Endoscopic retractor instrument and associated method
AssigneeGranit Medical Innovations, LLC
InventorNaomi L. Nakao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An endoscopic retractor is an elongate balloon having an expanded configuration having two end portions and a plurality of struts or spacer members extending between the end portions. The retractor balloon is a single tubular preform bent during manufacture to form the expanded configuration. Thus, the struts or spacer members are integral with both end portions and define therewith a single flow path for inflation or pressurization fluid.
Claims19
An endoscopic retractor instrument comprising a balloon having an inflated or expanded configuration with longitudinally spaced end portions in the form of spiraling tubular coils, said coils being connected to one another by a plurality of mutually transversely spaced elongate spacer tubes, said coils and said spacer tubes being formed from a single bent and wound elongate tubular preform.
An endoscopic retractor comprising a single elongate tubular balloon having an inflated or expanded configuration that is partially spirally coiled to form a cage, said balloon having a single smooth and continuous wall free of seams, said inflated or expanded configuration including a pair of longitudinally spaced coils at opposite ends, said coils being coupled to one another by a plurality of elongate transversely spaced spacer tubes.
A medical instrument comprising:
- a retractor in the form of a balloon having an inflated or expanded configuration with longitudinal spaced end portions in the form of spiraling tubular coils, said coils being connected to one another by a plurality of mutually transversely spaced elongate spacer tubes, said coils and said spacer tubes being formed from a single bent and wound elongate tubular preform;
- and
- means for using said retractor in conjunction with a flexible endoscopic instrument so that an expanded configuration of said retractor retracts tissues located ahead of a distal tip of said endoscopic instrument to facilitate visualization.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.