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Each listing is photographed individually. Check the title and photos for the obturator, seals and any reducer, and ask us if something is unclear.
Buyer's guide
Tip designs
Trocar tips come in four broad designs. A bladed obturator has a cutting edge, and a bladeless or dilating tip does not. An optical trocar accepts a laparoscope inside the obturator, so the layers can be viewed during entry. Blunt and balloon-tip cannulas are made for the open Hasson technique. Which design suits a case is a clinical decision for your surgical team.
Diameter and length
Trocar diameter is matched to the instruments that pass through the cannula. Common sizes are 5 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm to 12 mm and 15 mm. Many hand instruments have 5 mm shafts, and many robotic instrument cannulas are 8 mm. Staplers, clip appliers and larger laparoscopes commonly need 10 mm to 12 mm. Length is a separate specification. Standard cannulas are often around 100 mm, and longer bariatric versions are nearer 150 mm. When replacing a cannula, match both its diameter and its length.
Single-use or reusable, and what comes with it
Reusable metal trocars come apart into cannula, obturator and a seal or valve assembly. The seals are wear parts and are often sold separately. Single-use trocars usually come as one integrated unit. Either way, check what a listing includes: the obturator, the seal and any reducer caps you need. If the title and photos do not make it clear, ask us before you order.
Specifications
| Specification | Common values |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 5 mm · 8 mm · 10 / 11 mm · 12 mm · 15 mm |
| Tip Type | Bladed, bladeless / dilating, optical, blunt or balloon-tip (Hasson) |
| Cannula Length | Standard (about 100 mm) and bariatric (about 150 mm) |
| Construction | Single-use or reusable |
| Insufflation Port | Stopcock or luer port, or none |
| Seal or Valve | Duckbill, flapper or universal seal; reducer caps on some systems |
| Manufacturer | Applied Medical · Covidien / Medtronic · Ethicon · Karl Storz · Richard Wolf |
Trusted brands
Manufacturers of this equipment include:
Clear Choice Medical is an independent supplier. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or an authorized dealer for any manufacturer named on this page. Manufacturer names and model designations appear solely to identify equipment and describe compatibility.
Buyer FAQ
1. Can I mix trocar brands within one case?
Ports from different manufacturers are commonly used in the same case, since each is an independent access point. What does not mix is components within a single trocar — obturators, seals, and reducers are specific to their own cannula.
2. Are seals and reducers included?
Not always. Check the listing title and photos, and ask us if they do not make it clear. Seals are wear parts on reusable systems and are often sold separately, so do not assume they are included.
3. Do items arrive sterile?
No. Everything ships non-sterile. Your facility processes and sterilizes per its own protocols and the manufacturer instructions before clinical use. Before we acquire equipment, the hospital or manufacturer it comes from must clean and sterilize it.
4. What about expiration dates on packaged single-use trocars?
Check the listing photos for any manufacturer date on the packaging, and ask us for a closer image if it is not legible. Whether a dated item is acceptable for use is a facility policy decision.
5. What is the difference between a trocar and a Veress needle?
A Veress needle is a narrow spring-loaded needle used to establish pneumoperitoneum before access. A trocar is the port assembly through which instruments actually pass. They are used together in closed-entry technique but are entirely different devices.
6. How do I know which length I need?
Match the length of the cannula you are replacing, or the length your surgical team specifies. Length is stated separately from diameter. Manufacturers make standard cannulas and longer versions, often labeled bariatric or long. Tell us the diameter and length you need and we will tell you what we can cover from stock.
7. What is the difference between a trocar and a cannula?
Trocar can refer to the access assembly, while a cannula is the hollow sleeve through which an instrument may pass. The obturator is the component that fits inside the cannula during placement and is later removed. Manufacturer catalogs also use trocar for the inner piece on its own, so the word can mean the whole assembly or only that part. That is why a listing should make clear whether it contains an assembly, a cannula, an obturator or a separate reducer, rather than treating them as identical items.
8. What does trocar diameter mean?
Trocar diameter is the stated nominal size of the access port or cannula, usually expressed in millimeters. It is one dimension of the product, not a measurement of its length or tip design. The same nominal diameter can occur on assemblies with different obturators, seals or reducers. Reading the diameter alongside the component description makes it clearer whether a listing is for a complete trocar assembly or only one part of a system.
9. What is the difference between bladed, bladeless, optical, and blunt trocar tips?
These names describe different obturator or access-tip designs. A bladed tip includes a cutting edge, while a bladeless tip has a non-bladed profile. An optical design accommodates visualization through the access device, and a blunt tip has a non-cutting distal profile. They are equipment descriptions, not instructions about which design to use. The categories can overlap: an optical tip can also be bladeless. A trocar listing may also specify diameter, length and included components, which are separate from the named tip type.
10. What does a trocar reducer do?
A trocar reducer is a component designed to accommodate an instrument smaller than the cannula opening while maintaining the system's seal arrangement. Some reducers are separate pieces; others are built into a valve or seal assembly. The name therefore does not always describe the same physical part. A listing should identify whether the reducer is included and, where stated, the cannula size and system it belongs to.
About laparoscopic trocars
A trocar is the doorway into the abdomen. It consists of a cannula that stays in the body wall and an obturator that is used to get it there and is then removed. Once placed, the cannula holds a seal that maintains pneumoperitoneum while instruments pass in and out. Two things separate most trocars: the tip design on the obturator and the size of the cannula.
Tip designs fall into four broad groups. Bladed obturators have a cutting edge. Bladeless or dilating tips have a non-cutting profile that pushes tissue fibers apart. Optical trocars carry the laparoscope inside the obturator so the layers can be seen during entry. Balloon-tip cannulas are designed for the open Hasson technique. The balloon anchors the port from inside, and a foam collar seals from outside.
Diameter is set by what has to pass through the cannula. Many working instruments are 5 mm, and many robotic instrument cannulas are 8 mm. Staplers, clip appliers, larger laparoscopes and specimen retrieval bags commonly need 10 mm to 12 mm. Reducer caps let a larger cannula accept a smaller instrument while keeping the seal.
Length is its own specification. Standard cannulas are often around 100 mm, and longer bariatric versions exist. Compare length separately from diameter.
Reusable metal trocar systems come apart into cannula, obturator and seal. Because the seal is a wear part, check what a listing includes before you order. The photos show the actual item, and we can send closer images on request.
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Not sure it is the right match? Call us at 727-482-5016 before you order. Tell us what you are matching to and we will confirm fit against the listing photos.