Endoscopic inflatable retraction device with additional inflatable chamber

• US 5,823,945 A
• Filed: 06/05/1997
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Origin Medsystems Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Moll, Frederic H., Chin, Albert K., Hopper, Philip K., Gresl, Charles Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US08/869,552
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 606/192, 606/198, 604/101, 600/204, 600/205, 600/207, 128/899, 623/8
• US Class Current: 600/204
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• 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 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• 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 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00261 Discectomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00278 Transorgan operations, e.g. transgastric
• 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 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320048 Balloon dissectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32113 with extendable or retractable guard or blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3486 Balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 : with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/20 : Holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments drapes with means to hold surgical instruments A61B46/23; for catheters A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 : Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 : Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1006 : Balloons formed between concentric tubes

Abstract

An apparatus for retracting an organ inside the body to gain access to an adjacent tissue Includes an inflatable main chamber having a thin, flexible main envelope. Inflation of the main chamber within the body results in retraction of body tissues or organs to retracted conditions. During use an aperture may be formed in the main envelope to provide access through the main chamber to body tissue. An inflatable secondary chamber defines a cage positioned within or around the main chamber and maintains retraction of organs retracted by the main chamber notwithstanding formation of an aperture in the main envelope.

Claims

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

a main chamber having a thin, flexible main envelope,

inflating means for selectively inflating the main chamber to an expanded condition while in place within the body, inflation of the main chamber retracting the organ to a retracted condition, and

an inflatable secondary chamber defining a cage so disposed relative to the main chamber as to maintain organs retracted by the main chamber in the expanded condition in the retracted condition independent of the main chamber, said secondary chamber having windows enabling access through the main and secondary chambers without disturbing the integrity of the secondary chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for selectively inflating the main chamber is also for receiving a surgical instrument which may be passed into the main chamber from outside the body.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the main and secondary chambers are arranged to permit an aperture to be pierced in the main envelope without disturbing the integrity of the secondary chamber, and such that a surgical instrument may be passed out of the main chamber through the aperture.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the main and secondary chambers are arranged to permit an aperture to be pierced in the main envelope without disturbing the integrity of the secondary chamber, and such that tissue may enter the main chamber through the aperture for treatment with a surgical instrument.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the main and secondary chambers are arranged to permit an aperture to be pierced in the main envelope without disturbing the integrity of the secondary chamber, and such that a surgical instrument may be passed from outside the body through the aperture into the main chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein an additional aperture may be pierced in the main envelope and a surgical instrument may be passed out of the main chamber through the additional aperture.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein additional aperture may be pierced in the main envelope and tissue may enter the main chamber through the additional aperture and for treatment with the surgical instrument.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a flexible sheath means for providing a flexible passage to the main chamber from outside the body, the flexible sheath means passing through the main envelope.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the secondary chamber is disposed in encompassing relationship relative to the main chamber and the windows extending therethrough are disposed on generally opposite sides of the main chamber to enable instruments to pass fully through the secondary chamber.

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

a main chamber having a thin, flexible main envelope,

inflating means for selectively inflating the main chamber to an expanded condition while in place within the body, inflation of the main chamber retracting the organ to a retracted condition, and

an inflatable expandable cage structure operatively associated with the main chamber, for maintaining the main chamber in the expanded condition, and the organ in the retracted condition, notwithstanding release of the inflation of the main chamber following the inflation of the main chamber to the expanded condition, the release of the inflation of the main chamber rendering the main chamber incapable of maintaining the organ in the retracted condition, the cage structure having an open structure for providing access to the tissue, the main chamber and the maintaining means arranged such that inflation of the main chamber to the expanded condition expands the cage structure from a compact collapsed state to an expanded state.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the cage structure is inside the chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the cage structure is attached to the outside of the chamber.