Method and apparatus for minimizing the risk of air embolism when performing a procedure in a patient's thoracic cavity
First Claim
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1. A method of minimizing the risk of air emboli in a patient'"'"'s circulatory system when performing a procedure in the patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity, comprising the steps of:
- inserting an instrument delivery member into a patient'"'"'s thoracic caviler thereby forming a first percutaneous penetration, the instrument delivery member having a throughhole sized to permit an instrument to pass therethrough;
coupling an outlet from a source of gas to the instrument delivery member;
injecting the gas from the source of gas into the patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity through the outlet coupled to the instrument delivery member, the injecting step being carried out with a plurality of outlets coupled to the instrument delivery member for passing the gas into the patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity, the injecting step being carried out so that the gas issuing from the plurality of outlets forms a gas shield across the throughhole.
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Abstract
An apparatus for minimizing the risk of air embolism includes an instrument delivery member 2 having a gas outlet 38 for delivering gas into a patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity. The gas is directed across an opening 48 in the instrument delivery member 2 to help retain the gas in the patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity. The gas is preferably carbon dioxide which is more soluble in blood than air which will thereby decrease the likelihood of the patient receiving an embolism due to trapped air in the patient'"'"'s heart and great vessels after surgery.
303 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of minimizing the risk of air emboli in a patient'"'"'s circulatory system when performing a procedure in the patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity, comprising the steps of:
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inserting an instrument delivery member into a patient'"'"'s thoracic caviler thereby forming a first percutaneous penetration, the instrument delivery member having a throughhole sized to permit an instrument to pass therethrough; coupling an outlet from a source of gas to the instrument delivery member; injecting the gas from the source of gas into the patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity through the outlet coupled to the instrument delivery member, the injecting step being carried out with a plurality of outlets coupled to the instrument delivery member for passing the gas into the patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity, the injecting step being carried out so that the gas issuing from the plurality of outlets forms a gas shield across the throughhole. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An instrument delivery member adapted to inject a gas into a patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity to minimize the risk of air embolism, comprising:
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a sidewall forming a throughhole sized and configured to permit a medical instrument to pass therethrough, the sidewall having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis, the throughhole having a cross-section in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the cross-section having a width and a length, at least one of the width and length being at least 2 cm; a gas inlet configured to be coupled to a source of gas; a plurality of gas outlets coupled to the sidewall for injecting a gas into a patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity, the plurality of gas outlets being fluidly coupled to the gas inlet, the plurality of gas outlets being positioned and configured to direct a gas shield across substantially the entire throughhole so that gas losses through the throughhole are minimized.
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Specification