US 5,634,935 A · Balloon dissection instrument and method of dissection

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for the dissection of blood vessels, lymph nodes and other body organs from the surrounding tissue and to a novel balloon dissection instrument for use in the method. The dissection instrument comprises an elongated tube having at least one inflatable balloon attached around the outer wall of a distal portion of the tube. The method of dissecting a vein, such as the saphenous vein, involves severing of the vein at two sites, defining the length of vein to be dissected. The vein is then accessed by securing the severed end, for example by a thread attached thereto and passed through the lumen of the dissection instrument to serve as a controllable anchor. The distal end of the dissection instrument, with the balloon deflated, is placed over the free end of the vein so that the vein enters the lumen of the instrument and the distal end of the instrument is pressed between the outer layer of the vein, i.e., the adventitia, and the connected fascia. The balloon is then inflated causing the adventitia and fascia to separate in the region proximate to the distal end of the instrument. The balloon is then deflated and the instrument moved forward to encompass the dissected portion of vein within the lumen of the instrument. The balloon is again inflated to free another section of the vein from the surrounding fascia. The procedure is repeated and the instrument advanced along the length of the vein until the desired length of vein has been dissected.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for the dissection of a blood vessel segment using a balloon dissection instrument comprising

an elongated tube characterized by a cylindrical wall having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a central lumen, the central lumen having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the blood vessel segment to be dissected;
an inflatable/deflatable balloon attached to the tube, surrounding the outer surface of a distal portion of the tube;
at least one inflation conduit extending axially along the length of the tube within the wall between the outer surface and the inner surface thereof and in fluid communication with the interior of the balloon for inflation and deflation of the balloon;
means fluidly coupled to the inflation conduit, for inflating and deflating the balloon by controlled transmission of fluid pressure;
said method comprising the steps of:
a) severing a blood vessel to provide a free end of the blood vessel segment to be dissected;
b) securing the free end;
c) placing the distal end of the balloon dissection instrument over the free end of the segment causing the free end of the segment to enter the lumen of the dissection instrument and the distal end of the dissection instrument to be pressed between the adventitia of the blood vessel segment and the surrounding fascia;
d) inflating the balloon to cause the adventitia and fascia to separate in the region proximate to the distal end of the dissecting instrument and provide a dissected portion of the blood vessel;
e) deflating the balloon and advancing the instrument along the outer adventitial surface of the blood vessel to encompass the dissected portion of blood vessel segment within the lumen of the instrument;
f) repeating the procedure of steps d) and e) and advancing the instrument until the blood vessel segment has been dissected.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Balloon dissection instrument and method of dissection

Life of this patent

Balloon dissection instrument and method of dissection

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13