Method and inflatable chamber apparatus for separating layers of tissue

• US 20030236544A1
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1991
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Lunsford, John p., Smith, Jeffrey A., Wallace, Daniel T., Chin, Albert K., Gresl, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,744,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/190
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• 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 17/0281 Abdominal wall lifters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22032 having inflatable gripping elements balloon catheters A61M25/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3423 Access ports, e.g. toroid shape introducers for instruments or hands access sites for liquids A61M39/0247
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3462 with means for changing the diameter or the orientation of the entrance port of the cannula, e.g. for use with different-sized instruments, reduction ports, adapter seals expandable cannulas A61B17/3417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00261 Discectomy
• 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 2017/22059 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320048 Balloon dissectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3466 for simultaneous sealing of multiple instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3486 Balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms

Abstract

An apparatus for tissue dissection and instrument anchoring, including a dissection balloon having a viewing window (preferably a rigid, transparent window) at its distal end, or including an anchoring or dissection balloon having nonuniform elasticity selected to achieve desired inflated shape and pressure characteristics, and methods for using such apparatus. The window, which can be a lens (such as a wide angle lens), is transparent and either rigid or non-rigid but sufficiently strong to retain a desired optical shape while (and after) being pushed against tissue layers by a rigid instrument deployed within the balloon. In preferred embodiments, the balloon is a long-necked dissection balloon deployed through a cannula. In other embodiments, the invention is a dissection balloon having a viewing window at its distal end, or an anchoring or dissection balloon having nonuniform elasticity selected to achieve desired inflated shape and pressure characteristics, for use in an apparatus for tissue dissection, tissue retraction, and instrument anchoring. In other embodiments, the invention is a dissection balloon assembly including a long-necked dissection balloon having a viewing window at its distal end, and a housing to which the dissection balloon'"'"'s mouth is attached. In accordance with the method of the invention, the distal end of a long-necked dissection balloon (deployed through a cannula) is inserted between tissue layers and inflated to dissect the tissue layers. The dissection balloon has a window at its distal end, or nonuniform elasticity selected to achieve desired inflated shape and pressure characteristics, or both such a window and such nonuniform elasticity.

Claims

1. A device for dissecting tissue layers, comprising:

a substantially rigid member having a proximal region and a distal region; and

a dissection balloon, the dissection balloon being coupled with the substantially rigid member at substantially the distal region thereof, the balloon having at least two different portions which have different elasticities when heated.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least two different portions of the dissection balloon each have a thickness, the thickness being substantially equal for each of the at least two different portions.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least two different portions of the dissection balloon each have a thickness, the thickness being different for some of the at least two different portions.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two different portions of the dissection balloon comprises a first multilayer material, the first multilayer material having a first number of layers.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein each of the first number of layers has a first layer thickness, the first layer thickness being substantially equal for each of the first number of layers.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein each of the first number of layers has a first layer thickness;

the first layer thickness being different for some of the first number of layers.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the at least two different portions of the dissection balloon comprises a second multilayer material, the second multilayer material having a second number of layers.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the first number of layers and the second number of layers are substantially equal.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the first number of layers and the second number of layers are different.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein each of the second number of layers has a second layer thickness, the second layer thickness being substantially equal for each of the second number of layers.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein each of the second number of layers has a second layer thickness, the second layer thickness being different for some of the second number of layers.

12. A method comprising the steps of:

deploying an inflatable balloon to a preselected location within a body, the inflatable balloon comprising at least two different portions which comprise materials with different heat deflection temperatures such that the at least two different portions have different elasticities when heated;

causing the at least two different portions of the inflatable balloon to stretch in different amounts with a heated inflating medium, the inflating medium being heated to a temperature at which the at least two different portions of the inflatable balloon have different elasticities.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the expansion of the balloon causes tissue dissection.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the tissue dissection which is caused by the different portions of the balloon is different in amount.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of forming a space in the preselected location with the inflatable balloon.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of deflating the inflatable balloon.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of removing the inflatable balloon from the preselected location within the body.

18. The method of claim 17, where the step of removing includes the step of substantially maintaining a space formed by the inflatable balloon after the inflatable balloon has been removed from the preselected location.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of performing a medical procedure in the space formed by the inflatable balloon.

20. A method of dissecting tissue, comprising the steps of:

deploying an inflatable balloon to a preselected location within a body, the inflatable balloon having at least two different portions and comprising at least two materials whose elasticity varies with temperature, the at least two different portions of the inflatable balloon comprising different materials with different heat deflection temperatures so that the at least two different portions have different elasticities when heated;

causing at least two different portions of the inflatable balloon to stretch in different amounts with a heated inflating medium;

the inflating medium being heated to a temperature at which the at least two different portions have different elasticities;

forming a space in the preselected location with the inflatable balloon;

deflating the inflatable balloon;

removing the inflatable balloon from the preselected location; and

performing a medical procedure in the space formed by the inflatable balloon.