Method and apparatus for combined dissection and retraction

• US 20030018352A1
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Surgical Innovations Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: General Surgical Innovations Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Mollenauer, Kenneth H., Jervis, James E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,921,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320044 Blunt dissectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

A method and apparatus for dissecting a first layer of tissue from a second layer of tissue and thereafter holding open an anatomic space for the performance of a surgical procedure. The method includes steps of making an incision in a body, introducing a deflated balloon dissector into the incision, inflating the balloon dissector to effect dissection of the first layer of tissue from the second layer of tissue, deploying a retractor within the anatomic space in order to hold open the anatomic space, and optionally deflating or evacuating the balloon dissector to open a cavity for surgical manipulations. The apparatus includes a combined dissector-retractor having a balloon retractor disposed upon the surface of the balloon dissector and integrated therewith.

Claims

1. A method for dissecting a first layer from a second layer of tissue and for holding open an anatomic space for the performance of a surgical procedure, the method comprising the steps of:

making an incision in a body;

introducing a deflated balloon dissector into the incision;

inflating said balloon dissector, wherein the first layer of tissue is dissected from the second layer of tissue, thereby creating the anatomic space;

retracting within the anatomic space so that at least a portion of said anatomic space is held open; and

deflating at least a portion of the balloon dissector after retracting, wherein an open cavity is created for the performance of a surgical procedure.