Soft tissue retractor and method for providing surgical access
First Claim
1. A retractor for providing surgical access into a body cavity by widening a passage surgically formed in tissue, said retractor comprising:
- an anchoring frame having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an opening therethrough which defines an axial axis, the anchoring frame having an axial length and a width wherein the axial length is less than the width, the anchoring frame being positionable through the passage into the body cavity; and
a flexible tensioning member attached to the anchoring frame and extendible from the anchoring frame out of the body cavity through the passage when the anchoring frame is in the body cavity, said tensioning member being selectively tensionable to widen the passage by retracting tissue radially outwardly away from the axial axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a retractor for providing surgical access through a passage in tissue, together with methods for its use and deployment. The retractor comprises an anchoring frame having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an opening therethrough which defines an axial axis. A flexible tensioning member is attached to the frame, and is extendable from the frame out of the body through the passage when the frame is positioned through the passage and into a body cavity. This tensioning member is selectively tensionable to spread the tissue radially outwardly from the axial axis. Hence, it is the tension imposed on the flexible liner which effects retraction of the tissue, rather than relying on the structural integrity of an artificial lumen.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A retractor for providing surgical access into a body cavity by widening a passage surgically formed in tissue, said retractor comprising:
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an anchoring frame having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an opening therethrough which defines an axial axis, the anchoring frame having an axial length and a width wherein the axial length is less than the width, the anchoring frame being positionable through the passage into the body cavity; and a flexible tensioning member attached to the anchoring frame and extendible from the anchoring frame out of the body cavity through the passage when the anchoring frame is in the body cavity, said tensioning member being selectively tensionable to widen the passage by retracting tissue radially outwardly away from the axial axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A retractor for providing surgical access into an opening surgically formed in a patient, the retractor comprising:
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an anchoring frame having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an opening therethrough, the frame being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position; and a flexible tensioning member attached to the frame on at least two opposing sides of the opening in the frame, the tensioning member extendible out of a patient when the frame is within the chest cavity and in the expanded position, said tensioning member having first and second selectively tensionable portions, the first and second selectively tensionable portions being configured to be tensioned in substantially opposing directions by an amount sufficient to retract tissue away from the opening so as to widen the opening in the patient. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for retracting tissue to temporarily widen a surgically-formed penetration into a body cavity, the method comprising:
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positioning an anchoring frame against a tissue surface within the body cavity adjacent to a surgically-formed penetration so that an opening in the frame is aligned with the penetration; and manually tensioning a first flexible tissue restraining portion extending from the frame and out of the body cavity through the penetration so as to urge the tissue adjacent to the penetration outwardly and widen the penetration; securing the first flexible tissue restraining portion after the tensioning step to maintain tension on the first flexible tissue restraining portion; manually tensioning a second flexible tissue restraining portion extending from the frame and out of the body cavity through the pentration so as to urge the tissue adjacent to the penetration outwardly and widen the pentration; and securing the second flexible tissue restraining portion after the tensioning step to maintain tension on the second flexible tissue restraining portion. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for retracting tissue, comprising the steps of:
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forming an incision in a patient'"'"'s body; inserting an anchoring frame into the incision so that at least a portion of the frame is disposed beneath an interior surface of the patient'"'"'s body; and applying tension to a first flexible tab extending out of the patient and coupled to the frame to retract tissue and widen the incision. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for retracting tissue, comprising the steps of:
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providing an anchoring frame and a tensioning member coupled to the anchoring frame, the anchoring frame having a collapsed position and an expanded position, the anchoring frame being mounted on a holder which holds the anchoring frame in the collapsed position; inserting the anchoring frame into a patient'"'"'s body through an incision using the holder, the anchoring frame being in the collapsed position; releasing the anchoring frame from the holder after the inserting step; and applying tension to the tensioning member thereby retracting tissue around the incision. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A retractor for providing surgical access into a body cavity through a passage in tissue, said retractor comprising:
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an anchoring frame having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an opening therethrough which defines an axial axis, wherein the anchoring frame is positionable through the passage into the body cavity; a flexible tensioning member attached to the anchoring frame and extendable from the anchoring frame out of the body cavity through the passage when the anchoring frame is in the body cavity, said tensioning member being selectively tensionable to spread the tissue radially outwardly from the axial axis; and an outer frame structure coupled to the tensioning member, the outer frame having a plurality of suture retainers. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A retractor for providing surgical access into a body cavity through a passage in tissue, said retractor comprising:
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an anchoring frame having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an opening therethrough which defines an axial axis, wherein the anchoring frame comprises a superelastic material and is positionable through the passage into the body cavity; and a flexible tensioning member attached to the anchoring frame and extendable from the anchoring frame out of the body cavity through the passage when the anchoring frame is in the body cavity, said tensioning member being selectively tensionable to spread the tissue radially outwardly from the axial axis.
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Specification