# US 11,432,839 B2 · Vessel harvesting apparatus and method

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- Number: US 11,432,839 B2
- Document ID: US11432839B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/870,823
- Filed: 2018-01-12
- Published: 2019-07-18
- Granted: 2022-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2018-01-12
- Assignees: Maquet Cardiovascular LLC
- Applicants: Maquet Cardiovascular LLC
- Inventors: Liming Lau
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11432839B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/32053: {Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife (A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695)}
- A61B 17/00008: {Vein tendon strippers (tube strippers A61M1/83)}
- A61B 17/0218: {for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence)}
- A61B 17/320016: {Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes (A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence)}
- A61B 17/320092: {with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw}
- A61B 18/082: {Probes or electrodes therefor}
- A61B 18/1445: {at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod}
- A61B 18/1477: {Needle-like probes}
- A61B 90/361: {Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras}
- A61B 2017/00296: {mounted on an endoscope}
- A61B 2017/00778: {Operations on blood vessels (A61B2017/22097, A61B2017/320741 take precedence)}
- A61B 2017/00907: {for light}
- A61B 2017/320056: {Tunnelers}
- A61B 2017/320078: {Tissue manipulating surface}
- A61B 2017/320095: {with sealing or cauterizing means}
- A61B 2018/00196: {reciprocating lengthwise}
- A61B 2018/00577: {Ablation}
- A61B 2018/00589: {Coagulation}
- A61B 2018/00601: {Cutting}
- A61B 2018/0063: {Sealing}
- A61B 2018/00982: {combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes}
- A61B 2018/1475: {Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An apparatus for harvesting a vessel from a body, includes: a cannula having a dissector for advancing along the vessel to create a tunnel, the dissector having a transparent portion; and an energy tool moveably coupled to the cannula, wherein the energy tool is configured to separate a pediculated vessel having at least a segment of the vessel and a pedicle around the segment of the vessel from surrounding tissue, and wherein at least a part of the energy tool is visible through the transparent portion of the dissector during use of the energy tool.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for harvesting a vessel from a body, comprising:
a first imaging device;
a cannula having a distal end, and a dissector for advancing along the vessel to create a tunnel, wherein the dissector is coupled to the distal end of the cannula and the dissector includes a transparent portion, wherein the cannula comprises a lumen housing the first imaging device;
an energy tool moveably coupled to the cannula, wherein the energy tool is configured to separate a pediculated vessel having at least a segment of the vessel and a pedicle around the segment of the vessel from surrounding tissue, and wherein at least a part of the energy tool is visible through the transparent portion of the dissector during use of the energy tool; and
a second imaging device having a distal end;
wherein the first imaging device is disposed to visualize tissue dissection by the dissector, wherein the visualization of the tissue dissection can only occur through the transparent portion of the dissector, and wherein the second imaging device is disposed to visualize an operation performed by the energy tool, wherein the visualization of the operation can only occur through the transparent portion of the dissector; and
wherein an axis extending from the distal end of the second imaging device to the energy tool traverses the transparent portion of the dissector during use of the energy tool, and wherein the apparatus has a central axis extending along a longitudinal length of the apparatus, the dissector is located at a first longitudinal axis offset from the central axis, and the energy tool is located at a second longitudinal axis offset from the central axis, wherein the second longitudinal axis is different from the first longitudinal axis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy tool has a retracted position and an extended position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy tool is steerable.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy tool has an arcuate tip, a blunt tip, or a spatulate tip.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy tool is rotatable to modify its orientation with respect to a longitudinal axis of the cannula.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a retractor moveably coupled to the cannula, wherein the retractor is configured to engage with the pediculated vessel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the retractor is moveable to a position distal to a distal end of the imaging device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cannula has a first side and a second side opposite from the first side, and wherein retractor is located closer to the first side of the cannula than to the second side of the cannula, and the energy tool is located closer to the second side of the cannula than to the first side of the cannula.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the retractor is configured to deflect away from a longitudinal axis of the apparatus as the retractor moves from a retracted position to an extended position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy tool is configured to provide radiofrequency energy for tissue separation and/or sealing.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy tool is located distal to a distal end of the lumen.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first imaging device comprises an endoscope.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first imaging device comprises an electronic image sensor.