Soft tissue retractor and delivery device therefor
First Claim
1. A retractor system comprising:
- a retractor comprising an anchoring frame and at least one flexible tensioning member extending from the anchoring frame, the flexible tensioning member adapted to be tensioned to widen an incision in the patient'"'"'s body, wherein the retractor can assume collapsed and expanded orientations; and
a delivery device comprising a handle and a retractor engaging portion including first and second retractor engaging surfaces configured to hold the retractor in said collapsed orientation, wherein the retractor engaging portion of the delivery device is releasable from the retractor without moving the first and second retractor engaging surfaces relative to each other to allow the retractor to assume said expanded orientation in the patient'"'"'s body.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a retractor for providing surgical access through a passage in a patient'"'"'s body, together with a delivery device for positioning the retractor in the patient'"'"'s body. 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. The retractor is held by the delivery device in a collapsed orientation for placement in the patient'"'"'s body. The delivery device is released from the retractor to allow the retractor to assume an expanded orientation in the patient'"'"'s body. This tensioning member is selectively tensionable to spread the tissue radially outwardly from the axial axis.
-
Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A retractor system comprising:
-
a retractor comprising an anchoring frame and at least one flexible tensioning member extending from the anchoring frame, the flexible tensioning member adapted to be tensioned to widen an incision in the patient'"'"'s body, wherein the retractor can assume collapsed and expanded orientations; and a delivery device comprising a handle and a retractor engaging portion including first and second retractor engaging surfaces configured to hold the retractor in said collapsed orientation, wherein the retractor engaging portion of the delivery device is releasable from the retractor without moving the first and second retractor engaging surfaces relative to each other to allow the retractor to assume said expanded orientation in the patient'"'"'s body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A device for applying a retractor to a patient'"'"'s body, the device comprising:
-
a handle having an axis; and a retractor engaging portion coupled to the handle, the retractor engaging portion including first and second surfaces configured to engage a retractor; wherein the retractor engaging portion is spaced from and generally parallel to the axis of the handle and is coupled to the handle by a connecting member which is disposed transverse to the axis of the handle. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A sterilized medical kit comprising:
-
a retractor movable between collapsed and expanded orientations, the retractor including an anchoring frame and at least one flexible tensioning member; and a device for placing the retractor in a patient'"'"'s body when the retractor is in said collapsed orientation; wherein the retractor and the device are contained in a sealed package which maintains the retractor and the device in sterile condition.
-
-
18. A method of loading a surgical retractor onto a delivery device adapted to deliver the retractor into an incision formed in a patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising steps of:
-
providing a retractor including an anchoring frame and at least one flexible tensioning member extending away from the anchoring frame, wherein the anchoring frame is collapsible and can assume collapsed and expanded orientations; providing a delivery device including a handle configured to be grasped by a user and a retractor engaging portion configured to support the retractor in said collapsed orientation; and loading the retractor onto the retractor engaging portion of the delivery device in said collapsed orientation by moving the retractor relative to the delivery device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. A method of positioning a surgical retractor in a patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising steps of:
-
providing a retractor including an anchoring frame and at least one flexible tensioning member extending away from the anchoring frame, wherein the anchoring frame is collapsible and can assume collapsed and expanded orientations; loading the retractor onto a delivery device having a retractor engaging portion which holds the retractor in said collapsed orientation; inserting the delivery device into an incision in a patient'"'"'s body until the anchoring frame and at least part of the at least one flexible tensioning member are disposed within the patient'"'"'s body; and removing the retractor engaging portion of the delivery device from the retractor while the retractor is in said collapsed orientation to allow the retractor to thereafter assume said expanded orientation within the patient'"'"'s body. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A tissue retractor system for providing surgical access through an incision in tissue to a body cavity of a patient, the system comprising:
-
a retractor comprising; an anchoring frame having an opening, the frame being movable from a narrow profile, which facilitates insertion through an incision into a body cavity, to a wide profile, the wide profile being wider than the narrow profile, the frame being biased to the wide profile; a flexible tensioning member extending from the frame adjacent to the opening, said tensioning member being selectively tensionable to spread the tissue adjacent to the incision and being adapted to be secured in tension; and a retractor delivery device including a device body having a distal end and a proximal end, the delivery device releasably holding the frame in the narrow profile for introduction into a patient. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A tissue retractor delivery device for use with a retractor comprising an anchoring frame restrainable into a narrow profile for insertion through an incision into a body cavity, the frame expandable to a wide profile wider than the incision and having an opening, a tensioning member extending from the frame adjacent to the opening, the tensioning member being selectively tensionable to spread tissue outward from the incision so as to provide surgical access into the body cavity, the delivery device comprising:
-
a device body having distal and proximal ends; a pair of inward facing surfaces near the distal end which restrain the frame to the small profile; a handle near the proximal end for supporting the inward facing surfaces; and an actuator on the handle for effecting expansion of the frame to the wide profile within the body cavity. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
-
Specification