Surgical stabilizers and methods for use in reduced-access surgical sites
First Claim
1. A device for stabilizing tissue within a patient'"'"'s body, said device adapted to assume a reduced configuration and an operating configuration, said device assuming said reduced configuration for passage through a small opening to deliver a working end of said device to a site of the tissue to be stabilized, said device comprising:
- a base member having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion;
first and second contact members extending distally and directly from said distal end portion of said base member and a joint member extending proximally from said proximal end portion of said base member, said contact members being mounted for rotation with respect to said base member;
said contact members each having a contact surface adapted to contact a surface of the tissue, and said joint member being configured to mate with a mating joint member of a support arm to allow articulation of said base member relative to said support arm, and wherein locations of said distal end portion that said contact members extend from are not movable relative to each other as the device moves from a reduced configuration to an operating configuration;
wherein when said device is in said operating configuration, said contact surfaces face in a direction to contact the tissue, and when in said reduced configuration, said contact members have been rotated with respect to one another so that said contact surfaces substantially face one another;
said first and second contact members extending along first and second longitudinal axes, respectively, wherein said first and second longitudinal axes of said first and second contact members remain parallel to one another when moving from said reduced configuration to said operating configuration;
wherein said first and second contact members rotate about said first and second longitudinal axes, respectively, and wherein said first and second contact members are further mounted for tilting with respect to said base member about an axis that is normal to said first and second longitudinal axes;
wherein when in said reduced configuration, said contact members are substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of said device, and wherein when in said operating configuration, said contact members are angled with respect to said longitudinal axis of said device; and
wherein said contact members are biased about said axis that is normal to said first and second longitudinal axes toward said operating configuration.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods for stabilizing tissue within a patient'"'"'s body. Such a device is adapted to assume a reduced configuration and an operating configuration. The device assumes the reduced configuration for passage through a small opening to deliver a working end of the device to a site of the tissue to be stabilized. Such a device may include first and second contact members that are mounted for rotation, with each having a contact surface adapted to contact a surface of the tissue. When the device is in the operating configuration, a largest cross-sectional dimension of the contact members may be greater than a largest dimension of an opening through which the contact members were passed. However, when in the reduced configuration, largest cross-sectional dimension of the contact members is less than the largest dimension of the opening.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A device for stabilizing tissue within a patient'"'"'s body, said device adapted to assume a reduced configuration and an operating configuration, said device assuming said reduced configuration for passage through a small opening to deliver a working end of said device to a site of the tissue to be stabilized, said device comprising:
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a base member having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion; first and second contact members extending distally and directly from said distal end portion of said base member and a joint member extending proximally from said proximal end portion of said base member, said contact members being mounted for rotation with respect to said base member;
said contact members each having a contact surface adapted to contact a surface of the tissue, and said joint member being configured to mate with a mating joint member of a support arm to allow articulation of said base member relative to said support arm, and wherein locations of said distal end portion that said contact members extend from are not movable relative to each other as the device moves from a reduced configuration to an operating configuration;wherein when said device is in said operating configuration, said contact surfaces face in a direction to contact the tissue, and when in said reduced configuration, said contact members have been rotated with respect to one another so that said contact surfaces substantially face one another;
said first and second contact members extending along first and second longitudinal axes, respectively, wherein said first and second longitudinal axes of said first and second contact members remain parallel to one another when moving from said reduced configuration to said operating configuration;wherein said first and second contact members rotate about said first and second longitudinal axes, respectively, and wherein said first and second contact members are further mounted for tilting with respect to said base member about an axis that is normal to said first and second longitudinal axes;
wherein when in said reduced configuration, said contact members are substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of said device, and wherein when in said operating configuration, said contact members are angled with respect to said longitudinal axis of said device; andwherein said contact members are biased about said axis that is normal to said first and second longitudinal axes toward said operating configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A device for stabilizing tissue within a patient'"'"'s body, said device adapted to assume a reduced configuration for passage through a small opening to deliver a working end of said device to a site of the tissue to be stabilized, said device comprising:
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first and second contact members extending directly from a base member, said contact members being mounted for rotation with respect to said base member, said contact members each having a contact surface adapted to contact a surface of the tissue, said contact members configured to assume a reduced configuration and an operating configuration, wherein when said contact members are in said operating configuration, said contact surfaces face in a direction to contact the tissue, and when in said reduced configuration, said contact members have been rotated with respect to one another so that said contact surfaces substantially face one another; an arm extending proximally from said base member; a structure extending from said contact members proximally past said base member and configured to facilitate automatic movement of said contact members from said operating configuration to said reduced configuration as said structure is drawn through said opening, without movement of said base member; and at least one biasing member configured to drive movement of said contact members from said reduced configuration to said operating configuration. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A device for stabilizing tissue within a patient'"'"'s body, said device including first and second contact members that assume a reduced configuration for passage through a small opening for deliverance to a site of the tissue to be stabilized, said device comprising:
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a base member; said first and second contact members extending distally and directly from said base member, said contact members being mounted for rotation with respect to said base member;
said contact members each having a contact surface adapted to contact a surface of the tissue, and wherein portions of said base member, at locations where said contact members extend from, are not movable relative to each other as the device moves from a reduced configuration to an operating configuration;wherein when said contact members are in an operating configuration, said contact surfaces face in a direction to contact the tissue, and when in said reduced configuration, said contact members have been rotated with respect to one another so that said contact surfaces substantially face one another;
said first and second contact members extending along first and second longitudinal axes, respectively;wherein said first and second contact members rotate about said first and second longitudinal axes, respectively, and a joint interconnecting said base member with an elongated support arm; wherein said joint is operable between an unlocked configuration to allow articulation of said base member relative to said support arm and a locked configuration to prevent articulation of said base member relative to said support arm, and wherein said joint is operable independently of operation of said contact members relative to said base member.
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Specification