Fluid operated retractors

• US 20040138690A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Peter M. Bonutti
• Original Assignee: Peter M. Bonutti
• Inventors: Bonutti, Peter M.
• Application Number:
  US10/743,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20040138690A1
• 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 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320048 Balloon dissectors

Abstract

A fluid operated retractor for use in surgery. The retractor has a portion that is expandable upon the introduction of fluid under pressure. The expandable portion is made of a material strong enough, and is inflated to enough pressure, to spread adjoining tissues within the body. The retractor is especially useful in fiber optic surgery because it can be inserted percutaneously through a small opening then expanded to a much larger dimension when in the desired location, to retract tissue from within. The retractor may be used to spread a joint such as a knee joint or shoulder joint, or may be used to separate tissue planes generally, to improve visualization and create a working space for the surge.

Claims

1. A retractor comprising:

a shaft; and

an inflatable bladder which has the shape of a wedge when inflated.

2. A retractor as in claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder does not stretch when fully inflated.

3. A retractor as in claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder operates at inflation pressures from 10 mmHg to 1000 mmHg.

4. A retractor as in claim 3, wherein the inflatable bladder operates at inflation pressures from 100 mmHg to 1000 mmHg.

5. A retractor as in any of claim 1, wherein the shaft is rigid.

6. A retractor as in any of claim 1, wherein the shaft is flexible.

7. A retractor as in any of claim 1, further comprising a cannula having a passage which receives the shaft to deploy the bladder at a target site in tissue.

8. A retractor as in any of claim 1, further comprising additional inflatable bladders on the shaft.

9. A retractor as in claim 8, wherein the additional inflatable bladders are separately inflatable.