Skin seal with inflatable membrane

Abstract

A skin seal or trocar stabilizer with an inflatable balloon in the shape of a dumbbell, where the balloon may be stored within a cannula for easy placement in an incision and inflated to deploy the balloon inside the body, and a portion of the balloon expands inside the cannula, whereby medical instruments may be passed through the skin seal into a laparoscopic workspace while the balloon is inflated, thereby allowing the use of normal short surgical instruments during laparoscopic procedures and during insufflation.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A device for sealing an incision through a layer of body tissue, said device comprising: 
 a cylindrical balloon having a distal end and a proximal end and an intermediate portion between the distal and proximal end, said distal end having a large cross section compared to the intermediate portion, said cylindrical balloon having an inner balloon tube and an outer balloon tube, said inner balloon tube and outer balloon tube being sealed together at the distal and proximal ends of the balloon to form a closed surface which can be inflated;    a stiffener tube disposed within the closed surface of the balloon, with the inner balloon tube extending through the stiffener tube and said outer balloon tube surrounding the stiffener tube, said stiffener tube being approximately the same length as the layer of body tissue to be sealed;    an inflation port communicating with the balloon, said inflation port permitting injection of gas or fluid to inflate the balloon.