The invention relates to an endosurgical extraction bag for collecting body tissue or body fluid, comprising a bag main part formed from a flexible envelope, and a first admission opening for introducing tissue or fluid into the bag main part.
The invention also relates to an applicator for introducing an extraction bag into the body through a natural or artificial opening in the body.
Such an extraction bag, also referred to as a laparoscopy bag, is used to remove tissue or also body fluid from the human or animal body.
An endosurgical extraction bag of this kind is used in particular in endoscopic interventions in the human body that are performed through a small artificially created or natural opening. For example, when removing tumor tissue from the abdominal space, it is important that, when removing the tumor tissue, the latter does not come into contact with healthy or uninvolved tissue, so as in this way to avoid metastasis and thus avoid harming the patient. If tumor tissue or tissue parts have to be removed, they are therefore introduced into an extraction bag at the site where they have been detached from the surrounding tissue, after which the extraction bag is withdrawn from the body, normally through a trocar. The extraction bag is accordingly brought into position in the body, normally through a trocar, before introduction of the tissue into the extraction bag.
An important requirement of such an extraction bag is that the tissue collected in the extraction bag cannot escape before the extraction bag is withdrawn from the body. For this reason, extraction bags have been produced, particularly such as the one described in the document EP 0 578 997 B1, which have drawstrings for closing the admission opening through which the tissue is introduced into the extraction bag. Despite a closure possibility of this kind, reliable sealing of the extraction bag is not guaranteed in every case.
Another extraction bag is known from the document EP 0 696 899 B1, This extraction bag comprises a bag with two openings, namely one small opening and one larger opening. Seen in the longitudinal direction of the extraction bag, the openings are each located at a respective end of the extraction bag. Provision of two openings lying opposite one another is intended to allow a gripping instrument to be guided through the smaller opening in order to be able to comminute tissue that has been introduced through the large opening in the bag. For both openings, drawstrings are once again provided for closing the openings, which, as in the known extraction bag described above, entails the disadvantage of inadequate sealing.
A further disadvantage of the known extraction bags is that they are unnecessarily large, especially for their use in pathology, since only small pieces of tissue are removed for pathology purposes and then examined after removal from the body.