RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/197,045 filed Nov. 20, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,793, and commonly owned by the assignee hereof. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to internal surgery and, more specifically, to a reusable surgical device and methods for accessing and retrieving tissue or other mass from a body cavity. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In recent years, the applications for laparoscopic surgery have expanded to include many different procedures. A benefit of laparoscopic operations is the relatively quick recovery period experienced by patients, due to the small incisions that are made in the body. These incisions reduce the trauma and the required healing compared to traditional surgery. Laparoscopic tubes and sleeves with diameters on the order of 10 millimeters are inserted in the body cavity. Various instruments and a video camera are typically directed through laparoscopic sleeves for performing and monitoring the surgical steps. 
     A particular concern in laparoscopic surgery is the transporting of tissues and other mass that are cut away or retrieved during a surgery. While moving, manipulating, or cutting up a removed mass within the body cavity, pieces of infected or cancerous mass, blood, bile, and other liquids may escape into the body cavity and pose infection problems or other complications. It is desirable to contain these materials in a bag or similar enclosure within the body cavity before removal to minimize the risk of infection or other complications. It is important that the containment of the materials be accomplished as quickly as possible with minimal disturbance to the surgical site. 
     Instruments with membranes or bags have been designed in an attempt to avoid the complications associated with the removal of tissue during laparoscopic surgery. These devices typically fall into two categories, those that have a bag coiled around an introducing rod that must be unfurled by various maneuvers, and those that pop open a bag using a spring, wire, or other mechanism. A device that falls into the second category is a pouch disclosed in Pagedas (U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,597), which utilizes a flexible rod slidably connected to a wand to create a reclosable pouch. When the rod bows out, the bag is opened. When the rod straightens, the bag is closed to form a seal. 
     However, the specimen retrieval instruments that are currently on the market, especially the more practical devices, are designed for a single use. Not only does this create a disposal problem, but disposable instruments are not always cost effective. In this era of cost containment, the need often arises for reusable instruments, especially a laparoscopic retrieval pouch that can be sterilized and reused. A second failing of the current specimen retrieval instruments is that they are limited as to the specimen size that can be safely retrieved. A reusable instrument that can employ different size bags and allow rapid removal and replacement of a retrieval pouch would increase surgical efficiency. A third short coming of disposable specimen retrieval instruments is that specimen bags are often ruptured by morcelating instruments or pressure distention against the base of the retrieval bag. A reusable device warrants the additional cost of heavier gauge materials that can withstand the burden of a larger mass, the rigors of morcelation, and the stress of sterilization. U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,597 (Pagedas) is incorporated herein by reference. Although Pagedas (U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,597) alludes to an option where one may slip a sleeve styled bag onto its device, no specific embodiment is given. Moreover, no mention is made of a reusable bag that may be sterilized. 
     For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a reusable surgical device, and a method of using such a device, that allows efficient access and retrieval of tissue or other mass from a body cavity. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to the present invention, the foregoing and following objects and advantages are achieved by providing a reusable surgical device for safely manipulating and retrieving tissue from a body cavity in operations such as laparascopic surgery, and also a method for using the surgical device. A surgical device having features of the present invention comprises an elongated wand having a front end and a back end, a rod having a flexible portion and a handle portion, and a removable bag. The flexible portion includes a second end attached to the handle portion, and a pivot end near the front end of the wand by a disengaging connector. The handle portion of the rod and the back end of the wand are close to each other so that they can be manipulated from outside a body cavity. Preferably the bag for enclosing and retrieving material during surgery is coupled to the front of the wand and the flexible portion of the rod. The bag may be opened by pushing the rod forward relative to the wand to bow out the flexible portion and may be closed by pulling the rod backward relative to the wand to straighten the flexible portion. 
     Another object is to provide a surgical device that may be accurately manipulated and controlled with one hand. 
     Another object is to provide a surgical device that has an adjustable opening that seals when closed. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a surgical device that may be sterilized and reused. The reusable portions that can be sterilized may include the wand, the rod, and/or the bag. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a surgical device that includes a lock that may be engaged so that a surgeon does not have to hold the device at the desired bag position. Bag positions may include a degree of openness ranging from completely closed to wide open, depending on the extent to which the flexible portion of the rod is bowed. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a surgical device that includes a thumb grip to facilitate moving the rod. 
     Methods of using the surgical device comprise the steps of attaching a bag to the front end of the wand and flexible portion of the rod, engaging the disengaging connector, directing the device into a body cavity, opening the bag by pushing the rod forward to cause the flexible portion to bow out, receiving a mass from the body cavity into the bag, and closing the bag by pulling the rod backwards to cause the flexible portion to straighten and form a seal against the wand. Additional steps may include morcelating the removed mass, removing the surgical device from the body cavity, disengaging the disengaging connector, removing the bag, disposing of the removed mass, and sterilizing the wand, rod and/or bag for reuse. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides an economical means for achieving greater efficiency, control and safety in containing materials within, and removing materials from, a body cavity during laparoscopic surgery. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and use in other applications, and its several details are capable of modification in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the surgical device showing the bag removed from the wand and rod. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the surgical device depicting the bag being attached to the wand and rod. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the surgical device showing the bag attached to the wand and rod. 
     FIG. 3A shows how one embodiment of the disengaging connector is engaged. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the surgical device showing the bag in an opened position. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the surgical device showing the bag in a closed position. 
     FIG. 5A shows how one embodiment of the disengaging connector is disengaged. 
     FIG. 6 is a right side elevational view of one embodiment of the invention in a closed position and including an adjustable connector. 
     FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the back end of the wand and the handle portion of the rod, taken along line  7 — 7  in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the back end of the wand and the handle of the rod, taken along line  7 — 7  in FIG. 6, illustrating a dovetail-shaped channel system. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the front end of the wand and the flexible portion of the rod, taken along line  8 — 8  in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 9 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention with a bag attached and in the open position. 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the back end of the wand and the handle portion of the rod, taken along line  10 — 10  in FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a view of one embodiment of the surgical device directed through a laparoscopic sleeve into a body cavity and opened for use in laparoscopic surgery. 
     FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the surgical device and showing a longitudinally extending collar having adjustable locking means. 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the surgical device showing the bag in opened position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the surgical device  11  includes an elongated wand  12  with a front end  14  and a back end  16 . The wand front end  14  and back end  16  serve as reference points for this discussion, so that “forward” and “front” refer to those movements or locations toward the front end  14  and “backward” and “back” refer to those movements toward the back end  16 . The surgical device  11  further includes an elongated rod  18  that has a handle portion  24  connected to a flexible portion  22 . The handle portion  24  lies close and generally parallel to the wand  12  and may be coupled to the wand  12  in some fashion. The flexible portion  22  includes a pivot end  20  and a second end  21 . The second end  21  of the flexible portion  22  is connected to the handle portion  24 , and the pivot end  20  is coupled to the wand&#39;s front end  14  using a disengaging connector  80 . The surgical device further comprises a removable bag  50  that may be sterilized and reused. 
     In the preferred embodiment a slot system serves as a connector for holding the handle portion  24  close to the back end  16  of the wand and to set the transition point  26  where the flexible portion  22  transitions from lying close to the wand  12  to bowing out from the wand  12 . This transition point  26  may be anywhere on the flexible portion  22  between the pivot end  20  and the second end  21 . However, designing a surgical device  11  with the transition point  26  very close to the pivot end  20  would give little longitudinal distance in which the flexible portion could bow. Therefore, the connector preferably extends forward to about the middle of the flexible portion  22 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the slot system includes a channel  28  and a lip  32 . The channel  28  extends along the longitudinal axis of the wand  12  from the back end  16  and forward preferably to the corresponding location of the rod&#39;s pivot end  20 . The rod  18  is received in the channel  28 . The lip  32  extends partially over the channel  28  for slidably holding the rod  18  in the channel  28  forward up to the location of the front extremity  30 . At the front extremity  30 , the rod  18  may come out of the channel system as illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     As shown in FIG. 6, the channel  28  preferably extends all the way to the location where the pivot end  20  attaches to the front end  14 , so that when the flexible portion  22  straightens, it may be received in the channel  28  to form a seal  34  (FIG. 5) between the front end  14  and the flexible portion  22 , or between the first portion  160  and the second portion  162  of the bag  50 . Other designs may be used to allow the front end  14  and the flexible portion  22  to cooperate to form a seal  34 , such as the embodiment in FIGS. 9 and 10 in which the front end  14  and flexible portion  22  inner surfaces  40 ,  42  are flat. 
     To bow out the flexible portion  22 , the surgeon pushes the handle portion  24  forward, preferably using a thumb grip  44  or some other means that aids comfortable operation. Because it is anchored at the pivot end  20 , the rod  18  responds to being pushed by bowing out. To straighten the flexible portion  22  and the bring it closer to the wand  12 , the surgeon pulls the handle  24  backwards. Alternatively, the flexible portion  22  may be biased in the closed or unbowed position by allowing the flexible portion  22  to spring back to the unbowed position when pressure on the thumb grip  44  is released. 
     Regarding the flexibility of the wand  12 , there are several options. The wand front end  14  may be rigid in some embodiments and somewhat flexible in other embodiments. For example, the front end  14  may be somewhat flexible for operations in which the surgeon needs to temporarily bend the wand to reach a particular location in the body cavity  70  at a particular angle. However, the wand  12  should be less flexible than the flexible portion  22  of the rod  18 , so that the flexible portion  22  bows out from the wand  12  when the handle portion  24  is pushed, rather than the flexible portion  22  and the wand front end  14  bending together in the same direction and thus producing either no opening of the bag  50  or a partial and difficult-to-control opening. 
     Regarding the flexibility of the rod  18 , there are also several options. The flexible portion  22  should be of a flexibility in the outward direction that causes it to bow out relative to the wand  12  when it is pushed. The rod  18  may have a rigid handle portion  24  which may be held close to the wand  12  either by the hand of the person using it or by the laparoscopic sleeve  64 . The rod  18  may also be flexible back to and including the handle portion  24 , as long as a connector is included to hold and guide the handle portion  24  when it is being pushed and as long as the handle portion  24  flexibility is limited to a range which does not cause buckling and binding of the rod  18  inside the connector. In other words, the rod  18  may have a flexible portion  22  near the pivot end  20  and a relatively rigid handle portion  24 , or may be a flexible rod with a flexible portion  22  and a flexible handle portion  24  which cooperates with a connector that holds and guides the handle portion  24 . 
     Optionally, embodiments with a rigid handle portion  24  may also include a connector, such as the collar  66  shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, for additional guiding of the handle portion  24 . FIG. 1 shows an example of the optional adjustable feature for a connector, the adjustable feature being for changing the longitudinal location of the connector front extremity  30  to change the rod transition point  26 . The collar  66  may be moved forward or backward to select a transition point  26  and then may be locked into place, for example with a set screw (not shown), in such a way that the rod  18  may still slide through the collar. An adjustable connector such as the collar  66  may also be added to embodiments having a slot system, as shown in FIG.  6 . With reference to FIGS. 12 and 13, an improved embodiment of the invention is depicted. The improvement includes a longitudinally extending collar  66   a  as illustrated. The collar  66   a  has a slot  68  substantially coextensive of its length and surrounds both the wand  12  and the rod  18  illustrated in previous figures. The collar  66   a  may be moved forward or backward to select a transition point  26   a  and may be locked into place, for example, with a set screw  60 . A thumb loop  74  may also be provided for ease in positioning. With an adjustable connector, a surgeon may use a wand  12  and rod  18  with differently-sized bags or bags with differentlyshaped entryways. 
     The preferred materials for the wand  12  and rod  18  are any materials that fulfill the various flexibility and rigidity requirements while also being safe for sterilization and internal surgery use. Surgical steel could be machined to meet those needs. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the pivot end  20  of the flexible portion  22  is attached to the front end  14  of the wand  12  by a disengaging connector  80 . Preferably, the disengaging connector  80  comprises the front end  14  of the wand having a longitudinal slot  82  forming a first prong  84  and a second prong  86 . A first notch  94  is formed in the first prong  84 , and a second notch  96  is formed in the second prong  86 . The flexible portion  22  of the rod  18  includes a first perpendicular spur  90  and an opposing second perpendicular spur  92 . As shown in FIG. 3, to engage the disengaging connector  80 , the first and second spurs  90 ,  92  are pressed into the first and second notches  94 ,  96  respectively. As the handle portion  24  is pushed forward, preferably using a thumb grip  44 , and the flexible portion  22  bows out, spurs  90  and  92  rotate in notches  94  and  96 , respectively, creating a hinge action. To disengage the connector  80 , one pops out the spurs  90 ,  92  from the notches  94 ,  96  by applying pressure to the underside  88  of the connector  80  as shown in FIG.  5 A. 
     Although the preferred embodiment includes a disengaging connector  80  with a hinge action, any connector may be used to connect the front end  14  to the pivot end  20  so long as the disengaging connector  80  will not disengage under the stress necessary to bow out the flexible portion  22 , yet may be efficiently disengaged to remove the bag  50  for disposal or sterilization. Other such connectors may include a snap, a slot and groove arrangement, other notch and spur configurations, or other comparable cooperating systems. 
     The preferred embodiment includes a bag  50  for enclosing a mass  52 , which may be opened and closed by bowing and straightening action of the flexible portion  22 . The bag  50  has a wall  54  for surrounding an interior space  56 , and an edge  38  that surrounds the entryway  58 . The bag  50  can be disposable or reusable. The preferred materials for the bag  50  should also meet sterility and safety requirements for internal surgery. Transparent plastics, flexible fabrics, and netting could be used. The preferred materials have some memory for tending to stay in a somewhat expanded state rather than tending to collapse, because this feature aids in the quick opening or unwrapping of the bag  50 . The preferred materials are impermeable to liquid or are liquid-resistant, for containing infected liquids, but netting or loosely-woven materials could also be of benefit for some surgical procedures. Where morcelating is necessary, a bag  50  may include a fine denier brand fiber that is puncture resistant and able to withstand the cutting of a mass. 
     In one embodiment having a detachable bag  50 , the bag  50  includes a sleeved rim  152  with at least one opening  154 . In the preferred embodiment, the bag  50  includes a sleeved rim  152  divided into a first part  160  and a second part  162 , each part having a first opening  164  and a second opening  166 . The first part  160  and second part  162  are divided by an unsupported section  62 . The unsupported section  62  allows the flexible portion  22  to slide forward without tearing the bag  50  and to slide backward without pulling the bag  50  underneath the lip  32 . As shown in FIG. 2, to attach the bag  50 , one slips the flexible portion  22  into the first opening  164  of the first part  160  of the sleeved rim  152 , and slips the front end  14  of the wand  12  into the first opening  164  of the second part  162  of the sleeved rim  152 . The flexible portion  22  and the front end  14  of the wand  12  slip through the sleeved rim  152  and out the second opening  166  of the sleeved rim  152  at which time the disengaging connector  80  is engaged as shown in FIG. 3 by applying pressure to the underside  88  and topside  89  of the connector  80 . 
     The method of using the surgical device  11  includes attaching a bag  50  to the front end  14  of the wand  12  and the flexible portion  22  of the rod  18 , and directing the surgical device  11  into a body cavity  70 , preferably through a laparoscopic sleeve  64 , so that the back end  16  and handle portion  24  are accessible by the surgeon. As shown in FIG. 4, the bag  50  is opened by pushing the handle portion  24  forward, preferably using a thumb grip  44 . The bag  50  is directed relative to the mass  52  so that the mass  52  moves through the entryway  58  into the interior space  56  of the bag  50 . This may be done by moving the bag  50  to the mass  52  and scooping it up or by inserting the mass  52  into the bag  50  with another tool  72 . The bag  50  may be closed for further manipulation of the mass  52  or for removal of the surgical device  11  and mass  52  from the body cavity  70 . To facilitate removal from the laparoscopic sleeve  64 , the bag  50  may be wrapped around the front  14  flexible portion  22  to form a compact and smooth unit. 
     Optionally, a grinding, cutting, or other surgical tool  72  may be inserted into the interior space  56  of the bag  50  for further manipulation of the mass  52 , for example, to cut a large mass into pieces that will fit through the laparoscopic sleeve  64 . The surgical tool  72  may be inserted before the bag  50  is closed, or after the bag  50  is closed if the flexible portion  22 , front end  14 , or bag  50  is adapted to allow a surgical tool  72  to pass through the seal  34 . Preferably, the flexible portion  22 , front end  14 , or bag  50  would also be adapted to maintain a good seal around the inserted surgical tool  72  to prevent escape of mass and liquid. Optionally, a surgical tool  72  could be inserted into the body cavity  70  through the same laparoscopic sleeve  64  as the surgical device  11 , or through a hollow passage in the wand  12 . 
     The above described embodiments of this invention are merely descriptive of its principles and are not to be limited. The scope of this invention instead shall be determined from the scope of the following claims, including their equivalents. 
     In describing the embodiments disclosed herein the inventor has also described all the various alternative structures which are equivalent to one or more elements or limitations of the claimed invention. Beyond what is expressly described herein the inventor has no prior knowledge of any other structures which are equivalent to the invention claimed. Accordingly, the determination of structures, methods, or compositions of matter which are equivalent to the claimed invention shall not be limited to only the alternative structures identified herein, but shall include other structures whether or not they are presently known or unknown.
Various embodiments of a reusable surgical device for retrieving a mass during laparoscopic surgery are shown and described. The surgical device has a wand, a rod attached to the wand near the front by a disengaging connector and extending generally parallel to the wand, and a pouch or bag attached to the wand and rod. A portion of the rod is flexible for bowing out from the wand when the rod is pushed forward. The flexible portion straightens to come close to the wand when the rod is pulled backward. The back of the rod may be slidably connected to the wand. A bag suitable for sterilizing may be attached to the rod and wand for receiving a mass during surgery. When the rod bows out, the bag is opened. When the rod straightens, the bag is closed to form a seal. Methods of using the surgical device include attaching a bag, engaging the disengaging connector, and inserting the device through a laparoscopic sleeve for enclosure, manipulation, and retrieval of the mass. Further steps include, removing the surgical device from the body cavity, disengaging the disengaging connector, removing the bag, disposing of the mass, and sterilizing the rod, wand and/or bag.