Surgical cutting instrument and method of use
First Claim
1. A surgical cutting instrument comprising:
- an elongate shaft having a proximal end, a distal end adapted for percutaneous insertion into a body cavity within a patient, and an axial lumen therebetween;
a stabilizing element associated with said distal end of said shaft; and
a cutting element disposed within said lumen of said shaft near said distal end;
wherein said cutting element and said shaft are relatively moveable between a first position and a second cutting position, said cutting element being adapted to cut a body structure within the body cavity when said cutting element and said shaft are in said second cutting position; and
wherein said stabilizing element, upon actuation, is adapted to maintain the body structure in a stable position adjacent said distal end.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical cutting instrument adapted for percutaneous insertion into a body cavity to facilitate a minimally invasive surgical procedure. The surgical cutting instrument includes a shaft having a proximal end, an open distal end, and an axial lumen therebetween. An inlet opening may be fluidly coupled to the lumen at a proximal end of the shaft, for connection to a vacuum source for creating a suction force sufficient to retain the distal end of the shaft adjacent to a surface of a body structure within the body cavity. A cutting element is disposed within the lumen of the shaft near the distal end of the shaft, and is operable to cut the body structure without removing any substantial portion of the body structure when the shaft is held adjacent to the surface of the body structure.
125 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A surgical cutting instrument comprising:
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an elongate shaft having a proximal end, a distal end adapted for percutaneous insertion into a body cavity within a patient, and an axial lumen therebetween;
a stabilizing element associated with said distal end of said shaft; and
a cutting element disposed within said lumen of said shaft near said distal end;
wherein said cutting element and said shaft are relatively moveable between a first position and a second cutting position, said cutting element being adapted to cut a body structure within the body cavity when said cutting element and said shaft are in said second cutting position; and
wherein said stabilizing element, upon actuation, is adapted to maintain the body structure in a stable position adjacent said distal end. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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38. A surgical cutting instrument adapted for percutaneous insertion into a body cavity within a patient comprising:
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an elongate shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and an axial lumen therebetween;
means for retaining the distal end of the shaft adjacent to or near a surface of a body structure within said body cavity;
a cutting element disposed within said lumen of said shaft near the distal end of the shaft; and
an actuator member disposed near the proximal end of the shaft which is operable to position the cutting element in contact with said body structure for cutting said body structure without substantially removing any portion of said body structure when said retaining means holds said shaft adjacent to or near said body structure.
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46. A surgical cutting instrument comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end, an open distal end, and an axial lumen therebetween;
an inlet opening, fluidly coupled to said lumen at said proximal end of said shaft, connectable to a vacuum source for creating a suction force sufficient to retain said distal end of said shaft adjacent a surface of a body structure within the body cavity; and
a cutting element disposed within said lumen near said distal end;
wherein said shaft is movable between a first position, in which said shaft substantially covers said cutting element, and a second position, in which at least a portion of said cutting element is exposed beyond said open distal end of said shaft.
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47. A surgical cutting instrument comprising:
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a shaft configured for percutaneous insertion into a body cavity of a patient having a proximal end and a distal end;
a cutting element disposed near the distal end of the shaft;
a retention mechanism coupled to the shaft which is configured to retain the distal end of the shaft adjacent to or near a surface of a body structure within the body cavity; and
actuating means disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for positioning the cutting element in contact with a body structure within said body cavity for cutting said body structure when said shaft is held adjacent to or near the body structure.
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48. A method for cutting a body structure within a body cavity without removing any substantial portion of the body structure, the method comprising:
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introducing a distal end of a surgical cutting instrument through a percutaneous opening in the body cavity;
retaining said distal end of said shaft relatively immobile with respect to a surface of the body structure; and
manipulating the surgical instrument from outside the body cavity to position a cutting element of said surgical cutting instrument in contact with the body structure to cut the body structure.
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57. A method for endoscopically cutting a body structure within a body cavity, the method comprising:
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introducing a distal end of a surgical cutting instrument through a percutaneous opening in the body cavity;
applying a suction force to a surface of the body structure to retain the surface of the body structure adjacent to a distal end of the surgical cutting instrument; and
positioning a cutting element disposed near the distal end of the surgical cutting instrument in contact with the body structure to cut the body structure.
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Specification