US 8,409,090 B2Granted

Tissue retractor and method for using the retractor

AssigneeId, LLC

InventorsKevin W. Smith, Matthew A. Palmer, Juergen Kortenbach, Jose Francese

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Abstract

A retractor for manipulating an object includes a body having proximal and distal ends and a retraction device with a head connected to the distal end of the body, a connector movably disposed in the body, and flexible needles of a shape memory material having a memory shape. The needles are connected to the connector and each have a distal tip. The memory shape of the needles include a portion with an arcuate shape biasing the needles in a memory direction out and away from the head and toward the body to position the distal tip of each of the needles closer to the body when the needles are fully extended out of the head than when the needles are only partially extended out of the head. An actuation device is connected to the proximal end of the body and operatively connected to the connector through the body, the actuation device, upon actuation thereof, moves the connector to selectively extend the needles out of the head in different directions and withdraw the needles into the head.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A retractor for manipulating an object, comprising:

a body having a proximal end and a distal end;
a retraction device having:
a head connected to said distal end of said body, said head comprising a curved track having a first portion and a second portion;
a connector movably disposed in said body;
flexible needles of a shape memory material having a memory shape, said needles connected to said connector and each having a distal tip, said memory shape of said needles including a portion with an arcuate shape biasing said needles in a memory direction out and away from said head and toward the proximal end of said body to position said distal tip of each of said needles closer to said body when said needles are fully extended out of said head than when said needles are only partially extended out of said head, each of said flexible needles slidably disposed within a respective portion of said curved track;
and
a shim separating said flexible needles from each other while in said respective portion of said curved track;
and
an actuation device connected to said proximal end of said body and operatively connected to said connector through said body, said actuation device, upon actuation thereof, moving said connector to selectively extend said needles out of said head in different directions and withdraw said needles into said head.

6 more elements

In combination with a flexible endoscope having at least one working channel, a tissue retractor for manipulating tissue inside a patient, the tissue retractor comprising:

a body having a proximal end and a distal end;
a retraction device having:
a head connected to said distal end of said body, said head comprising a curved track having a first portion and a second portion;
a connector movably disposed in said body;
and
flexible needles of a shape memory material having a memory shape, said needles connected to said connector and each having a distal tip, said memory shape of said needles including a portion with an arcuate shape biasing said needles in a memory direction out and away from said head and toward the proximal end of said body to position said distal tip of each of said needles closer to said body when said needles are fully extended out of said head than when said needles are only partially extended out of said head, each of said flexible needles slidably disposed within a respective portion of said curved track;
and
a shim separating said flexible needles from each other while in said respective portion of said curved track;
and
an actuation device connected to said proximal end of said body and operatively connected to said connector through said body, said actuation device, upon actuation thereof, moving said connector to selectively extend said needles out of said head in different directions and withdraw said needles into said head;
and
said body and said retraction device are sized to fit within the working channel of the endoscope.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/767,328Filed 26 Apr 2010 · division
Priority: 5 Dec 2003
Published: US 2011/0071360 A124 Mar 2011
Granted: 2 Apr 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

A61B 17/0643
Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue: with separate closing member, e.g. for interlocking with staple
A61B 17/0218
For holding wounds open, e.g. retractors; Tractors: for minimally invasive surgery
A61B 17/068
Surgical instruments, devices or methods: surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps
A61B 17/0682
Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps: for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil

Family

Application10/728,389Parent of this division · filed 5 Dec 2003
US 2011/0071360 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Mar 2011
US 7,731,655 B2Parent of this division
US 2004/0225194 A1Published application
US 8,409,090 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.