Cannula for receiving surgical instruments
AssigneeEndius Incorporated
InventorsThomas W. Davison, Timothy E. Taylor, Adam Sher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cannula (10) receives surgical instruments (120) for performing a surgical procedure on a body (130). The cannula (10) comprises a tube structure (12) defining a passage (16) through which the surgical instruments (120) are inserted into the body (130). The tube structure (12) has a proximal end (20) and a distal end (62). The tube structure (12) includes an expandable portion (40) for enabling an increase in the cross-sectional area of the passage (16) at the distal end (62). The expandable portion (40) of the tube structure (12), when expanded, has a conical configuration.
Claims15
A method for providing treatment at or near the spine of patient, the method comprising:
- providing an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said inner surface defining a passage extending through the elongate body and through which surgical instruments can be inserted to a surgical location proximate the spine;
- inserting said distal end of said elongate body into the patient such that the distal end resides proximate the surgical location, the proximal end remaining outside the patient;
- configuring said elongate body so that the cross-sectional area of said passage at a first location is greater than the cross-sectional area of said passage at a second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location;
- and
- inserting a first surgical instrument into the passage to a surgical location at or near the spine.
The method of claim 7, wherein the step of inserting a first surgical instrument further comprises inserting an endoscopic surgical instrument.
The method of claim 7, further comprising performing a treatment with said first surgical instrument.
A method for providing treatment at or near the spine of patient, the method comprising:
- providing an elongate body having a distal end, a proximal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said inner surface defining a passage extending through the elongate body and through which surgical instruments can be inserted to a surgical location proximate the spine;
- inserting the distal end of said elongate body through an incision in the skin of the patient to the surgical location, the proximal end remaining outside the patient;
- expanding said elongate body so that the cross-sectional area of said passage at a first location is greater than the cross-sectional area of said passage at a second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location;
- and
- inserting a first surgical instrument into the passage to a surgical location at or near the spine.
A method of providing treatment at or near the spine of patient, the method comprising:
- providing an elongate body having a distal end, a proximal end, an outer surface and an inner surface defining a passage extending through the elongate body, the inner surface defining a major axis being the largest distance across said passage;
- inserting the distal end of said elongate body through an incision in the skin of the patient to a surgical location at or near the spine of the patient, the proximal end remaining outside the patient;
- configuring said elongate body so that the major axis at the first location is greater than the major axis at the second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location;
- and
- inserting a first surgical instrument into the passage to a surgical location at or near the spine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.