Locking pneumoneedle

Abstract

A safety pneumoneedle through which the abdomen can be inflated with fluid such as insufflating gas is described. The pneumoneedle comprises a housing having front and rear ends, exterior surfaces adapted to be manually grasped, inner surfaces defining an elongate cavity having a fluid passageway portion. The pneumoneedle includes a non-removable cannula having a proximal end sealingly and fixedly attached to the housing, and a sharpened distal end adapted to pierce tissue. A protector assembly is present which has a closed blunt distal end, a first abutment end surface, and a camming surface. The protector assembly is movable relative to the cannula between a protecting position with the blunt distal end of the protector extending beyond the sharp distal end of the cannula to restrict engagement between tissue and the sharp distal end of the cannula, and a retracted position with portions of the sharp distal end of the cannula extending beyond the blunt distal end of the protector to afford puncture of tissue. The pneumoneedle also includes a latching and release mechanism for positively locking the protector in the protecting position after the cannula has pierced tissue and for releasing the protector after it has been locked in the protecting position.