Bladed endoscopic retractor

An endoscopic retractor, comprising:

• an elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end being inserted into the body of a patient and said proximal end remaining outside of the body, said distal end being undercut and defining a terminal plane for said body;
• at least one blade having a distal and proximal ends, mounted for rotation on said distal end of said body, said distal end of said blade extending beyond said terminal plane of said body during retraction;
• a control member mounted for rotation on the distal end of said body and engaging said blade;
• and
• an actuator connected to said control member whereby said blade may be externally manually manipulated to a variety of angular positions for retraction.

An endoscopic retractor, comprising:

• a body having a longitudinal axis and a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end being inserted into the body of a patient and said proximal end remaining outside of said body, said distal end being undercut and defining a terminal plane for said body;
• at least one blade, said blade having a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end adapted for mounting to said distal end of said body and said distal end of said blade providing retraction;
• and
• means by which said blade may be extended from an insertion position in which said blade is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said body, to a second position where said blade is extended beyond said terminal plane of said body during retraction, so as to provide retraction in a direction away from said body, and is at an angle to said longitudinal axis.

An endoscopic retractor adapted to be inserted into the body of a patient through a small surgical port, comprising:

• an elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end being inserted into the body through said surgical port and said proximal end remaining outside the body, said distal end defining a terminal plane for said body;
• at least one blade having distal and proximal ends, said proximal end of said blade being mounted for articulation on said distal end of said body, said distal end of said blade extending proximally beyond said terminal plane of said body during retraction, so as to provide retraction in a direction away from said body with minimal interference from said body and wherein said distal end of said body is undercut to allow said blade to assume a variety of angular positions;
• a control member rotatably mounted on said distal end of said body and engaging said proximal end of said blade;
• and
• an actuator connected to said control member at said distal end of said body and extending along said body to said proximal end thereof for external manipulation of said blade, said actuator being externally manipulable to cause said control member to articulate about said rotatable mounting, whereby said blade can be variably adjustable to a wide variety of angular positions with respect to the longitudinal axis of said body and achieve retraction in a wide variety of directions.

An endoscopic retractor, comprising:

• a body having a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end being inserted into a patient's body and said proximal end remaining outside the patient's body, said distal end defining a terminal plane for said body;
• a retracting member having distal and proximal ends, said proximal end of said retracting member being mounted for articulation on said distal end of said body, said distal end of said retracting member extending beyond said terminal plane of said body, said distal end being adapted for retraction of tissues, organs, and the like, and wherein said distal end of said body is undercut to allow said retracting member to assume a wide variety of angular positions;
• and
• an actuator connected to said retracting member at said distal end of said body and extending along said body to said proximal end thereof, said actuator being connected to said proximal end of said retracting member and being externally manipulable to cause said retracting member to assume a wide variety of angular positions with respect to the longitudinal axis of said body and achieve retraction in a wide variety of directions.

An endoscopic retractor adapted to be inserted into the body of a patient through an endosurgical port, comprising:

• a body having a longitudinal axis and a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end of said body being inserted into the body of a patient and said proximal end of said body remaining outside of said body, said distal end being undercut and defining a terminal plane for said body;
• at least two blades, each of said blades having a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end of said blade being adapted for mounting at said distal end of said body and said distal end of said blade extending beyond said terminal plane of said body;
• a first control member mounted at said distal end of said body;
• a second control member mounted on said body proximally of said first control member;
• a first actuator connected to said first control member whereby movement of said first actuator causes said first control member to engage the proximal ends of said blades, whereby said blades are articulated so as to provide retraction in a wide variety of angular positions with respect to the longitudinal axis of said body;
• and
• a second actuator connected to said second control member whereby movement of said second actuator causes said second control member to engage the proximal ends of said blades, whereby said blades are spaced apart from one another.

A method of providing retraction in endoscopic surgery, comprising:

• creating an opening in the body of a patient;
• inserting through said opening a retractor comprising a body having a distal and a proximal end, said distal end being undercut and defining a terminal plane for said body, at least one blade having distal and proximal ends, said distal end extending beyond said terminal plane of said body, and an actuator, such that the distal end of said body is inside the patient and said proximal end remains outside the patient;
• positioning said blade to engage a selected internal organ or tissue within the patient's body;
• and
• manipulating said actuator, such that said blade assumes any of a wide variety of angular positions with respect to said body, such that said organ or tissue is displaced in any direction by said blade.

A method of manipulating organs and tissues during endoscopic surgery, comprising:

• creating an opening in the body of a patient;
• inserting through said opening a retractor comprising a body having a distal and a proximal end, said distal end being undercut and defining a terminal plane for said body, at least one blade having distal and proximal ends, said distal end extending beyond said terminal plane of said body, and an actuator, such that the distal end of said body is inside the patient and said proximal end remains outside the patient;
• manipulating said actuator, such that said blade assumes any of a wide variety of angular positions with respect to said body;
• positioning said blade to engage a selected internal organ or tissue within the patient's body;
• and
• manipulating said blade such that said distal end of said blade causes said organ or tissue to be dissected.

A method of manipulating organs and tissues during endoscopic surgery, comprising:

• creating an opening in the body of a patient;
• inserting through said opening a retractor comprising a body having a distal and a proximal end, said distal end being undercut and defining a terminal plane for said body, at least two blades each having distal and proximal ends, said distal end extending beyond said terminal plane of said body, and an actuator, such that the distal end of said body is inside the patient and said proximal end remains outside the patient;
• manipulating said actuator, such that said blades assume any of a wide variety of angular positions with respect to said body;
• positioning said blades such that a selected internal organ or tissue within the patient's body is located between said blades;
• manipulating said blades such that said blades grasp said organ or tissue;
• and
• exerting a force on said body whereby said organ or tissue grasped between said blades is torn from surrounding tissue.