Endoscopic vessel harvesting system components

A vessel dissector that is used in conjunction with an endoscope, comprising:

• an elongated cannula including a lumen therein for receiving the endoscope;
• and
• a transparent blunt tip provided on a distal end of the elongated cannula that permits an operator of the dissector to dissect tissue while viewing internal body structures via an objective lens of the endoscope;
• and
• a wiper for clearing tissue from the exterior of the transparent blunt tip.

A vessel harvester that is used in conjunction with an endoscope, comprising:

• an elongated cannula including a lumen therein for receiving the endoscope;
• a vessel holding tool extending through the elongated cannula and adapted for longitudinal movement therein, a distal end of the vessel holding tool including a vessel hook and a locking member used to capture a target vessel, wherein the hook is open on one side and extension of the locking member closes the open side so that the target vessel is completely surrounded and captured therein;
• a vessel severing tool extending through the elongated cannula and adapted for longitudinal movement therein, the severing tool having a distal operative end with structure for severing a target vessel;
• and
• wherein the vessel holding tool includes a support rod that extends through the elongated cannula and which is configured to angle laterally at a location close to the distal end of the tool to enable lateral vessel manipulation and improve positioning of the vessel severing tool relative to the target vessel.

A vessel harvester that is used in conjunction with an endoscope, comprising:

• an elongated cannula including a lumen therein for receiving the endoscope;
• a vessel severing tool extending through the elongated cannula and adapted for longitudinal movement therein, the severing tool having a distal operative end with structure for severing a target vessel;
• and
• a vessel holding tool extending through the elongated cannula and adapted for longitudinal movement therein, the vessel holding tool having a single support rod that extends through the elongated cannula and a distal end with a vessel hook and a locking member used to capture a target vessel and manipulate it to present a side branch of the target vessel to the vessel severing tool, wherein the hook is open on one side and extension of the locking member closes the open side so that the target vessel is completely surrounded and captured therein, and wherein the locking member extends concentrically from the single support rod on one lateral side of the vessel hook, the single support rod therefore reducing endoscopic viewing impediments relative to more than one support rod.

A vessel harvester that is used in conjunction with an endoscope, comprising:

• an elongated cannula including a lumen therein for receiving the endoscope;
• a vessel severing tool extending through the elongated cannula and adapted for longitudinal movement therein, the severing tool having a distal operative end with structure for severing a target vessel;
• and
• a vessel holding tool extending through the elongated cannula and adapted for longitudinal movement therein, the vessel holding tool having a support rod that extends through the elongated cannula and a distal end with a vessel hook and a locking member used to capture a target vessel and manipulate it to present a side branch of the target vessel to the vessel severing tool, wherein the hook is open on one side and extension of the locking member closes the open side so that the target vessel is completely surrounded and captured therein, and wherein the distal end of the vessel holding tool including the hook and locking member are constructed of a thin wireform for reduced impediment to endoscopic viewing.

A vessel harvester that is used in conjunction with an endoscope, comprising:

• an elongated cannula including a lumen therein for receiving the endoscope;
• a vessel severing tool extending through the elongated cannula and adapted for longitudinal movement therein, the severing tool having a distal operative end with structure for severing a target vessel;
• a vessel holding tool extending through the elongated cannula and adapted for longitudinal movement therein, the vessel holding tool having a support rod that extends through the elongated cannula and a distal end with a vessel holder used to capture a target vessel and manipulate it to present a side branch of the target vessel to the vessel severing tool;
• and
• a damped slip mechanism provided around the support rod of the vessel holding tool for permitting relative movement between the cannula and the support rod if the vessel holder catches on any body structure and generates a reaction force in the support rod in opposition to movement of the cannula.

A vessel harvester that is used in conjunction with an endoscope, comprising:

• an elongated cannula including a lumen therein for receiving the endoscope;
• a vessel severing tool extending through the elongated cannula and adapted for longitudinal movement therein, the severing tool having a distal operative end with an open mouth for receiving a target vessel that automatically accommodates widely varying sizes of vessel, and a severing device associated with the mouth;
• and
• a vessel holding tool extending through the elongated cannula and adapted for longitudinal movement therein, the vessel holding tool having structure used to capture a target vessel and manipulate it to relative to the vessel severing tool.

A vessel harvester that is used in conjunction with an endoscope, comprising:

• an elongated cannula including a lumen therein for receiving the endoscope;
• a pair of partial tubular vessel shields extending from the cannula and define a lumen sized to receive a target vessel, the partial tubular vessel shields defining gaps therebetween sized to receive a side branch extending from the target vessel;
• and
• a tubular cutting element sized to surround the partial tubular vessel shields and axially displaceable from the cannula, wherein the tubular cutting element advances to sever any side branch received within the gaps and the partial tubular vessel shields protect the target vessel from the severing operation.

A vessel harvester that is used in conjunction with an endoscope, comprising:

• an elongated cannula including a lumen therein for receiving the endoscope;
• a pair of fork-shaped vessel sealing electrodes having tines and spaced laterally apart so as to create a gap therebetween;
• a vessel capturing mandible arranged to move within the gap between the electrodes to capture a target vessel positioned between the tines;
• and
• a severing blade mounted to move within the gap and sever the target vessel.