Apparatus and methods for performing minimally-invasive surgical procedures
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, said system comprising:
- an elongated body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an external body surface, an interior region encompassed by the external body surface, and at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending at least partially through the interior region and generally along a direction of a longitudinal axis of said elongated body, wherein the first lumen is configured for receiving an endoscope therein; and
a lens having a bullet shaped configuration forming an elongated distal tip that extends distally with respect to said distal end portion of said elongated body,wherein the elongated distal tip comprises a curved and blunt distal end allowing for blunt dissection of tissue and a sidewall extending from a proximal end of the elongated distal tip to the curved and blunt distal end that allows for viewing of the surgical field therethrough.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices, tools and methods for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures. Methods of performing minimally invasive ablation procedures. Methods of performing rapid exchange of tools in a device while the device remains in a reduced-access surgical space.
555 Citations
197 Claims
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1. A surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, said system comprising:
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an elongated body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an external body surface, an interior region encompassed by the external body surface, and at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending at least partially through the interior region and generally along a direction of a longitudinal axis of said elongated body, wherein the first lumen is configured for receiving an endoscope therein; and a lens having a bullet shaped configuration forming an elongated distal tip that extends distally with respect to said distal end portion of said elongated body, wherein the elongated distal tip comprises a curved and blunt distal end allowing for blunt dissection of tissue and a sidewall extending from a proximal end of the elongated distal tip to the curved and blunt distal end that allows for viewing of the surgical field therethrough. - 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, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 152)
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145. A surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, said system comprising:
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a first elongated body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an external body surface, an interior region encompassed by the exterior body surface, and at least one lumen extending at least partially through said interior region and generally along a direction of a longitudinal axis of said first elongated body and configured and dimensioned for receiving an endoscope therein; a second elongated body aligned substantially parallel with, external to and side-by-side of said first elongated body, said first elongated body also being external to said second elongated body, said second elongated body having distal and proximal end portions and at least one lumen extending generally along a direction of a longitudinal axis of said second elongated body and configured and dimensioned for receiving a tool other than said endoscope therein; and a lens having a bullet shaped configuration forming an elongated distal tip that is attachable to said distal end portion of said first elongated body, said distal tip comprising a curved and blunt distal end that encloses said distal end portion of said first elongated body when attached thereto for blunt dissection of tissue, and wherein a sidewall of the distal tip extending from a proximal end of the distal tip to the curved and blunt distal allows for visualization of a surgical field therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159)
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160. A minimally invasive method of routing a flexible tool around an internal structure in a patient'"'"'s body, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) inserting a device including an endoscope through a small opening in the patient and advancing the device to position a distal end of the device into a surgical space in which the internal structure resides, wherein the device comprises a surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, wherein the system includes an elongated body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an external body surface, an interior region encompassed by the external body surface, and at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending at least partially through the interior region and generally along a direction of a longitudinal axis of said elongated body, wherein the first lumen is configured for receiving the endoscope therein; and a lens having a bullet shaped configuration forming an elongated distal tip that extends distally with respect to said distal end portion of said elongated body, wherein the elongated distal tip comprises a curved and blunt distal end allowing for blunt dissection of tissue and a sidewall extending from a proximal end of the elongated distal tip to the curved and blunt distal end that allows for viewing of the surgical field therethrough; (b) inserting the flexible member through a service port in the device and extending a distal end portion of the flexible member distally of the second lumen of the elongated body joined by the service port; (c) visually confirming the distal end portion via the endoscope; (d) removing the device from the patient via the small opening while maintaining the flexible member in the patient, substantially in the current position of the flexible member; (e) inserting the device through a second small opening in the patient and advancing the device to position the distal end of the device into the surgical space in which the internal structure resides, on a side of the internal structure opposite to the side in which the flexible member is placed; (f) connecting the distal end of the device with the distal end portion of the flexible member; and (g) removing the device from the patient via the second small opening, thereby drawing the flexible member around the internal structure. - View Dependent Claims (161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174)
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175. A minimally invasive method of routing a flexible tool around an internal structure in a patient'"'"'s body, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) inserting a device including an endoscope through a small opening in the patient and advancing the device to position a distal end of the device into a surgical space in which the internal structure resides, wherein the device comprises a surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, wherein the system includes an elongated body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an external body surface, an interior region encompassed by the external body surface, and at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending at least partially through the interior region and generally along a direction of a longitudinal axis of said elongated body, wherein the first lumen is configured for receiving the endoscope therein; and a lens having a bullet shaped configuration forming an elongated distal tip that extends distally with respect to said distal end portion of said elongated, body, wherein the elongated distal tip comprises a curved and blunt distal end allowing for blunt dissection of tissue and a sidewall extending from a proximal end of the elongated distal tip to the curved and blunt distal end that allows for viewing of the surgical field therethrough; (b) inserting the flexible member through a service port in the device and extending a distal end portion of the flexible member distally of the second lumen of the elongated body joined by the service port; (c) visually confirming the distal end portion via the endoscope; (d) retracting the device to remove the flexible member from a distal end of the second lumen, while maintaining the flexible member in the patient, substantially in the current position of the flexible member; (e) distally advancing the device into patient to position the distal end of the device into the surgical space in which the internal structure resides, on a side of the internal structure opposite to the side in which the flexible member is placed; (f) connecting the distal end of the device with the distal end portion of the flexible member; and (g) removing the device from the patient via the small opening, thereby drawing the flexible member around the internal structure. - View Dependent Claims (176, 177, 178)
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179. A minimally invasive method of routing a flexible tool around an internal structure in a patient'"'"'s body, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) inserting a device including an endoscope and a semi-flexible sheath slid over the endoscope through a small opening in the patient and advancing the device to position a distal end of the device into a surgical space in which the internal structure resides, the semi-flexible sheath including a rigid, transparent distal end that allows viewing therethrough via the endoscope, wherein the device comprises a surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, wherein the system includes an elongated body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an external body surface, an interior region encompassed by the external body surface, and at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending at least partially through the interior region and generally along a direction of a longitudinal axis of said elongated body, wherein the first lumen is configured for receiving the endoscope therein, and wherein the semi-flexible sheath forms the elongated body; and a lens having a bullet shaped configuration forming an elongated distal tip at the transparent distal end that extends distally with respect to said distal end portion of said elongated body, wherein the elongated distal tip comprises a curved and blunt distal end allowing for blunt dissection of tissue and a sidewall extending from a proximal end of the elongated distal tip to the curved and blunt distal end that allows for viewing of the surgical field therethrough; (b) visually confirming placement of a distal end of the semi-flexible member via the endoscope; (c) removing the endoscope from the patient via the small opening while maintaining the semi-flexible member and rigid distal end in the patient, substantially in the current position of the semi-flexible member and rigid distal end; (d) inserting the endoscope through a second small opening in the patient and advancing the endoscope to position the distal end thereof into the surgical space in which the internal structure resides, on a side of the internal structure opposite to the side in which the semi-flexible member is placed; (e) connecting the distal end of the endoscope with the distal end of the semi-flexible member; and (f) removing the endoscope from the patient via the second small opening, thereby drawing the semi-flexible member around the internal structure. - View Dependent Claims (180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187)
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188. A method of performing rapid exchange of tools in a device while performing a minimally invasive surgical procedure, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) inserting a device having at least and an endoscope and a first tool received therein, through a small opening in the patient and advancing the device to position a distal end of the device into a reduced-access surgical space, wherein the device comprises a surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, wherein the system includes an elongated body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an external body surface, an interior region encompassed by the external body surface, and at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending at least partially through the interior region and generally along a direction of a longitudinal axis of said elongated body, wherein the first lumen is configured for receiving the endoscope therein and the second lumen is configured for receiving the first tool therein; and a lens having a bullet shaped configuration forming an elongated distal tip that extends distally with respect to said distal end portion of said elongated body, wherein the elongated distal tip comprises a curved and blunt distal end allowing for blunt dissection of tissue and a sidewall extending from a proximal end of the elongated distal tip to the curved and blunt distal end that allows for viewing of the surgical field therethrough; (b) removing the first tool from the device, while maintaining the device and the endoscope in the surgical space; and (c) inserting a second tool into the device, thereby replacing the tool having been removed. - View Dependent Claims (189, 190, 191, 192, 193)
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194. A method of relieving side loading by an operating room suction tubing on a device in fluid communication with the operating room suction tubing, said method comprising:
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(a) connecting a distal end of a length of first tubing to a suction assembly of a device to be used to apply suction, wherein the length of first tubing has proximal and distal ends and has a lighter gauge than a gauge of the operating room suction tubing, wherein the device is a surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, wherein the system includes an elongated body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an external body surface, an interior region encompassed by the external body surface, and at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending at least partially through the interior region and generally along a direction of a longitudinal axis of said elongated body, wherein the first lumen is configured for receiving the endoscope therein; and a lens having a bullet shaped configuration forming an elongated distal tip that extends distally with respect to said distal end portion of said elongated body, wherein the elongated distal tip comprises a curved and blunt distal end allowing for blunt dissection of tissue and a sidewall extending from a proximal end of the elongated distal tip to the curved and blunt distal end that allows for viewing of the surgical field therethrough; and (b) connecting the proximal end of said length of first tubing to the operating room suction tubing, thereby putting the suction assembly of the device in fluid communication with the operating room suction tubing. - View Dependent Claims (195, 196)
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197. A tool for relieving side loading on a device in fluid communication with an operating room suction tube, wherein the device is a surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, wherein the system includes
an elongated body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an external body surface, an interior region encompassed by the external body surface, and at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending at least partially through the interior region and generally along a direction of a longitudinal axis of said elongated body, wherein the first lumen is configured for receiving the endoscope therein; - and
a lens having a bullet shaped configuration forming an elongated distal tip that extends distally with respect to said distal end portion of said elongated body, wherein the elongated distal tip comprises a curved and blunt distal end allowing for blunt dissection of tissue and a sidewall extending from a proximal end of the elongated distal tip to the curved and blunt distal end that allows for viewing of the surgical field therethrough, said tool comprising; a length of first tubing having a lighter gauge than a gauge of the operating room suction tubing, said length of first tubing having proximal and distal ends; a first connector at a distal end of said first length of tubing configured and dimensioned to be connected to a suction assembly of the device, to establish fluid communication between the suction assembly and the length of first tubing; a second connector at a proximal end of said length of first tubing configured and dimensioned to be connected to the operating room suction tube, to establish fluid communication between the operating room suction tube and the length of first tubing; and a tether extending from the length of first tubing, said tether adapted to be clamped to a support.
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Specification