Retrograde dissector and method for facilitating a TRAM flap

United States Patent

Kieturakis

[54] RETROGRADE DISSECTOR AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING A TRAM FLAP

[75] Inventor: Maciej J. Kieturakis, San Carlos, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Archimedes Surgical, Inc., Menlo Park, Calif.

[21] Appl. No.: 645,321

[22] Filed: May 13,1996

Related U.S. Application Data

[63] Continuation of Set No. 334,656, Nov. 3,1994, abandoned.

[51] Int CI.6 A61B 17/00

[52] U.S. CI 606/190; 128/898; 606/192

[58] Field of Search 606/190. 192,

606/1. 159, 170, 201, 204; 604/902; 128/898, 304-305. 305.1, 310, 341, 357, 20; 433/141

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MIHIHIIHIII

US005653726A

[li] Patent Number: 5,653,726 [45] Date of Patent: Aug. 5, 1997

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Primary Examiner—Gay V. Tucker
Assistant Examiner—Nancy Connolly Mulcare
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Skjerven. Morrill, MacPherson,
Franklin & Friel; Norman R. Klivans

[57] ABSTRACT

For surgery, an endoscopic retrograde dissector instrument and less invasive method for bluntly dissecting tissue planes overlying and underlying a rectus aMominus muscle to mobilize the muscle in a transverse aMominal mastoplasty (breast reconstruction). The retrograde dissector includes an elongate blunt-tipped guide member that carries a distal inflatable sleeve. The blunt tip of the guide member is advanced distally along a plane in the interior of the body thereby creating a small diameter dissected track. The distal inflatable sleeve is inflated and then pulled in a retrograde movement along the track to dissect a wide tissue plane laterally on each side of the track in a single efficient step. A pulse mechanism rapidly pulsates the inflated sleeve to facilitate the dissection of connective tissues along planes of least resistance to create a relatively blood-free dissected tissue plane.

13 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets

Page 2

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