Virtual ports devices and method

• US 20060149135A1
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virtual Sports, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Virtual Sports, Inc.
• Inventors: Paz, Adrian
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/201
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3132 for laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/02 for holding wounds open; Tractors specula A61B1/32 ; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0281 Abdominal wall lifters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00283 with a device releasably connected to an inner wall of the abdomen during surgery, e.g. an illumination source
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0225 flexible, e.g. fabrics, meshes, or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/308 with suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3488 Fixation to inner organ or inner body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/40 Apparatus fixed or close to patients specially adapted for providing an aseptic surgical environment

Abstract

A device auxiliary to surgery, for anchoring and lifting cavity walls or internal organs of a patient. The device provides a virtual port, that is an instrument that can he non-invasively, or minimally invasively and removably attached to the undersurface of a patient'"'"'s cavity, or to various tissues within a cavity, and to which various retracting means are attached. The device includes means allowing it to be moved from one position to another and reattached to the undersurface of the abdominal wall, or to various tissues within a cavity, without creating any additional openings in the cavity wall. The device includes means for attaching various retractors.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. An anchoring device for use in surgery within a cavity of the human body, comprising connected first and second attaching means, said first attaching means for attaching the device to an internal surface within a cavity of the human body and said second attaching means for attaching to surgical instruments or devices within said cavity.

30. The anchoring device according to claim 29, wherein the first attaching means comprise minimally invasive means for attaching to the internal surface of a cavity or to various organs within a cavity, said means are selected from vacuum means, such as vacuum cups;

magnetic means, such as magnets or electromagnets situated on either interior, exterior or both surfaces of the cavity;

mechanical means, such as barbs, fixation wires or self retaining clamps;

adhesive means, such as pressure adhesive gel or any combination thereof.

31. The anchoring device according to claim 29, further including means allowing it to be moved from one position to another and to be reattached to the undersurface of the cavity, or to various tissues within a cavity, without creating any additional significant openings in the cavity wall.

32. The anchoring device according to claim 29, further including means for attaching a plurality of anchoring devices, selected from vacuum cups, magnetic means, mechanical means, adhesive means or any combination threreof, together for holding a larger weight or for distributing the load therebetween.

33. The anchoring device according to claim 29, wherein;

the second attaching means comprises mechanical means, such as a vacuum cup, a hook and loop attachment, a connecting string or a rod;

adhesive means, magnetic means or any combination thereof; and

the surgical devices attached to the second attaching means is selected from grasping means;

cutting means;

blood sealing units;

illumination means;

imaging means, such as a camera and camera cleaning means;

or a minimally invasive forcing means by which force is exerted upon the cavity walls or upon various organs within the cavity, for example a pulling means, such as wires for attaching to another internal surface of the cavity or to various organs within the cavity;

a pushing means, such as rods for attaching to another internal surface of the cavity or to various organs within the cavity;

or any combination thereof.

34. The anchoring device according to claim 29, additionally comprising a vacuum cup for anchoring surgery devices during surgery, comprising means for creating a vacuum inside the cup, and attaching means for attaching to surgical instruments or devices.

35. The anchoring device according to claim 34, additionally comprising;

optional vacuum application means, such as a valve connected to vacuum generating means, said valve optionally including a means for holding itself in an open confuguration with a free passage for fluids whilst there is vacuum in the cup, and for automatically closing itself by shutting off the fluids passage when there is no longer vacuum in the cup; and

optional vacuum release means for allowing ambient fluid into the cup, such as a flexible means which, when pressed or deformed, allows ambient fluid into the cup to cancel the vacuum there, said means is activated for example using laparoscopic means.

36. The anchoring device according to claim 34, additionally comprising an electronically-controlled vacuum pump comprising;

at least one vacuum generating means;

optionally a vacuum controller for controlling the level of vacuum required;

at least one timer means for activating the vacuum pump for a predefined time interval when receiving a trigger input; and

at least one indicator means, such as a light and/or buzzer, for indicating that the vacuum is about to end.

38. A method of performing surgery within a cavity of the human body by;

introducing, into said cavity, at least one anchoring means, comprising connected first and second attaching means;

attaching said first attaching means to an internal surface within said cavity; and

attaching surgical instruments to said second attaching means;

such that the surgical apparatus is contained within the cavity of the human body.

39. The method of performing surgery within a cavity of the human body, according to claim 38, comprising;

providing at least one anchoring device comprising connected first and second attaching means;

providing at least one controlling means;

creating an access incision from the outside of the human body to provide access to an inaccessible cavity or using a natural opening to provide access to an accessible cavity;

using the controlling means to introduce at least one said anchoring device through the access opening into the cavity;

attaching said anchoring device to an internal wall of said cavity or to some other internal organ using its first attaching means;

using the controlling means to introduce at least one surgical instrument, for example a grasping instrument to be attached to an internal organ, through the access opening into the cavity;

attaching said surgical instrument to said anchoring device using its second attaching means; and

removing the controlling means from the cavity and leaving the access opening free for other use during the surgery;

controlling the surgical equipment installed within the cavity to perform the surgery; and

using a controlling means to remove said surgical instruments from the cavity;

thereby installing surgical apparatus into and removing it from the cavity whilst leaving the access incision unimpeded during surgery.

40. The method of performing surgery within a cavity of the human body, according to claim 38, additionally comprising;

attaching at least one forcing means to the abdominal wall by some attachment means such as vacuum cups, magnetic means, mechanical means, adhesive means, fixation wires or any combination threreof; and

forcing the abdominal wall upwards, thus constructing a contained frame within the cavity used for lifting the abdominal wall during surgery.