Methods and devices for providing direction to surgical tools
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorMichael D. Laufer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for providing direction to surgical tools. In one embodiment, a surgical device can include a cannulated elongate shaft with a cannulated curved distal tip. The device can be configured to be introduced into a body of a patient, and one portion of the device can be configured to be positioned on a proximal side of a tissue wall and a distal-most portion of the device including at least a portion of the curved distal tip can be configured to be positioned on the other, distal side of the tissue wall. A surgical tool can be configured to be advanced through the device to pass the surgical tool through the tissue wall with the curved distal tip providing direction for the surgical tool.
Claims20
A surgical device, comprising:
- an elongate member having a curved distal tip configured to be positioned in an opening in a tissue wall;
- and
- a proximal control mechanism configured to manipulate the curved distal tip to change a position of the curved distal tip relative to the tissue wall at least when the curved distal tip is positioned in the opening.
A surgical method, comprising:
- advancing an elongate member having a curved distal tip into a body of a patient;
- positioning the elongate member through an opening formed in a tissue wall in the body of the patient with a first portion of the elongate member extending proximal to the tissue wall and with a second portion of the elongate member that includes at least a portion of the curved distal tip extending distal to the tissue wall;
- and
- advancing a surgical tool along the curved distal tip to guide the surgical tool distal to the opening in a curved direction.
A surgical method, comprising:
- advancing a guide element having a curved distal tip into a hollow body organ;
- positioning the guide element through an opening formed through a wall of the body organ with a proximal portion of the guide element positioned inside the body organ and a distal portion of the guide element outside the body organ with the curved distal tip curving along at least a portion of an outer surface of the body organ;
- and
- advancing a surgical tool along the curved distal tip to guide the surgical tool along the outer surface of the body organ.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.