Endoscopic inflatable retraction devices

• US 5,531,856 A
• Filed: 08/13/1993
• Issued: 07/02/1996
• 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): Knable, Geoffrey L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lorin, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US08/106,538
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 156/70, 156/147, 156/145, 156/156, 156/197, 156/290, 156/292, 156/303.1, 128/20, 604/101, 606/192
• US Class Current: 156/290
• 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

An inflatable apparatus for organ retraction includes a main envelope which forms a main chamber. An additional chamber is formed by attaching the periphery of an additional envelope to the outside or the inside of the main envelope. The part of the surface of the main envelope that is not covered by the additional envelope provides a plurality of windows, which, after the additional chamber is inflated, may be at least partially removed to provide apertures through which treatment or observation can be carried out.

Claims

1. A method of making an inflatable apparatus for retracting an organ, the inflatable apparatus including a main chamber and an additional chamber, the method comprising steps of:

providing a main envelope and an additional envelope;

forming the main chamber from the main envelope; and

peripherally attaching the additional envelope to the main envelope to enclose the additional chamber and to form an arrangement in which one of the main envelope and the additional envelope is nested within the other of the main envelope and the additional envelope, and to provide

a piercable window in a part of the main envelope not covered by the additional envelope.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the main chamber forms a main chamber having one of a substantially hemispherical shape, a substantially hemispheroidal shape, a substantially hemiellipsoidal shape, and a shape of a substantially triangular prism.

3. A method of making an inflatable apparatus for retracting an organ, the inflatable apparatus including a main chamber and an additional chamber, the method comprising steps of:

providing main envelope blanks and additional envelope blanks;

forming a first envelope half and a second envelope half, each envelope half being formed by steps including;

laying one of the additional envelope blanks on one of the main envelope blanks, and

peripherally attaching the one of the additional envelope blanks to the one of the main envelope blanks to partially form the additional chamber;

peripherally attaching the main envelope blank of the first envelope half to the main envelope blank in the second envelope half to form the main chamber; and

peripherally attaching the additional envelope blank of the first envelope half to the additional envelope blank of the second envelope half to complete the additional chamber and to form an arrangement in which one of the main envelope and the additional envelope is nested within the other of the main envelope and the additional envelope.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the step of providing main envelope blanks and additional envelope blanks provides the main envelope blanks and the additional envelope blanks each shaped to include plural segments, adjacent ones of the segments having adjacent edges; and

the step of forming each envelope half additionally includes steps of;

attaching the adjacent edges of the adjacent ones of the segments of the main envelope blank to one another, and

attaching the adjacent edges of the adjacent ones of the segments of the additional envelope blank to one another.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the step of providing main envelope blanks and additional envelope blanks provides the additional envelope blanks each including a window cut-out; and

in the step of peripherally attaching one of the additional envelope blanks to one of the main envelope blanks to partially form the additional chamber, the window cut-out in the one of the additional envelope blanks is peripherally attached to the one of the main envelope blanks.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of providing main envelope blanks and additional envelope blanks provides the main envelope blanks and the additional envelope blanks formed in one of a substantially hemispherical shape, a substantially hemispheroidal shape, and a substantially hemiellipsoidal shape.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the step of providing main envelope blanks and additional envelope blanks provides the additional envelope blanks each including a window cut-out; and

in the step of peripherally attaching one of the additional envelope blanks to one of the main envelope blanks to partially form the additional chamber, the window cut-out in the one of the additional envelope blanks is peripherally attached to the one of the main envelope blanks.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of forming each envelope half additionally includes a step of forming the envelope half in one of a substantially hemispherical shape, a substantially hemispheroidal shape, and a substantially hemiellipsoidal shape.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the step of providing main envelope blanks and additional envelope blanks provides the additional envelope blanks each including a window cut-out, and

in the step of peripherally attaching one of the additional envelope blanks to one of the main envelope blanks to partially form the additional chamber, the window cut-out in the one of the additional envelope blanks is peripherally attached to the one of the main envelope blanks.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the step of providing main envelope blanks and additional envelope blanks provides the additional envelope blanks each including a central hole; and

in the step of peripherally attaching one of the additional envelope blanks to one of the main envelope blanks to partially form the additional chamber, the hole in the one of the additional envelope blanks is peripherally attached to the one of the main envelope blanks.