1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to trocars. More particularly, the invention relates to an obturator tip assembly for a trocar.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A trocar assembly is a surgical instrument used to gain access to a body cavity. A trocar assembly generally comprises two major components, a trocar sleeve, composed of a trocar housing and a trocar cannula, and a trocar obturator. The trocar cannula, having the trocar obturator inserted therethrough, is directed through the skin to access a body cavity. Once the body cavity is accessed, laparoscopic or arthroscopic surgery and endoscopic procedures may be performed.
In order to penetrate the skin, the distal end of the trocar cannula is placed against the skin that has been previously cut with a scalpel. The trocar obturator is then used to penetrate the skin and access the body cavity. By applying pressure against the proximal end of the trocar obturator, the sharp point of the trocar obturator is forced through the skin until it enters the body cavity. The trocar cannula is inserted through the perforation made by the trocar obturator and the trocar obturator is withdrawn, leaving the trocar cannula as an access way to the body cavity.
The proximal end portion of the trocar cannula is typically joined to a trocar housing that defines a chamber having an open distal end portion in communication with the interior lumen defined by the trocar cannula. A trocar obturator, or other elongated surgical instruments or tools, axially extends into and is withdrawn from the trocar cannula through the proximal end portion of the chamber defined by the trocar housing.
Current trocar obturators have distal ends designed for passage through the various seal assemblies employed in trocars. The distal ends, or tips, of current trocar obturators are prone to disturbing the seal assemblies and consequently complicating the insertion and extraction process. In addition, prior art tip construction are generally difficult to manufacture and assemble. As such, a need exists for an improved trocar obturator tip construction obviating the shortcomings of the prior art trocar obturators. The present invention provides a trocar obturator tip construction obviating the shortcomings by providing structure permitting ready assembly of the tip and passage through the seal assemblies employed in trocar sleeves.