Superelastic/shape memory tissue stabilizers and surgical instruments
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument for temporary use in a medical procedure in a mammalian body, the surgical instrument being configured to be changed between a first shape and a second different shape upon application of one or both of heating and cooling, the instrument comprising:
- a first member;
a second member having a surface configured to contact and stabilize tissue such that a surgical procedure can be performed on the stabilized tissue;
means for applying heating or cooling to one or both of the first member and the second member to change the shape between the first shape and the second different shape; and
a delivery tube surrounding at least a portion of a length of either or both of the first member and the second member, the second member configured to fit within the delivery tube in either the first shape or the second shape but not in both the first shape and the second shape.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument is used for temporary use in a medical procedure in a mammalian body. The surgical instrument is configured to be changed between two shapes upon application of one or both of heating and cooling. The instrument includes a first member, a second member having a surface configured to contact tissue, and a means to apply heating or cooling to one or both of the first member and the second member to change the shape between a first shape and a second shape. A surgical instrument also may be configured to be changed between two shapes upon removal of a constraining force. The surgical instrument includes a first member, a second member having a surface configured to contact tissue, and a constraining means to apply a constraining force to one or both of the first member and the second member to cause one or both of the first member and the second member to be in a first constrained shape. The surgical instruments may be used in minimally invasive valve surgery.
116 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument for temporary use in a medical procedure in a mammalian body, the surgical instrument being configured to be changed between a first shape and a second different shape upon application of one or both of heating and cooling, the instrument comprising:
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a first member; a second member having a surface configured to contact and stabilize tissue such that a surgical procedure can be performed on the stabilized tissue; means for applying heating or cooling to one or both of the first member and the second member to change the shape between the first shape and the second different shape; and a delivery tube surrounding at least a portion of a length of either or both of the first member and the second member, the second member configured to fit within the delivery tube in either the first shape or the second shape but not in both the first shape and the second shape. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A surgical instrument for temporary use in a medical procedure in a mammalian body to be placed in contact with tissue, the surgical instrument being configured to be changed between two different shapes upon removal of a constraining force, the instrument comprising:
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a handle; a first member including a lumen configured to receive a second surgical instrument; a second member having at least one opening configured to receive the second surgical instrument and a surface configured to contact and stabilize tissue such that a surgical procedure can be performed on the stabilized tissue, the first member being connected at a first end to the second member and at a second end to the handle; and a constraining means to apply a constraining force to one or both of the first member and the second member to cause one or both of the first member and the second member to be in a first constrained shape, wherein the first member and the second member comprise a nickel titanium alloy, the nickel titanium alloy having an elastic property that causes one or both of the first member and the second member to have a second unconstrained shape that is different from the first constrained shape and causes one or both of the first member and the second member to change between the two different shapes upon removal of the constraining force, and the constraining means comprises a delivery tube. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method of providing a surgical instrument for temporary use in a medical procedure in a mammalian body, the method comprising:
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providing a surgical instrument fabricated from a shape memory material and being configured to be changed between two different shapes in the mammalian body upon application of one or both of heating and cooling, the surgical instrument comprising; a delivery tube, a first member, a second member having a surface configured to contact and stabilize tissue such that a surgical procedure can be performed on the stabilized tissue, and a means to apply heating or cooling to one or both of the first member and the second member to change the shape between a first shape and a different second shape; applying cooling to one or both of the first member and the second member and placing one or both of the first member and the second member into the delivery tube in a first shape; advancing the delivery tube in the mammalian body; advancing the first member and the second member in the delivery tube such that at least one of the first member and the second member extend out of the delivery tube into the mammalian body; applying heating to one or both of the first member and the second member to change the shape of one or both of the first member and the second member from the first shape to a second shape; using the second member to contact and stabilize tissue; and removing the surgical instrument from the mammalian body. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification