the opening defined by the ring to terminate in a substantially centrally disposed inlet opening ().

Apparatus for use in surgery and a valve

A wound protector and retractor device comprising a longitudinal axis, a distal member, a proximal member, and a sleeve extending at least between the distal member and the proximal member. The sleeve has a proximal gripping portion for pulling the sleeve upwardly to shorten an axial extent located between the distal member and the proximal member.

A minimally invasive surgical instrument having an elongate stem extending between a proximal end which in use is located externally of an operating space and a distal end which in use is located within an operating space. At least a portion of the stem is malleable to facilitate manipulation of the stem in the operating space and then to maintain the stem in the manipulated position and/or orientation within the operating space. The instrument has an end effector at the distal end of the stem, the end effector having a proximal main body and distal operating means, such as graspers or cutters. The instrument has at least one joint for independent movement of the end effector main body in at least one direction relative to the distal end of the stem for enhanced degrees of freedom of the instrument.

Surgical instrument

A wound protector retractor comprises an inner O-ring for insertion through a wound opening and a connecting sleeve extending between the O-ring and outer mounting means. The outer means are provided by rings between which the sleeve is led. The rings are rotated relative to each other and the inner ring to form a centralised lumen of reduced cross section and to shorten the axial extent of the sleeve. A wound is both retracted and protected.

Surgical device for retracting and/or sealing an incision

A wound protector and retractor device comprising a longitudinal axis, a distal ring, a proximal ring, and a sleeve extending between the distal ring and the proximal ring. The sleeve is fixed to the proximal ring at a first end portion and axially slidable over the proximal ring at a second end portion.

Growing community of inventors

Dublin, Ireland

Alan Reid