Gastric band insertion instrument
AssigneeSymmetry Medical New Bedford, Inc
InventorJERRY R. GRIFFITHS
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An endoscopic surgical instrument is used in minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery for inserting a gastric band into a patient's abdomen through a laparoscopic port. The gastric band insertion instrument includes a handle, an elongated shaft and a distal end assembly. The elongated shaft includes an actuator rod that opens and closes a movable jaw at the distal end. A pin at the distal end assembly engages a hole in the front of the gastric band, and the movable jaw is closed thereby securely capturing the front end of the gastric band. The shaft and the captured gastric band are inserted through a laparoscopic port into the patient's abdomen.
Claims10
A method for inserting an elongated strap via minimally invasive surgery into a patient's body the method comprising:
- providing an elongated strap comprising a buckle end and a distal end, said buckle end comprising a pull tab;
- providing an elongated shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein said elongated shaft comprises a handle attached to a proximal end of said elongated shaft and an end assembly attached to a distal end of said elongated shaft, and wherein said end assembly comprises a flat member having a first end attached to said distal end of said elongated shaft, a rounded cone-shaped nose extending from a second end of said flat member, and a movable jaw articulately connected to said second end of said flat member;
- engaging a hole in said pull tab with said end assembly and securely capturing said pull tab;
- inserting said elongated shaft with the captured elongated strap into the patient's body;
- and
- pushing said pull tab and thereby said elongated strap through into the patient's body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.