Active cannulas

• US 20030181939A1
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1990
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Surgical Innovations Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: General Surgical Innovations Incorporated (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Bonutti, Peter M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,311,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/02 for holding wounds open; Tractors specula A61B1/32 ; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00
• 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 17/025 Joint distractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320036 adapted for use within the carpal tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3439 with means for changing the inner diameter of the cannula, e.g. expandable A61B17/3423, A61B17/3431 take precedence; catheters A61M25/0662
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00535 pneumatically or hydraulically operated A61B2017/22051, A61B2090/401 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320048 Balloon dissectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3486 Balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/062 penetration depth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/006 having a special surface topography or special surface properties, e.g. roughened or knurled surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/06 Body-piercing guide needles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1002 characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

An active cannula which does more than merely maintain a passage is usable to create and/or enlarge a passage, to position a scope or instrument, to move or locate tissue, etc. The cannula can vary in size or shape as needed, intraoperatively. Because a cannula of the present invention is expandable, the surgeon can make a relatively small incision, stretch the tissue with the expandable cannula, contract the cannula and remove it, allowing the skin to come back to its unstretched condition. Thus, a smaller incision can be made to fit the same size instrument. The cannulas can assume such a non-circular shape, to fit into a natural skin opening and cause less trauma. The devices can be used to seal off a space, expand an existing space or a potential space for working or visualization, move tissue (for example, to stretch an incision), or protect tissue.

Claims

1. An inflatable medical device comprising:

a support member having a longitudinal axis, a proximal portion, a central portion, and a distal portion;

an inflatable balloon mounted on the support member and having an inner surface, an outer surface, a proximal end, a distal end, and an inflatable portion therebetween, the support member extending at least the entire length of the inflatable balloon when fully inflated such that the inflatable portion expands between the proximal and distal portions of the support member, the inflatable balloon comprised of a thin layer of uniform material including a plurality of rigid members arranged along the inflatable portion to define a predetermined shape of the inflatable balloon when the inflatable balloon is fully inflated.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the support member includes a lumen.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the support member includes a number of tethering cords, the number of tethering cords corresponding to the number of rigid members, said tethering cords having proximal and distal ends, said proximal ends attached to the support member and said distal ends attached to the rigid members.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said proximal portion has a larger diameter than said central portion.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein said distal portion has a larger diameter that said central portion.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein said central portion has a smaller diameter than said proximal and distal portions and, in an uninflated state, said balloon lies flat within a recess formed by said central portion.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein said rigid members are disposed circumferentially about the support member such that each rigid member partially overlaps at least one other rigid member when the balloon is in an uninflated state and each rigid member is separate from every other rigid member when the balloon is fully inflated.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said rigid members are disposed in a substantially planar arrangement.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said proximal portion has a larger diameter than said central portion.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein said distal portion has a larger diameter that said central portion.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein said central portion has a smaller diameter than said proximal and distal portions and, in an uninflated state, said balloon lies flat within a recess formed by said central portion.