# US 2017/0281149 A1 · Self-retaining radial tissue retractor

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- Number: US 2017/0281149 A1
- Document ID: US20170281149A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/463,995
- Filed: 2017-03-20
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-21
- Assignees: OriGYN Medical Inc.
- Applicants: OriGYN Medical Inc.
- Inventors: Christopher Rolfes; Gavin Sillitto; Kathryn McAlexander; Ashley Saienni; Pamela Collier; Robert Steed
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170281149A1

## CPC

- A61B 17/0293: {with ring member to support retractor elements}
- A61B 1/303: for the vagina, i.e. vaginoscopes
- A61B 1/32: Devices for opening or enlarging the visual field, e.g. of a tube of the body
- A61B 17/42: Gynaecological or obstetrical instruments or methods {(ligaturing clamps or clips for the umbilical cord A61B17/122; curettage A61B17/320708)}
- A61B 90/30: Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
- A61B 2017/00407: {Ratchet means}
- A61B 2017/00862: {elastic or resilient}
- A61B 2017/00867: {shape memory effect}
- A61B 2017/0212: {Cushions or pads, without holding arms, as tissue retainers, e.g. for retracting viscera}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

Disclosed is a self-retaining retractor configured for insertion into an orifice. The self-retaining retractor may include a flexible structure made of, for example, one or more of an elastic polymer sheet and an elastic polymer mesh. Further, the self-retaining retractor may include a flexible or shape memory material, such as, for example, nitinol, polymer or elastomer, incorporated in the flexible structure. Further, the shape memory material may be configured to change a state of the self-retaining retractor between a collapsed state and an expanded state. Accordingly, in the collapsed state, the self-retaining retractor may be conveniently inserted into the orifice. Subsequently, the self-retaining retractor may be changed to the expanded state in which the self-retaining retractor applies outwardly radial force causing the orifice to increase in size.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A self-retaining retractor configured for insertion into an orifice, the self-retaining retractor comprising:
a flexible structure; and
an expandable material that is configured to change a state of the self-retaining retractor between a collapsed state and an expandable state.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The self-retaining retractor of claim 1, wherein the flexible structure comprises at least one of an elastic polymer sheet and an elastic polymer mesh.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The self-retaining retractor of claim 1, wherein the self-retaining retractor is configured to exert a radial force towards the periphery of the orifice in the expanded state.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The self-retaining retractor of claim 1, wherein the shape memory material is incorporated in the flexible structure in at least one of a bucket handle configuration, a cylindrical clam shell configuration and a scissoring configuration.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The self-retaining retractor of claim 1, wherein a shape of the self-retaining retractor is at least one of a cylindrical form and a conical form.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The self-retaining retractor of claim 1, wherein at least one edge of the self-retaining retractor comprises a ridged form factor configured to maintain overlapping layers of the self-retaining retractor from sliding axially.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The self-retaining retractor of claim 1 further comprising at least one ratcheting mechanism configured to temporarily lock the self-retaining retractor in a desired state.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The self-retaining retractor of claim 1 further comprising a release mechanism configured to release the self-retaining retractor from the desired state.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The self-retaining retractor of claim 1 configured to allow the use of a spatula based retractor on top of the self-retaining retractor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The self-retaining retractor of claim 1, wherein the expandable material comprises a shape memory material incorporated in the flexible structure, wherein the shape memory material is configured to change the state of the self-retaining retractor between the collapsed state and the expanded state.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The self-retaining retractor of claim 1, further comprising a structure to control the depth into the body that the retractor will sit.