ANATOMICAL-POSITIONING APPARATUS AND METHOD WITH AN EXPANDABLE DEVICE
First Claim
1. An anatomical-positioning apparatus for acquiring mechanical data from a mammalian tissue to facilitate determining type of said tissue and transition between different tissues and cavities, comprising:
- a) a cannula having a tip at the distal section of said cannula;
b) an expandable device having a contracted form size, when in a contracted state, and an expanded form size, when in an expanded state, wherein said expanded form size is substantially larger than said contracted form size;
c) an introducer, having a longitudinal axis and a distal end, facilitating the introduction of said expandable device into said mammalian tissue, said expandable device being in said contracted state;
d) an expanding-mechanism for expanding and contracting said expandable device; and
e) a sensor for measuring physical parameters associated with said expandable device, to thereby provide sensed data, while said expandable device exerts pressure onto portions of said mammalian tissue, to thereby facilitating determining the type of tissue that is in contact with said expandable device and to determine a transition between different tissues and cavities,wherein said expandable device is securely attached to said tip of said cannula or on the external circumference of said cannula, proximal to said tip of said cannula; and
wherein when said expandable device expands from said contracted state to said expanded form size, said expandable device is disposed outside said introducer, and a blunt contact surface is formed at the external surface of said expanded expandable device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An anatomical-positioning apparatus for acquiring mechanical data from a tissue to facilitate determining type of the tissue and transition between different tissues and cavities. The anatomical-positioning apparatus includes a cannula, having a tip an expandable device having a contracted form size and an expanded form size, wherein the expanded form size is substantially larger than the contracted form size. The anatomical-positioning apparatus further includes an introducer, having a longitudinal axis and a distal end, facilitating the introduction of the expandable device into the tissue, the expandable device being in a contracted state, an expanding-mechanism for expanding and contracting the expandable device, and a sensor for measuring physical parameters associated with the expandable device. An aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for acquiring mechanical data from a tissue by an expandable device, while the expandable device exerts pressure onto portions of the tissue.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An anatomical-positioning apparatus for acquiring mechanical data from a mammalian tissue to facilitate determining type of said tissue and transition between different tissues and cavities, comprising:
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a) a cannula having a tip at the distal section of said cannula; b) an expandable device having a contracted form size, when in a contracted state, and an expanded form size, when in an expanded state, wherein said expanded form size is substantially larger than said contracted form size; c) an introducer, having a longitudinal axis and a distal end, facilitating the introduction of said expandable device into said mammalian tissue, said expandable device being in said contracted state; d) an expanding-mechanism for expanding and contracting said expandable device; and e) a sensor for measuring physical parameters associated with said expandable device, to thereby provide sensed data, while said expandable device exerts pressure onto portions of said mammalian tissue, to thereby facilitating determining the type of tissue that is in contact with said expandable device and to determine a transition between different tissues and cavities, wherein said expandable device is securely attached to said tip of said cannula or on the external circumference of said cannula, proximal to said tip of said cannula; and wherein when said expandable device expands from said contracted state to said expanded form size, said expandable device is disposed outside said introducer, and a blunt contact surface is formed at the external surface of said expanded expandable device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for acquiring mechanical data from a mammalian tissue by an expandable device, while said expandable device exerts pressure onto portions of said mammalian tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing an anatomical-positioning apparatus including; i. a cannula having a tip at the distal section of said cannula; ii. an expandable device having a contracted form size, when in a contracted state, and an expanded form size, when in an expanded state, wherein said expanded form size is substantially larger than said contracted form size, and wherein said expandable device is securely attached to said tip of said cannula or on the external circumference of said cannula, proximal to said tip of said cannula; iii. an introducer, having a distal end, facilitating the introduction of said expandable device into said mammalian tissue, said expandable device being in said contracted state; iv. an expanding-mechanism for expanding and contracting said expandable device; and v. a measuring-mechanism for measuring physical parameters associated with said expandable device, while said expandable device exerts pressure onto portions of said mammalian tissue; b) inserting said introducer inside said mammalian tissue, wherein said distal end of said introducer enters first; c) advancing said expandable device through said introducer, using said cannula; d) expanding said expandable device outside said distal end of said introducer; and e) measuring said physical parameters associated with said expandable device, while said expandable device exerts pressure onto portions of said mammalian tissue, thereby creating sensed data. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for a controlled insertion of an introducer into and through an elastic mammalian tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a device including; i. a cannula having a tip at the distal section of said cannula; ii. an expandable device having a contracted form size, when in a contracted state, and an expanded form size, when in an expanded state, wherein when in expanded state, said expandable device has a front end;
wherein said expanded form size is substantially larger than said contracted form size; and
wherein said expandable device is securely attached to said tip of said cannula or on the external circumference of said cannula, proximal to said tip of said cannula;iii. an introducer, having a sharp tip at the distal end, facilitating the introduction of said expandable device into said mammalian tissue, said expandable device being in said contracted state; iv. an expanding-mechanism for expanding and contracting said expandable device; and v. an advancement mechanism for incrementally advancing, in a controlled manner, devices selected from the group consisting of said introducer, said cannula and said expandable device; b) expanding said expandable device by said expanding-mechanism, outside said tip of said introducer, whereby said expandable device exerts pressure onto portions of said mammalian tissue, wherein said mammalian tissue is initially in an undistorted position; c) advancing said introducer incrementally to a preconfigured position situated beyond said undistorted position of said mammalian tissue, said mammalian tissue being pushed by said expandable device, wherein said tip of said introducer is posterior to the instantaneous position of said front end of said expandable device, with respect to said elastic tissue; d) holding said introducer in secured position; and e) contracting said expandable device at a preconfigured rate, thereby facilitating said mammalian tissue, being elastic, to spring back powerfully towards said undistorted position of said mammalian tissue, thereby penetrating said mammalian tissue by said tip of said introducer, being disposed beyond said undistorted position of said mammalian tissue. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A method for a controlled insertion of a cannula, using an inner needle, into and through an elastic mammalian tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a device including; i. a cannula having a double lumen and a tip at the distal section of said cannula; ii. an expandable device having a contracted form size, when in a contracted state, and an expanded form size, when in an expanded state, wherein when in expanded state, said expandable device has a front end;
wherein said expanded form size is substantially larger than said contracted form size; and
wherein said expandable device is securely attached on the external circumference of said cannula, proximal to said tip of said cannula;iii. an introducer, facilitating the introduction of said expandable device into said mammalian tissue, said expandable device being in said contracted state; iv. an expanding-mechanism for expanding and contracting said expandable device; v. an inner needle being introduced through said cannula; and vi. an advancement mechanism for incrementally advancing, in a controlled manner, devices selected from the group consisting of said introducer, said cannula, said inner needle and said expandable device; b) Advancing said cannula together with said inner needle outside distal tip of said introducer, wherein said tip of said inner needle is secured inside said cannula near the distal end of said cannula; c) expanding said expandable device by said expanding-mechanism, whereby said expandable device exerts pressure onto portions of said mammalian tissue, wherein said mammalian tissue is initially in an undistorted position; d) advancing said cannula together with said inner needle incrementally to a preconfigured position wherein said distal end of said cannula together with said tip of said inner needle are situated beyond said undistorted position of said mammalian tissue, said mammalian tissue being pushed by said expandable device; e) locking said inner needle and said cannula in a secured position; f) contracting said expandable device at a preconfigured rate, while unlocking said cannula, thereby facilitating said mammalian tissue, being elastic, to spring back powerfully towards the undistorted position of said mammalian tissue, while pushing backwards said cannula, thereby penetrating said mammalian tissue by said tip of said inner needle, being disposed beyond said undistorted position of said mammalian tissue; and g) incrementally advancing said cannula over said inner needle to a position wherein said distal end of said cannula shields said tip of said inner needle. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A method for a controlled insertion of an openable introducer into and through a mammalian tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a device including; i. a cannula having a double lumen; ii. an openable introducer, including an openable sharp tip having a closed state and an opened state, wherein said closed state facilitates advancement of said openable introducer through said mammalian tissue; and
wherein said open state prevents advancement of said openable introducer through said mammalian tissue;iii. an expandable device having a contracted form size, when in a contracted state, and an expanded form size, when in an expanded state, wherein when in expanded state, said expandable device has a front end; wherein said expanded form size is substantially larger than said contracted form size; wherein said expandable device is securely attached on the external circumference of said cannula, proximal to said tip of said cannula; wherein said openable introducer facilitates the introduction of said expandable device into said mammalian tissue, said expandable device being in said contracted state; and wherein said expandable device facilitates opening of said tip of said openable introducer when said expandable device is in said expanded state wherein said tip enters a cavity or a low dense tissue; iv. an expanding-mechanism for expanding and contracting said expandable device; b) advancing said cannula together with said openable introducer into and inside said mammalian tissue, said openable sharp tip being in said closed state; c) maintaining a constant preconfigured pressure inside said expandable device; and d) advancing said cannula together with said openable introducer until said tip of said openable introducer enters into a low density tissue or cavity;
thereby facilitating rapid expanding of said expandable device by said expanding mechanism, said constant preconfigured pressure inside said expandable device being larger than the external pressure applied on said tip of said openable introducer by said low density tissue or cavity. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification