Endoscopic retractor instrument and associated method

A medical method comprising:

• providing a flexible endoscope having an insertion member;
• providing an endoscopic retractor instrument;
• inserting a distal end portion of said insertion member into a patient;
• upon inserting of said distal end portion into the patient, deploying said retractor instrument at said distal end portion of said insertion member;
• and
• after deploying of said retractor instrument, operating said retractor instrument to engage an inner wall of an internal organ of the patient so as to spread said inner wall.

An endoscopic retractor instrument comprising:

• a plurality of parts movably connected to one another;
• means for mounting said parts in a collapsed or reduced-size configuration to a flexible and steerable insertion member of an endoscope;
• and
• actuation means operatively connected to said parts for enabling a movement of said parts relative to one another so that said parts assume an enlarged or expanded configuration for spreading internal tissues of a patient.