Patent Application
20070198046
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a surgical tool. More particularly, this invention pertains to a surgical tool to provide enhanced visualization during a surgical procedure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of different methods have been suggested for creating lesions around pulmonary veins for the purpose of treating atrial fibrillation. Examples of these can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,474,340; 6,805,129; 6,161,543; 6,314,962; 6,314,963; 6,474,240 and 6,949,095. Also, such procedures and related tools are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US 2003/0029462; US 2004/0260278; US 2004/0054263; US 2004/147912; US 2004/0102771 and US 2002/0087151.
The foregoing patent applications and patents teach placing an ablation element on an epicardial surface of the heart. Preferably, a complete lesion is formed surrounding pulmonary veins to isolate the pulmonary veins during a so-called MAZE procedure. Ablation elements come in a wide variety of forms and can include ultrasound, radio frequency ablation, laser ablation as well as diffused light ablation.
While MAZE procedures can be performed during so-called open chest procedures, atrial fibrillation treatments are most preferably performed through minimally invasive or laparoscopic procedures. In such procedures, small incisions are formed through the patient's chest in between the ribs to provide access for several ports to pass visualization instruments and surgical tools.
Minimally invasive cardiac procedures present challenging surgical obstacles requiring novel techniques to safely accomplish a procedure in a timely manner. In part, such challenges include limited visibility during such procedures which may frustrate a surgeon's identification of important anatomical landmarks.
Numerous tools have been suggested to enhance visualization within a laparoscopic procedure. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,136 to Bonutti dated Aug. 21, 2001 teaches a balloon to develop an anatomical space through which a scope can be passed as illustrated in
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention an apparatus is disclosed for enhancing visualization during surgery. The apparatus includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end has a handle for manipulation of the shaft. A balloon member is provided at a distal end of the shaft. A fluid conduit through the shaft is provided for passing an inflation fluid from the proximal end into the balloon to selectively inflate the balloon. The balloon is formed of a material transparent to a wavelength of interest such as the visible spectrum. A waveguide extends through the shaft from the proximal end towards the distal end. A distal end of the waveguide is positioned within the balloon to visualize anatomical features external to the balloon.
With reference now to the various drawing figures in which identical elements are numbered identically throughout, a description of a preferred embodiment to the present invention will now be provided.
As shown best in
A proximal end 22 of the balloon is secured to the shaft 12 to any suitable means such as adhesives, ultrasonic welding or the like. A distal end 24 of the balloon 20 is similarly secured to a hub 26. The hub 26 is coaxially aligned with the shaft 12 and spaced therefrom by a distance D. The spacing of the hub 26 from the shaft 12 is maintained by a rigid rod 28 which rigidly connects the rigid shaft 12 to the rigid hub 26.
In a preferred embodiment, the hub 26 terminates at a blunt rounded end 30. The blunt rounded end 30 permits the distal end 30 to be passed and urged by the surgeon through a dissection plane without presenting significant risk of trauma to opposing tissue. Alternatively, the end 30 could be any dissection tool (such as dissection jaws well known in the art) which can be manipulated by the handle 18 through mechanisms well known in the art.
The shaft 12 has a lumen 34 for passing an inflation fluid (such as a gas or a liquid, for example, saline) from the proximal end 14 of the shaft into the internal volume 32 of the balloon 20.
A waveguide 36 extends through the lumen 34 and terminates at a distal end 38 positioned within the interior volume 32. The waveguide 36 is a conventional scope well-known in laparoscopic procedures and may be physically secured to the shaft 12 or, more preferably, advanced through the lumen 34 when desired.
In the embodiments of
The distal end 50 of the shaft 42 carries a balloon 52 which in a preferred embodiment is a transparent non-distendable material. An articulating rod 54 is coupled to the shaft 42 and extends into the interior 56 of the balloon 52. Through ratcheting mechanisms well known in the art, the handle 44 is coupled to the rod 54 such that a distal end 58 of the rod (positioned within the balloon volume 56) may be curved from a straight configuration to a slightly curved configuration shown in
The surgeon can then advance a scope 60 through the shaft 42 into the interior 56 of the balloon 52. As in the previous embodiment, the scope 60 preferably has a beveled end 62 to provide a field of view F which is, at least in part, radial to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 42. In addition to being axially movable within the shaft 42, the scope 60 may also be rotated about its longitudinal axis to provide a 360° view of the anatomical structure opposing the balloon 52.
It has been shown how the objects of the invention have been attained in the preferred embodiment. Modifications and equivalents of the disclosed concepts such as those which readily occur to one of skill in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the claims which are appended hereto.
