US 6,488,693 B2 · Vascular incisor and method

Abstract

An improved vascular incisor and method for allowing a user to safely create an incision in a body lumen. The present invention provides an apparatus which can create an incision in a front wall of the ascending aorta while preventing the blade from creating an incision in surrounding body structures, such as the back wall of the ascending aorta. The incisor includes a surgical element such as a blade which is activated by an actuator. As the actuator is depressed, the blade is moved from a protected, retracted position to an exposed, deployed position. The exposed blade is pushed into a front wall of the ascending aorta to create an incision. As the actuator is depressed further, the blade is automatically moved to the retracted position to prevent the blade from incising the back wall of the aorta.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An apparatus for creating a vascular incision comprising:

a body;
a rod movable relative to the body and having a proximal end and a distal end;
a surgical element disposed at the distal end of the rod, wherein the rod and surgical element are movable between a retracted position and a deployed position, wherein the rod and surgical element are biased in the retracted position;
an actuator coupled to at least one finger which engages the proximal end of the rod, wherein activation of the actuator advances the surgical element from the retracted position to the deployed position;
and
a ramp on the body to engage the finger as the rod and surgical element move to the deployed position, wherein the ramp disengages the finger from the proximal end of the rod to allow the surgical element to move to the retracted position.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vascular incisor and method

Life of this patent

Vascular incisor and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19