Endoscope and method for vein removal

A method of removing a section of a vessel from a patient's body for use in a different environment comprising:

• providing an endoscope of the type having a scope body with a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, with the lumen having a proximal end and a distal end, and means for viewing an area adjacent to the distal end of the lumen, the lumen having a lateral dimension of size sufficient to accommodate that section of the vessel which is being removed and a tool for use in removing the section of the vessel;
• exposing a portion of the section of the vessel to be removed through an incision in the patient's body;
• gripping the exposed portion with a gripping tool that has been inserted through the lumen of the endoscope;
• and
• dissecting the section of the vessel which is being removed from the patient's body with a dissecting tool also inserted through the lumen of the endoscope, using the viewing means to view the dissection process ;
• cutting the vessel at proximal and distal ends of the vessel section;
• and
• removing the vessel section from the patient's body, the steps of exposing, gripping, dissecting, cutting and removing being performed in a manner that minimizes damage to the endothelium of the vessel .

A method of harvesting a section of a vessel from a patient's body for use in a different environment comprising:

• making an incision over a first end of the vessel section to be harvested, the length of the incision being sufficient to accommodate at least one tool used in harvesting the vessel section but being substantially smaller than the length of the vessel section;
• exposing the first end of the vessel section through the incision;
• dissecting the vessel away from surrounding tissue of the patient's body until a desired length of vessel which exceeds the length of the incision has been dissected free from surrounding tissue;
• severing the vessel at proximal and distal ends of the vessel section with at least one tool inserted through the incision;
• and
• removing the vessel section through the incision, the steps of making an incision, exposing, dissecting, severing, and removing being performed in a manner that minimizes damage to the endothelium of the vessel.

A method of harvesting a section of a vessel from a patient's body for use in a different environment comprising:

• making an incision in the patient's body over a first end of the vessel section to be harvested, the length of the incision being sufficient to accommodate at least one tool used in harvesting the vessel section but being substantially smaller than the length of the vessel section;
• exposing the first end of the vessel section to be harvested through the incision in the patient's body;
• dissecting the vessel away from surrounding tissue of the patient's body;
• and
• viewing the dissection of the vessel with a viewing device inserted through the incision;
• severing the vessel at proximal and distal ends of the vessel section;
• and
• removing the vessel section from the patient's body, the steps of making an incision, exposing, dissecting, viewing, severing and removing being performed in a manner that minimizes damage to the endothelium of the vessel.

A method of harvesting a section of a vessel from a patient's body for use in a different environment comprising:

• providing a device having an elongated body, the body having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, the lumen having a proximal end and a distal end and having a lateral dimension of size sufficient to accommodate the vessel and a tool for use in harvesting the vessel;
• exposing a first end of the vessel section to be harvested through an incision in the patient's body;
• gripping the first end with a gripping tool that has been inserted through the lumen of the elongated body;
• dissecting the vessel away from surrounding tissue of the patient's body with a dissecting tool inserted through the incision;
• and
• viewing the dissection of the vessel from an area adjacent the distal end of the lumen of the elongated body;
• severing the vessel at proximal and distal ends of the vessel section;
• and
• removing the vessel section from the patient's body, the steps of exposing, gripping, dissecting, viewing, severing and removing being performed in a manner that minimizes damage to the endothelium of the vessel.

A method of harvesting a section of a vessel from a patient's body for use in a different environment comprising:

• making an incision over a first end of the vessel section to be harvested, the length of the incision being sufficient to accommodate at least one tool used in harvesting the vessel section but being substantially smaller than the length of the vessel section;
• exposing the first end of the vessel section through the incision;
• dissecting the vessel away from surrounding tissue of the patient's body with a dissecting tool inserted through the incision until a desired length of vessel which exceeds the length of the incision has been dissected free from surrounding tissue;
• viewing the dissection of the vessel with a viewing device inserted through the incision;
• severing the vessel at proximal and distal ends of the vessel;
• and
• removing the vessel section from the patient's body, the steps of making an incision, exposing, dissecting, viewing, severing, and removing being performed in a manner that minimizes damage to the endothelium of the vessel.

A method of harvesting a section of a vessel from a patient's body for use in a different environment comprising:

• making an incision over a first end of the vessel section to be harvested, the length of the incision being sufficient to accommodate at least one tool used in harvesting the vessel section but being substantially smaller than the length of the vessel section;
• exposing the first end of the vessel section through the incision;
• dissecting the vessel away from surrounding tissue of the patient's body until a desired length of vessel which exceeds the length of the incision has been dissected free from surrounding tissue;
• severing the vessel at proximal and distal ends of the vessel section with at least one tool inserted through the incision;
• removing the vessel section through the incision;
• and
• re-using the vessel section as a fluid conduit in a human body.

A method of harvesting a section of a vessel from a patient's body for use in a different environment comprising:

• making an incision in the patient's body over a first end of the vessel section to be harvested, the length of the incision being sufficient to accommodate at least one tool used in harvesting the vessel section but being substantially smaller than the length of the vessel section;
• exposing the first end of the vessel section to be harvested through the incision in the patient's body;
• dissecting the vessel away from surrounding tissue of the patient's body;
• and
• viewing the dissection of the vessel with a viewing device inserted through the incision;
• severing the vessel at proximal and distal ends of the vessel section;
• removing the vessel section from the patient's body;
• and
• re-using the vessel section as a fluid conduit in a human body.

A method of harvesting a section of a vessel from a patient's body for use in a different environment comprising:

• providing a device having an elongated body, the body having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, the lumen having a proximal end and a distal end and having a lateral dimension of size sufficient to accommodate the vessel and a tool for use in harvesting the vessel;
• exposing a first end of the vessel section to be harvested through an incision in the patient's body;
• gripping the first end with a gripping tool that has been inserted through the lumen of the elongated body;
• dissecting the vessel away from surrounding tissue of the patient's body with a dissecting tool inserted through the incision;
• and
• viewing the dissection of the vessel from an area adjacent the distal end of the lumen of the elongated body;
• severing the vessel at proximal and distal ends of the vessel section;
• removing the vessel section from the patient's body;
• and
• re-using the vessel section as a fluid conduit in a human body.

A method of harvesting a section of a vessel from a patient's body for use in a different environment comprising:

• making an incision over a first end of the vessel section to be harvested, the length of the incision being sufficient to accommodate at least one tool used in harvesting the vessel section but being substantially smaller than the length of the vessel section;
• exposing the first end of the vessel section through the incision;
• dissecting the vessel away from surrounding tissue of the patient's body with a dissecting tool inserted through the incision until a desired length of vessel which exceeds the length of the incision has been dissected free from surrounding tissue;
• viewing the dissection of the vessel with a viewing device inserted through the incision;
• severing the vessel at proximal and distal ends of the vessel;
• removing the vessel section from the patient's body;
• and
• re-using the vessel section as a fluid conduit in a human body.

A method of re-using a section of a vessel from a patient's body in the patient's body comprising:

• making an incision over a first end of the vessel section, the length of the incision being sufficient to accommodate at least one tool used in the method but being substantially smaller than the length of the vessel section;
• exposing the first end of the vessel section through the incision;
• dissecting the vessel away from surrounding tissue of the patient's body with a tool inserted through the incision until a desired length of vessel which exceeds the length of the incision has been dissected free from surrounding tissue;
• severing the first end of the vessel section with a tool inserted through the incision;
• and
• re-using the vessel section as a fluid conduit in the patient's body.