Endoscopic retractor instrument and associated method
First Claim
1. An endoscopic retractor instrument assembly comprising:
- a balloon having at least one expandable or inflatable end portion and at least one expandable or inflatable spacer portion connected to said end portion, said balloon being a bent and wound elongate tubular form defining a singular flow path for the introduction of a pressurizing fluid;
a fastener component for securing said balloon to a distal end of an endoscopic insertion member, said balloon being disposed in a collapsed configuration along an outer surface of said endoscopic insertion member; and
an inflation element operatively coupled with said balloon for enabling an inflating of said balloon from said collapsed configuration to an expanded use configuration in which said spacer portion pushes said end portion at least partially in a distal direction away from said distal end of said endoscopic insertion member for spreading internal tissues of a patient to facilitate access to said tissues.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscopic retractor instrument assembly includes a balloon having a pair of expandable or inflatable end portions and at least one expandable or inflatable spacer portion connecting the end portions to one another. A fastener is provided for securing the balloon to a distal end of an endoscopic insertion member, with the balloon being disposed in a collapsed configuration along an outer surface of the endoscopic insertion member. An inflation element is operatively coupled with the balloon for enabling an inflating of the balloon from the collapsed configuration to an expanded use configuration in which the spacer portion pushes the end portions apart from one another and in which the balloon extends at least partially in a distal direction away from the distal end of the endoscopic insertion member for spreading internal tissues of a patient to facilitate access to the tissues via the endoscopic insertion member.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An endoscopic retractor instrument assembly comprising:
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a balloon having at least one expandable or inflatable end portion and at least one expandable or inflatable spacer portion connected to said end portion, said balloon being a bent and wound elongate tubular form defining a singular flow path for the introduction of a pressurizing fluid; a fastener component for securing said balloon to a distal end of an endoscopic insertion member, said balloon being disposed in a collapsed configuration along an outer surface of said endoscopic insertion member; and an inflation element operatively coupled with said balloon for enabling an inflating of said balloon from said collapsed configuration to an expanded use configuration in which said spacer portion pushes said end portion at least partially in a distal direction away from said distal end of said endoscopic insertion member for spreading internal tissues of a patient to facilitate access to said tissues. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A medical method comprising:
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providing a flexible endoscopic insertion member; providing an endoscopic retractor instrument including a balloon; securing said retractor instrument to a distal end portion of said insertion member so that said balloon is disposed in a collapsed configuration along an outer surface of said insertion member; inserting said distal end portion of said insertion member together with the collapsed balloon into a digestive tract of a patient; upon inserting of said distal end portion and said collapsed balloon into the digestive tract of the patient, inflating said balloon to form an enlarged or expanded configuration extending at least partially in a distal direction away from said distal end portion of said insertion member; and using said enlarged or expanded configuration of said balloon to spread internal tissues of the digestive tract of the patient in a region located distally of said insertion member. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An endoscopic retractor instrument comprising:
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a plurality of parts movably connected to one another; means for disposing said parts in a collapsed or reduced-size configuration at a distal end portion of an endoscopic insertion member; and actuation means operatively connected to said parts for enabling a movement of said parts relative to one another so that said parts assume an enlarged or expanded configuration extending at least partially in a distal direction away from said distal end portion of said insertion member for spreading internal tissues of a patient to facilitate access to said tissues via said insertion member, said means for disposing said parts including means for removably attaching said parts to an outer surface of said insertion member, said means for removably attaching including an attachment member taken from the group consisting of an endoscope sheath and an endoscope end cap, said parts being disposed at least partially along an outer surface of said attachment member. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification