Illuminating soft tissue retractor
First Claim
1. An illuminating retractor for providing surgical access to a body cavity of a patient through a passage in tissue, the retractor comprising:
- a flexible internal anchor having an opening, the internal anchor being insertable through the passage and into the body cavity;
a tissue retracting structure extending proximally from the internal anchor for holding the passage open sufficiently to provide direct visualization of the internal body cavity from outside the patient;
an external anchor on the tissue restraining structure spaced proximally from the internal anchor; and
an illuminating device disposed at the opening in the internal anchor to facilitate visualization through the open passage.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
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.
-
Citations
6 Claims
-
1. An illuminating retractor for providing surgical access to a body cavity of a patient through a passage in tissue, the retractor comprising:
-
a flexible internal anchor having an opening, the internal anchor being insertable through the passage and into the body cavity; a tissue retracting structure extending proximally from the internal anchor for holding the passage open sufficiently to provide direct visualization of the internal body cavity from outside the patient; an external anchor on the tissue restraining structure spaced proximally from the internal anchor; and an illuminating device disposed at the opening in the internal anchor to facilitate visualization through the open passage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An illuminating retractor for providing surgical access to a body cavity of a patient through a passage in tissue, the retractor comprising:
-
a flexible internal anchor having an opening, the internal anchor being insertable through the passage and into the body cavity; a flexible tissue restraining structure extending proximally from the internal anchor, the tissue restraining structure configured to be secured in tension outside the body cavity so as to hold the passage open sufficiently to provide direct visualization of the internal body cavity from outside the patient; and an illuminating device disposed at the opening in the internal anchor to facilitate visualization through the open passage.
-
Specification