Bladeless optical obturator

摘要

C:/NRPortbl/DCCEJL/354664_-I.DOC-22/03/2011 The invention is directed to a bladeless trocar obturator to separate or divaricate body tissue during insertion through a body wall. In one aspect, the obturator of 5 the invention comprises a shaft extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end; and a bladeless tip disposed at the distal end of the shaft and having a generally tapered configuration with an outer surface, the outer surface extending distally to a blunt point with a pair of side sections having a common shape and being separated by at least one intermediate section, 10 wherein each of the side sections extends from the blunt point radially outwardly with progressive positions proximally along the axis, and the shaft is sized and configured to receive an optical instrument having a distal end to receive an image of the body tissue.