Endoscopic expandable retraction device

• US 5,402,772 A
• Filed: 08/13/1993
• Issued: 04/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Origin Medsystems Inc. (Eli Lilly and Company)
• Inventors: Moll, Frederic H., Chin, Albert K., Hopper, Philip K., Gresl, Charles Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US08/106,227
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 606/192, 606/198, 128/20, 604/101
• US Class Current: 600/207
• 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 17/3462 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 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320048 Balloon dissectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3486 Balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1003 by separating laminae between spaced secured areas [e.g., honeycomb expanding]

Abstract

Apparatus for retracting an organ inside the body to gain access to an adjacent tissue. The apparatus comprises an expandable cage and an expansion element. The expandable cage is capable of being inserted into the body through a small incision or puncture in a collapsed state. The expansion element is for selectively expanding the expansible cage inside the body to an expanded state. The expansion element includes an envelope enclosing a fluid-inflatable chamber. The expansible cage includes an additional envelope mounted inside the inflatable chamber and enclosing an additional fluid-inflatable chamber. The expansible cage is additionally capable of maintaining the expanded state independently of the expansion element after the expansible cage has been expanded by the expansion element to the expanded state.

Claims

1. Apparatus for retracting an organ inside the body to gain access to an adjacent tissue, the apparatus comprising:

expansible cage means capable of being inserted into the body through a small incision or puncture in a collapsed state, and

expansion means for selectively expanding the expansible cage means inside the body to an expanded state, the expansion means including an envelope enclosing a fluid-inflatable chamber, wherein the expansible cage means includes an additional envelope mounted inside the inflatable chamber and enclosing an additional fluid-inflatable chamber, and wherein;

the expansible cage means is additionally capable of maintaining the expanded state independently of the expansion means after the expansible cage means has been expanded by the expansion means to the expanded state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, for use in procedures wherein a surgical instrument is used to treat the tissue, and wherein the expansible cage means is additionally for enabling an aperture to be cut in the envelope for the surgical instrument to enter the expansible cage means from outside the body.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the expansible cage means is additionally for enabling an additional aperture to be cut in the envelope for the surgical instrument to pass out of the expansible cage means to treat the tissue.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the expansible cage means is additionally for enabling an additional aperture to be cut in the envelope to expose the tissue for treatment by the surgical instrument.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising tab means inside the expansible cage means for providing a point inside the expansible cage means that can be gripped with a gripping tool to change the position of the expansible cage means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising a suction skin means for providing drainage of the part of the body in which the apparatus is deployed, the suction skirt means being attached to the part of the apparatus that is substantially lower-most when the apparatus is deployed in the body.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the suction skirt means comprises an elongate tubular structure including two ends and a side-wall, the side wall including plural holes, at least one of the ends being adapted for connecting to a suction line.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising a flexible sheath means for providing a flexible passage to the fluid-inflatable chamber from outside the body, the flexible sheath means being attached to the envelope.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising:

means for inflating the fluid-inflatable chamber with a fluid, and

means for inflating the additional fluid-inflatable chamber with a fluid.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, for use in procedures wherein a surgical instrument is used to treat the tissue, and wherein:

the apparatus additionally comprises means for inflating the fluid-inflatable chamber with a fluid, and

for providing a passageway for the surgical instrument to pass into the fluid-inflatable chamber from outside the body.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the expansible cage means is additionally for enabling an aperture to be cut in the envelope to allow the surgical instrument to pass out of the inflatable chamber to treat the tissue.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the expansible cage means is additionally for enabling an aperture to be cut in the envelope to expose the tissue to the surgical instrument.

13. Apparatus for retracting an organ inside the body to gain access to an adjacent tissue, the apparatus comprising:

expansible cage means capable of being inserted into the body through a small incision or puncture in a collapsed state, the expansible cage means including a bistable spring structure, the bistable spring structure having a first stable state wherein the bistable spring structure has a closed structure capable of being inserted into the body through a small incision or puncture, and a second stable state wherein the bistable spring structure has an open, cage-like structure, and

expansion means for selectively expanding the bistable spring structure inside the body from the first stable state to the second stable state, the expansion means including an envelope enclosing a fluid-inflatable chamber, the bistable spring structure being attached to the envelope inside the fluid-inflatable chamber, and wherein;

the expansible cage means is additionally capable of maintaining the expanded state independently of the expansion means after the expansible cage means has been expanded by the expansion means to the expanded state.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, for use in procedures wherein a surgical instrument is used to treat the tissue, and wherein the apparatus additionally comprises means for inflating the fluid-inflatable chamber with a fluid and for providing a passageway for the surgical instrument to pass into the fluid-inflatable chamber from outside the body.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the expansible cage means is additionally for enabling an aperture to be cut in the envelope to allow the surgical instrument to pass out of the fluid-inflatable chamber to treat the tissue.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the expansible cage means is additionally for enabling an aperture to be cut in the envelope to expose the tissue to the surgical instrument.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, for use in procedures wherein a surgical instrument is used to treat the tissue, and wherein the expansible cage means is additionally for enabling an aperture to be cut in the envelope for the surgical instrument passed from outside the body to enter the expansible cage means.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the expansible cage means is additionally for enabling an additional aperture to be cut in the envelope for the surgical instrument to pass out of the expansible cage means to treat the tissue.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the expansible cage means is additionally for enabling an additional aperture to be cut in the envelope to expose the tissue for treatment by the surgical instrument.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, additionally comprising tab means inside the expansible cage means for providing a point inside the expansible cage means that can be gripped with a gripping tool to change the position of the expansible cage means.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, additionally comprising a suction skirt means for providing drainage of the part of the body in which the apparatus is deployed, the suction skirt means being attached to the part of the apparatus that is substantially lower-most when the apparatus is deployed in the body.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the suction skirt means comprises an elongate tubular structure including two ends and a side-wall, the side wall including plural holes, at least one of the ends being adapted for connecting to a suction line.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, additionally comprising a flexible sheath means for providing a flexible passage to the fluid-inflatable chamber from outside the body, the flexible sheath means being attached to the envelope.