Abstract: A surgical cannula includes a first valve seal for preventing insufflation gas from escaping from a patient's abdomen when an instrument is inserted or removed through the cannula. The valve seal has a V-shaped cross section and includes two opposing lips which face each other across a slit. Each lip has an internal and external edge separated by an intermediate section. The front surface of the first seal is relatively flat and has a width X. The preferred distance between the internal and external edges is preferably one-half X. This permits the internal edges to absorb the shock and damage from the introduction of a sharp instrument such as a trocar into the cannula without destroying the sealing capability of the external edges. A spring-loaded tubular member is located within the cannula housing and a reducer subassembly and is normally biased away from the interior surface of the first seal.

Abstract: A trocar houses a pneumo-needle, the cutting tip of which emerges eccentrically or concentrically from the tip of the trocar. An obturator, in turn, is housed within said pneumo-needle and is controlled at the distal end of the pneumo-needle by a spring release button. A cannula and reducer housing surround the trocar and are selectively attachable to a needle retainer which controls the penetration of the obturator, pneumo-needle, trocar and cannula into the abdominal cavity. A latch mounted on the rear of the needle retainer permits the pneumo-needle to selectively slide with respect to the needle retainer. Graduations on the needle permit the surgeon to set the depth of penetration of the pneumo-needle. The latch controls the depth of penetration of the pneumo-needle beyond the front face of the needle retainer. The pneumo-needle, in turn, acts as a pilot and controls the depth of penetration of the trocar and cannula.

Abstract: A trocar houses a pneumo-needle, the cutting tip of which emerges eccentrically from the tip of said trocar. An obturator, in turn, is housed within said pneumo-needle and is controlled at the distal end of the pneumo-needle by a spring release button. A latch attached to the trocar permits the pneumo-needle to selectively slide with respect to the trocar to gauge and set the depth of penetration of the pneumo-needle. A cannula and reducer surround the trocar and are attached to a stabilizer housing which permits the cannula to selectively slide with respect to the stabilizer to gauge and set depth of cannula penetration. One or more duckbill seals located within the cannula housing prevent leakage of insufflation gases into the interior of the reducer housing. A stabilizer lock attached to a stabilizer housing connected to the cannula and reducer prevents the apparatus from being prematurely withdrawn from a puncture wound.