Active cannulas
First Claim
1. An inflatable medical device comprising:
- a support member having a longitudinal axis, a proximal portion, a central portion and a distal portion wherein said central portion has a smaller diameter than said proximal and distal portions, wherein each portion has a substantially uniform diameter; and
an inflatable balloon including a proximal portion having an inner surface thereof bonded to an outer surface of the proximal portion of the support member, a distal portion having an inner surface thereof bonded to an outer surface of the distal portion of the support member, a first expanding portion extending distally from the proximal portion of the inflatable balloon, and a second expanding portion extending proximally from the distal portion of the inflatable balloon, wherein each of the expanding portions includes a plurality of rigid members arranged along an inner surface thereof to define a predetermined shape of the inflatable balloon when the inflatable balloon is fully inflated and the rigid members of the first expanding portion are spaced apart from the rigid members of the second expanding portion, wherein the plurality of rigid members is repositionable between a first position and a second position.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An active cannula which does more than merely maintain a passage is usable to create and/or enlarge a passage, to position a scope or instrument, to move or locate tissue, etc. The cannula can vary in size or shape as needed, intraoperatively. Because a cannula of the present invention is expandable, the surgeon can make a relatively small incision, stretch the tissue with the expandable cannula, contract the cannula and remove it, allowing the skin to come back to its unstretched condition. Thus, a smaller incision can be made to fit the same size instrument. The cannulas can assume such a non-circular shape, to fit into a natural skin opening and cause less trauma. The devices can be used to seal off a space, expand an existing space or a potential space for working or visualization, move tissue (for example, to stretch an incision), or protect tissue.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. An inflatable medical device comprising:
-
a support member having a longitudinal axis, a proximal portion, a central portion and a distal portion wherein said central portion has a smaller diameter than said proximal and distal portions, wherein each portion has a substantially uniform diameter; and an inflatable balloon including a proximal portion having an inner surface thereof bonded to an outer surface of the proximal portion of the support member, a distal portion having an inner surface thereof bonded to an outer surface of the distal portion of the support member, a first expanding portion extending distally from the proximal portion of the inflatable balloon, and a second expanding portion extending proximally from the distal portion of the inflatable balloon, wherein each of the expanding portions includes a plurality of rigid members arranged along an inner surface thereof to define a predetermined shape of the inflatable balloon when the inflatable balloon is fully inflated and the rigid members of the first expanding portion are spaced apart from the rigid members of the second expanding portion, wherein the plurality of rigid members is repositionable between a first position and a second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An inflatable medical device comprising:
-
a support member having a longitudinal axis, a proximal portion, a central portion and a distal portion wherein said central portion has a smaller diameter than said proximal and distal portions, wherein each portion has a substantially uniform diameter; and an inflatable balloon including a proximal portion having an inner surface thereof bonded to an outer surface of the proximal portion of the support member, a distal portion having an inner surface thereof bonded to an outer surface of the distal portion of the support member, a first expanding portion extending distally from the proximal portion of the inflatable balloon, and a second expanding portion extending proximally from the distal portion of the inflatable balloon, wherein each of the expanding portions includes a plurality of rigid members arranged along an inner surface thereof to define a predetermined shape of the inflatable balloon when the inflatable balloon is fully inflated and the rigid members of the first expanding portion are spaced apart from the rigid members of the second expanding portion, the plurality of rigid members being repositionable between a first position and a second position; said central portion of the support member extends substantially along the length of the inflatable balloon. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification