Ethicon, Gmbh

John A Cartmill

Jack B Stubbs

Ronald J Brinkerhoff

Ramesh S Candadai

A surgical glove for endoscopic surgical procedures is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the surgical glove has an inflatable wrist section, which when inflated, provides a seal between the surgeon's gloved hand and the body wall for obstructing the passage of gas from the abdominal cavity during endoscopic surgery. The inflated glove wrist section will conform to the surgeon's hand and the abdominal cavity wall to provide the seal and yet allow the surgeon's hand to move in an inward or outward direction transversely to the abdominal wall.

Endo-surgery glove and seal

A novel chart permits rapid and inexpensive evaluation of an optical instrument for manufacturing purposes and/or by an operator of the instrument. For example, a user of an optical instrument may directly test the performance of an instrument without the assistance of trained personnel or a well-equipped laboratory facility. The chart comprises a plurality of levels defined by blocks having converging lines extending therein. The plurality of levels define a corresponding plurality of contrast levels between their blocks and the converging lines therein. The chart is used by viewing a plurality of levels within the chart and determining corresponding line frequency values at which the viewer is unable to discern multiple lines. These line frequency values are then compared to calibration line frequency values for the instrument being evaluated. The chart of the present invention is easily transported and used, and may be supplied along with an optical instrument to define operating characteristics of the instrument.

Optical instrument evaluation using modulation transfer function chart

A sealing device for endoscopic surgical procedures is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device has two inflatable toroidal sections connected by a transition section. The device is partially inserted into an abdominal opening in a deflated state, and then inflated to provide a seal for obstructing the passage of gas from the abdominal cavity during endoscopic surgery. Endoscopic instruments, or alternatively, the surgeon's hand, can penetrate through the lumen of the toroidal sections of the device. The lumen then conforms to the shape of the instrument or hand passed through it to maintain an adequate seal. In another embodiment, a sealing device to seal a trocar is disclosed. The device is an inflatable toroid shaped to fit securely within the housing of the trocar. Means are provided to selectively inflate or deflate the device to perform its intended sealing function, and instruments can be passed through the lumen of the toroid to access the surgical site without destroying the integrity of the seal.

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Cleveland, OH, United States of America

John A Cartmill