Methods and apparatus for removing veins

• US 6,436,116 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew North America (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Grinberg, Alexander D., Spitz, Gregory A., Long, Michael A., Sjostrom, Douglas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): REIP, DAVID OWEN
• Application Number:
  US09/444,925
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 606/159, 606/167, 606/170, 606/172, 606/180, 606/2, 606/3, 606/14, 606/15, 606/16, 604/22, 600/183, 600/178
• US Class Current: 606/170
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00008 Vein tendon strippers tube strippers A61M1/83
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320758 with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320783 through side-hole, e.g. sliding or rotating cutter inside catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320775 Morcellators, impeller or propeller like means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

A method for removing a vein includes making an incision through a skin layer of a patient, inserting a surgical instrument through the incision, visualizing the vein through the skin layer using a light source positioned subcutaneously and in proximity of the vein, and cutting the vein using the surgical instrument. The vein can be visualized by directing light from the light source at the vein from underneath the vein or from a side of the vein. A device for illuminating a body structure has a housing with a distal end configured for subcutaneous insertion into a patient'"'"'s tissue and positioning in proximity of the body structure, a light path supported by the housing and configured for directing light at the body structure, and a fluid line supported by the housing.

Claims

1. A method for removing a vein, comprising:

making an incision through a skin layer of a patient,

inserting a surgical instrument through the incision,

visualizing the vein through the skin layer using a light source positioned subcutaneously and in proximity of the vein, and

cutting the vein into particles using the surgical instrument.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein visualizing the vein includes directing light from the light source at the vein from underneath the vein.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein visualizing the vein includes directing light from the light source at the vein from a side of the vein.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein visualizing the vein includes providing the surgical instrument with the light source.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a fiberoptic.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the fiberoptic comprises a fiberoptic bundle.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising irrigating a surgical region in proximity to the vein using the surgical instrument.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising tumescing a surgical region in proximity to the vein using the surgical instrument.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising aspirating cut veinous tissue through the surgical instrument.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein visualizing the vein comprises providing a second instrument including the light source, making a second incision through a skin layer of the patient, and inserting the second instrument through the second incision.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising irrigating a surgical region in proximity to the vein using the second instrument.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising tumescing a surgical region in proximity to the vein using the second instrument.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein cutting the vein includes cutting the vein into particles using the surgical instrument.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein cutting the vein includes guiding the surgical instrument by visualizing the vein through the skin layer using the light source.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein visualizing includes positioning the light source external to the vein.

16. A method for removing a vein, comprising:

making a first incision through the skin layer of a patient,

making a second incision through the skin layer of the patient,

inserting an illuminating device through the first incision,

inserting a cutting instrument through the second incision,

visualizing the vein through the skin layer by positioning the illuminating device in proximity of the vein,

cutting the vein using the cutting instrument, and

aspirating cut tissue through the cutting instrument.

17. A method for removing a vein, comprising:

making an incision through a skin layer of a patient,

inserting a surgical instrument through the incision,

visualizing the vein through the skin layer using a light source positioned subcutaneously and in proximity of the vein,

cutting the vein using the surgical instrument, and

aspirating cut veinous tissue through the surgical instrument.

18. A method for removing a vein, comprising:

providing a surgical instrument and a second instrument, the second instrument including a light source,

making a first incision through a skin layer of a patient,

making a second incision through the skin layer of the patient,

inserting the surgical instrument through the first incision,

inserting the second instrument through the second incision,

visualizing the vein through the skin layer using the light source positioned subcutaneously and in proximity of the vein, including

cutting the vein using the surgical instrument.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising irrigating a surgical region in proximity to the vein using the second instrument.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising tumescing a surgical region in proximity to the vein using the second instrument.