Method and apparatus for performing retro peritoneal dissection
First Claim
1. A cannula system for accessing a surgical target site, comprising:
- a plurality of sequentially sized dilator cannulas deliverable along a path to a targeted surgery site to create an operative corridor;
the plurality of sequentially sized dilator cannulas having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal length therebetween, at least one of said sequentially sized dilator cannulas having a first end and a second end and a generally tubular body therebetween, said plurality of dilator cannulas having a non-circular cross-sectional shape having multiple radii of curvature the cross-sectional shape being symmetric about a first plane and asymmetric about a second plane, the first plane and second plane being disposed substantially perpendicular to one another, and wherein the cross-sectional shape comprises an inwardly deflecting portion such that a perimeter of the cross-section comprises at least two points of inflection;
a pilot member being configured to introduce said plurality of dilator cannulas toward the targeted surgery site to create an operative corridor to said surgical target site, said pilot member passing through a bore in said at least one of said sequentially sized dilator cannulas, said bore formed through the generally tubular body and extending from the first end to the second end;
wherein one of said sequentially sized cannulas is a working cannula that maintains the operative corridor, said working cannula having an inner surface defining a path for receiving surgical instruments, and wherein the dilator cannulas progressively expand the operative corridor so as to avoid impingement of areas with higher concentrations of nerve structures.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The foregoing application describes a system and method of performing a minimally invasive surgical operation. More specifically, the invention involves the use of disposable cannula and slender dilators of variable lengths, which incorporate a source of illumination to carry light to a surgical site and video capabilities for capturing and displaying images from a CMOS or CCD camera device. According to one embodiment, fiber optics run semi-circumferentially or along walls of the cannula/dilator and terminate at about a centimeter from the distal end of the cannula/dilator, thereby preventing illumination from “bottoming out” at the floor of the incision. According to one alternate embodiment, the light fibers may be fashioned in an annulus around one or more camera chips to provide illumination and video of the surgical site. In still another embodiment, the light fibers may be replaced by light emitting diodes in a more remote light source or alternatively at the distal-tip of the CMOS or CCD camera device.
578 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A cannula system for accessing a surgical target site, comprising:
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a plurality of sequentially sized dilator cannulas deliverable along a path to a targeted surgery site to create an operative corridor; the plurality of sequentially sized dilator cannulas having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal length therebetween, at least one of said sequentially sized dilator cannulas having a first end and a second end and a generally tubular body therebetween, said plurality of dilator cannulas having a non-circular cross-sectional shape having multiple radii of curvature the cross-sectional shape being symmetric about a first plane and asymmetric about a second plane, the first plane and second plane being disposed substantially perpendicular to one another, and wherein the cross-sectional shape comprises an inwardly deflecting portion such that a perimeter of the cross-section comprises at least two points of inflection; a pilot member being configured to introduce said plurality of dilator cannulas toward the targeted surgery site to create an operative corridor to said surgical target site, said pilot member passing through a bore in said at least one of said sequentially sized dilator cannulas, said bore formed through the generally tubular body and extending from the first end to the second end; wherein one of said sequentially sized cannulas is a working cannula that maintains the operative corridor, said working cannula having an inner surface defining a path for receiving surgical instruments, and wherein the dilator cannulas progressively expand the operative corridor so as to avoid impingement of areas with higher concentrations of nerve structures. - 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)
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Specification