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US 12,636,002 B2Granted
Surgical retractor
OwnerDaniel Hollowayinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical retractor has proximal and distal ends and an intermediate portion. The proximal and distal ends each have an inflatable annular ring. The intermediation portion has flexible sheath that is attached it its opposite ends to a respective annular ring. An access opening extends through the rings and the sheath along a longitudinal axis extending through the distal and proximal ends. The first and second inflatable annular rings are configured to expand radially from the longitudinal axis without expanding axially. The flexible sheath is configured to expand radially from the longitudinal axis without expanding axially.
Claims12
A surgical retractor, comprising:
- a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis defining an access opening extending through the proximal and the distal end;
- first and second non-expanding sides arranged opposite from one another and having a space extending therebetween;
- first and second expanding sides arranged opposite from one another and extending between the first and second non-expanding sides;
- wherein each of the first and second expanding sides being configured to be extensible to increase the space between the first and second non-expanding sides;
- wherein the first and second expanding sides includes a first inflatable element disposed at the proximal end, a second inflatable element disposed at the distal end, and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second inflatable elements and along a length of each;
- and wherein the first and second inflatable elements configured to extend in length but not in thickness when inflated;
- and
- wherein the first inflatable element and the second inflatable element of one or both of the first and second expanding sides comprises a two-way stretch fabric material having stretch fibers oriented so as to permit the expansion in length without the expansion in thickness.
5 more elements
A surgical retractor, comprising:
- a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis defining an access opening extending through the proximal and the distal end;
- first and second non-expanding sides arranged opposite from one another and having a space extending therebetween;
- first and second expanding sides arranged opposite from one another and extending between the first and second non-expanding sides;
- wherein each of the first and second expanding sides being configured to be extensible to increase the space between the first and second non-expanding sides;
- the first and second expanding sides includes a first inflatable element disposed at the proximal end, a second inflatable element disposed at the distal end, and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second inflatable elements and along a length of each;
- and wherein the first and second inflatable elements configured to extend in length but not in thickness when inflated;
- and
- the first inflatable element and the second inflatable element of the first and second expanding sides comprises a two-way stretch fabric material having stretch fibers oriented so as to permit the expansion in length without the expansion in thickness.
5 more elements
A surgical retractor, comprising:
- a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis defining an access opening extending through the proximal and the distal end;
- first and second non-expanding sides arranged opposite from one another and having a space extending therebetween;
- first and second expanding sides arranged opposite from one another and extending between the first and second non-expanding sides;
- wherein each of the first and second expanding sides being configured to be extensible to increase the space between the first and second non-expanding sides;
- wherein the first and second expanding sides includes a first inflatable element disposed at the proximal end, a second inflatable element disposed at the distal end, and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second inflatable elements and along a length of each;
- and wherein the first and second inflatable elements configured to extend in length but not in thickness when inflated;
- and
- wherein one or both of the first and second inflatable members of one or both of the first and second expanding sides comprise an inflatable innertube enclosed in an exterior covering.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.