Expansible tunneling apparatus for creating an anatomic working space
First Claim
1. An expansible tunneling apparatus for creating an anatomic working space in a body comprising:
- a substantially rigid tubular member having a bore therein and an open distal end;
a rigid tunneling shaft having a blunt distal end for tunneling bluntly through tissue in the body, said rigid shaft slidably receivable in said bore of said tubular member wherein said blunt distal end of said tunneling shaft extends through and beyond said open distal end to form, together with said tubular member, a blunt tipped obturator for tunneling through tissue in the body;
a balloon, said balloon being deflated and formed into a roll surrounding said tunneling shaft during tunneling through tissue;
a sheath surrounding at least a portion of said deflated balloon and said tunneling shaft, said sheath being provided with a weakened region to permit said sheath to separate from said deflated balloon thereby releasing said balloon; and
means for inflating said deflated balloon after tunneling to a desired location to create the anatomic working space.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An expansible tunneling apparatus for tunneling bluntly to a desired location within the human body and for creating an anatomic working space for the performance of a surgical procedure by utilizing an inflatable balloon to dissect tissue along natural separation planes once the desired space has been reached. In a disclosed embodiment, a tubular member has a bore extending therethrough to provide an open distal end. A rigid tunneling shaft is insertable into the bore of the tubular member to provide a blunt tipped obturator. A balloon associated with the apparatus is disposed such that it surrounds the tunneling shaft when the balloon is deflated, as it would be when tunneling bluntly through tissue. A sheath surrounds the balloon and has a weakened region that permits the sheath to be released thereby permitting the balloon to expand to dissect tissue layers and create the anatomic working space. A balloon inflation lumen may be utilized to supply an appropriate balloon inflation medium to inflate the balloon.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An expansible tunneling apparatus for creating an anatomic working space in a body comprising:
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a substantially rigid tubular member having a bore therein and an open distal end; a rigid tunneling shaft having a blunt distal end for tunneling bluntly through tissue in the body, said rigid shaft slidably receivable in said bore of said tubular member wherein said blunt distal end of said tunneling shaft extends through and beyond said open distal end to form, together with said tubular member, a blunt tipped obturator for tunneling through tissue in the body; a balloon, said balloon being deflated and formed into a roll surrounding said tunneling shaft during tunneling through tissue; a sheath surrounding at least a portion of said deflated balloon and said tunneling shaft, said sheath being provided with a weakened region to permit said sheath to separate from said deflated balloon thereby releasing said balloon; and means for inflating said deflated balloon after tunneling to a desired location to create the anatomic working space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A tunneling apparatus for creating an anatomic working space comprising:
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an introducer comprising a housing having an internal bore formed therein and a cylindrical member extending distally from said housing, said cylindrical member having a bore in communication with said bore in said housing, said housing further comprising; a valve member mounted in said housing, said valve movable between a first position in which said bore in said housing is closed and a second position in which said bore is open; and a seal mounted in said housing proximally of said valve; a rigid shaft for tunneling through tissue in a body, said shaft removably insertable through said seal and said valve in said housing and into said bore in said cylindrical member, said shaft having a blunt distal end having a shape selected from the group consisting of substantially hemispherical and substantially ellipsoidal; a balloon, said balloon being deflated and surrounding said shaft wherein said deflated balloon and said shaft form an obturator for tunneling through tissue; and means for inflating said deflated balloon after tunneling to a desired location to create the anatomic working space. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification