Vessel Harvesting
OwnerMichael C. Stewart, Liming Lau +5inventors
InventorsMichael C. Stewart, Liming Lau, Michael Wei, John P. Lunsford, Albert K. Chin, Peter Tachi Callas, Benjamin Sherman
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for harvesting selected vessels in the body of a patient include manual manipulation of a rigid dissecting endoscope and the reconfiguration thereof to facilitate tissue dissection and tissue dilation in the formation of an anatomical space about the vessel within which side-branch vessels may be manipulated in preparation for severance and removal of the vessel from the anatomical space.
Claims20
Apparatus for selective positioning over a portion of the length of an endoscope for selectively performing tissue manipulation in the body of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
- an elongated cannula having distal and proximal ends and having an inner bore therebetween of diameter sized to slidably and rotatably receive an endoscope therein;
- a surgical effector device disposed near the distal end of the cannula for rotation with the cannula about an endoscope received therein and disposed for selective movement relative to the distal end of the cannula;
- and
- a control member supported by the cannula near the proximal end thereof and linked to the surgical effector device for selective actuation thereof to manipulate tissue near the distal end of the cannula within a field of view of an endoscope disposed therein in response to manual actuation of the control member.
A method of dissecting a vessel within the body of a patient using an endoscope with an overlying cannula supporting a surgical effector device, the method comprising:
- forming an incision to expose the vessel;
- advancing the cannula through the incision and along the course of the vessel to bluntly dissect tissue therefrom for forming an anatomical space about the vessel and exposing side-branch vessels thereof under visualization through an endoscope disposed within the cannula;
- manipulating with the surgical effector device supported by the cannula any side-branch vessels exposed within the anatomical space along the course of the vessel under visualization through the endoscope;
- and
- severing the vessel for use as a bypass conduit.
A kit of surgical apparatus for performing surgical procedures, the kit comprising:
- an elongated cannula having a bore therethrough between distal and proximal ends thereof for slidably and rotatably receiving an endoscope therein, the cannula supporting a number of surgical utilization devices including a vessel retractor near the distal end of the cannula for selective manipulation in response to a corresponding number of control means supported near the proximal end of the cannula and linked to corresponding surgical utilization devices;
- and,
- a container enclosing the cannula to form an hermetic seal thereabout and maintain a sterile environment therein about the cannula.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.