WO2016086244A1

WO2016086244A1 - A laparoscopic sponge

Info

Publication number: WO2016086244A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2015/050027
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arian MOKHTARI
Original assignee: MEYER, Jonell
Priority date: 2014-11-26
Filing date: 2015-11-26
Publication date: 2016-06-02

Abstract

A laparoscopic sponge 10 has a generally rectangular shape and a first short side 12 of the sponge 10 terminates in a triangular formation 14 in the form of an equilateral triangle. The sponge 10 is sufficiently flexible to fold when being introduced into the trocar 20. The sponge 10 is provided with a string 16 that is welded or sewn onto the sponge 10 and extends from a second short side 18 of the sponge. A tag 22 is provided at the free end of the string 16 tag and has a number printed thereon.

Description

A LAPAROSCOPIC SPONGE

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a sponge used during surgical procedures for absorbing blood and other bodily fluids so as to allow a surgeon a clear view of and access to an operating site, in particular during a laparoscopic procedure.

Background to the Invention

Surgical sponges or patties are well known and are routinely used during surgical procedures to absorb blood and other bodily fluids as well as to overlay and thereby protect tissue during surgery. They are used particularly during open and endoscopic neurosurgical procedures.

An example of such a sponge is the Neurosorb^® pattie manufactured by VOSTRA^®. These patties are used during neurological procedures and are provided in various sizes.

Each patty is provided with a short string to permit easy removal of the patty from an operating site. Patties can also include a radio-opaque substance such as barium sulphate which may come in various forms to assist in the location of the patty by a mobile radiographic machine in the event that a patty is unaccounted for at the end of a surgical procedure.

Whereas surgical sponges are routinely used during open procedures, their use is not common during laparoscopic procedures. There is however a need for absorbing bodily fluid around an operating site during laparoscopic procedures as fluid that has splashed onto a laparoscopic camera lens effectively prevents the procedure from being continued. This can result in potentially life-threatening situations as the patient can bleed out. Alternatively, the laparoscopic procedure is converted into an open procedure to enable the procedure to be concluded.

Omega Medical Products, LLC provides square and rectangular laparoscopic sponges that are intended for repeated use. Fluid is removed from these sponges during surgery via a suction device. This enables repetitive use of the sponge without removing the sponge from the operating site. These sponges have the same appearance and dimensions as conventional surgical sponges. The inventor therefore believes that a need exists for a surgical sponge that is specifically adapted for use during laparoscopic procedures.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a laparoscopic sponge having a generally rectangular shape; wherein a first short side of the sponge terminates in a triangular formation.

The triangular formation may be in the form of an equilateral triangle.

The sponge may be provided with a string that may be welded or sewn onto the sponge and may extend from a second short side of the sponge. The length of the string extending from the sponge may be between 20 and 50 cm.

A tag may be provided at the free end of the string. The tag may be a lightweight paper or plastic tag and may have a number printed thereon.

The laparoscopic sponge may be sold in packs of for example, ten, in which case the tags will be numbered one through to ten. In this manner, sponges can easily be accounted for at the end of a laparoscopic procedure.

The sponges may be retained on a tray in a spaced apart relationship so as to permit easy grasping of each sponge during an operation. The tray may be manufactured from cardboard.

Alternatively, the sponges may be arranged on a tray such as described in US patent number 7,665,606 (Innovative Surgical Solutions, LLC).

The sponge may include a radio-opaque marker to further assist in locating the sponge at the end of a procedure.

A notch may be defined in a middle region of the second short side of the sponge. The depth of the notch may be between 3 and 7mm and is typically 5mm.

The sponge may further include a retaining formation for in use retaining a suture needle.

The retaining formation may be in the form of one or more straps. The straps may be manufactured from an elastic material such as, for example, rubber. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, two sets of straps may be arranged at a central region and across a longitudinal axis of the sponge.

First ends of the straps may be arranged in close proximity to each other and the distance between the straps may progressively increase as they extend across the longitudinal axis of the sponge.

In use, a suture needle may be inserted between the straps and a surface of the sponge and may be retained in place by the straps.

The length of the sponge may be between 30 and 80 mm, its width may be between 8 and 30 mm and its thickness may be between 1 and 5mm.

Large sponges may predominantly be used to absorb blood and other bodily fluids while small sponges may predominantly be used for blunt dissection.

The sponge may be manufactured from any suitable absorbent material from which surgical sponges are commonly manufactured such as, for example, cotton or a cottonoid material. Other materials of manufacture include: next-generation rayon, rayon, polyamide/ cotton, and PVA.

For neurosurgical procedures, it is important for the sponge not to adhere to the sensitive brain tissue when being removed and the material of manufacture may be chosen accordingly.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sponge may be impregnated with a haemostatic agent (e.g. dry epinephrine) that does not substantially affect the absorption capacity of the sponge.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention will now be described by way of the following, non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:-

Figures 1 a and 1 b show two embodiments of a laparoscopic sponge in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows the location of a sharp-pointed instrument on the sponge prior to introduction to a patient via a trocar;

Figures 3a and b show a 5mm and 12mm trocar respectively;

Figures 4a and b show how the sponge together with the instrument as shown in Figure 2 are introduced to a trocar;

Figure 5 shows a trocar after a plurality of sponges have been introduced to an abdominal cavity of a patient;

Figure 6 shows a trocar through which two sponges and an instrument have been introduced to the abdominal cavity of a patient;

Figure 7 shows a trocar through which four sponges and an instrument have been introduced to the abdominal cavity of a patient; and

Figure 8 shows how a sponge is removed via a trocar.

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates an embodiment of a laparoscopic sponge in accordance with the present invention.

The laparoscopic sponge 10 has a generally rectangular shape and a first short side 12 of the sponge 10 terminates in a triangular formation 14.

In the embodiments shown, the triangular formation 14 is in the form of an equilateral triangle.

The sponge 10 shown in Figure 1 a is 12 mm wide and 50mm long. This sponge 10 is typically used for blunt dissection and can be introduced to a patient via a 5 mm trocar 20 shown in Figure 3a.

The sponge shown in Figure 1 b is 25 mm wide and 75mm long. This sponge 10 is typically used to absorb blood and other bodily fluids and can be introduced to a patient via a 10 mm trocar 20 shown in Figure 3b.

The thickness of the sponge is typically about 2mm.

The sponge 10 is sufficiently flexible to fold when being introduced into the trocar 20. The sponge 10 is provided with a string 16 that is welded or sewn onto the sponge 10 and extends from a second short side 18 of the sponge. The length of the string extending from the sponge may be between 20 and 50 cm.

It is important that the string 16 is long so that a substantial portion thereof extends from the trocar 20 during a laparoscopic procedure, thereby minimising the risk of the string 16 being pulled into the patient where it can easily be lost.

A tag 22 is provided at the free end of the string 16. The tag 22 is a lightweight paper or plastic tag and has a number printed thereon as specifically shown in Figure 5.

The laparoscopic sponge 10 is typically sold in packs of for example, ten, in which case the tags 22 will be numbered one through to ten. In this manner, sponges 10 can easily be accounted for at the end of a laparoscopic procedure when each sponge 10 is removed from the patient via the trocar 20 as shown in Figure 8.

The sponges 10 can be retained on a cardboard tray (not shown) in a spaced apart relationship so as to permit easy grasping of each sponge during an operation. Alternatively, the sponges can be arranged on a tray such as described in US patent number 7,665,606 (Innovative Surgical Solutions, LLC).

The sponge 10 can optionally include a radio-opaque marker 24 to further assist in locating the sponge 10 at the end of a procedure.

A notch 26 is defined in a middle region of the second short side 18 of the sponge 10. The depth of the notch 26 is typically about 5mm.

In use, the notch 26 assists in the location of a sharp-pointed instrument 28 on the sponge 10 so that a tip 30 of said instrument is enveloped by the sponge 10 when introduced to an abdominal cavity of the patient via the trocar 20. In this manner, injury to tissue during introduction of the instrument 28 to the patient is inhibited.

In addition, the notch 26 provides a theatre sister with an easily recognisable marker to repeatedly load sponges 10 onto an instrument (commonly a Maryland dissector). Furthermore, it permits a surgeon to introduce the sponge 10 into the trocar 20 without having to reposition the sponge 10 onto the surgical instrument. The sponge 10 includes a retaining formation in the form of straps 32 for in use retaining a suture needle 34.

The straps 32 are manufactured from an elastic material such as, for example, rubber.

Two sets of straps 32.1 and 32.2 are arranged at a central region and across a longitudinal axis of the sponge 10.

First ends of the straps 32.1 and 32.2 are arranged in close proximity to each other and the distance between the straps 32.1 and 32.2 progressively increases as they extend across the longitudinal axis of the sponge 10.

In use, the suture needle 34 is inserted between the straps 32.1 and 32.2 and a surface of the sponge 10 as can best be seen in Figure 2. The straps 32.1 and 32.2 retain the needle 34 in place during introduction of the sponge 10 to the abdominal cavity of the patient via the trocar 20 as shown in Figures 4a and 4b.

In addition, the needle 34 can be returned to the straps 32.1 and 32.2 and moved to another operating site during a laparoscopic procedure whilst being retained by the straps 32.1 and 32.2.

As can be seen in Figures 6 and 7, it is possible to introduce several sponges 10 to an operating site in addition to the instrument 28.

The sponge 10 is manufactured from any suitable absorbent material from which surgical sponges are commonly manufactured and the material is selected according to the type of procedure during which the sponge is to be used. The material is typically selected from the group including: cotton, cottonoid, next-generation rayon, rayon, polyamide/ cotton, and PVA.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sponge 10 is impregnated with a haemostatic agent (e.g. dry epinephrine) that does not substantially affect the absorption capacity of the sponge 10.

The inventor believes that particular advantages of the invention reside in that it permits fluid absorption during laparoscopic procedures, thereby rendering the procedure safer for the patient as well as presenting a tool for blunt dissection during a laparoscopic procedure.

It is to be appreciated, that the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment or configuration as hereinbefore described and/or illustrated.

Claims

1 . A laparoscopic sponge having a generally rectangular shape; wherein a first short side of the sponge terminates in a triangular formation.

2. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the triangular formation is in the form of an equilateral triangle.

3. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the sponge is provided with a string that extends from a second short side of the sponge and wherein the length of the string is between 20 and 50 cm.

4. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in claim 3, wherein a tag is provided at the free end of the string.

5. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in claim 4, wherein the tag is numbered.

6. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sponge includes a radio-opaque marker.

7. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a notch is defined in a middle region of the second short side of the sponge.

8. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in claim 7, wherein the depth of the notch is between 3 and 7mm.

9. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sponge further includes a retaining formation for in use retaining a suture needle.

10. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in claim 9, wherein the retaining formation is in the form of one or more straps.

1 1 . A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in claim 10, wherein two sets of straps are arranged at a central region and across a longitudinal axis of the sponge.

12. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the length of the sponge is between 30 and 80 mm, its width is between 8 and 30 mm and its thickness is between 1 and 5mm.

13. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sponge is manufactured from a material selected from the group including: cotton cottonoid material, next-generation rayon, rayon, polyamide/ cotton, and PVA.

14. A laparoscopic sponge as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sponge is impregnated with a haemostatic agent that does not substantially affect the absorption capacity of the sponge.

15. A laparoscopic sponge according to the invention, substantially as hereinbefore described or exemplified.

16. A laparoscopic sponge as specifically described with reference to or as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.

17. A laparoscopic sponge including any new and inventive integer or combination of integers, substantially as herein described.