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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8182423 | Surgical access system and related methods A system for accessing a surgical target site and related methods, involving an initial distraction system for creating an initial distraction corridor, and an assembly capable of distracting from the initial distraction corridor to a secondary distraction corridor ... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8142355 | Surgical tissue retractor A retractor for use in surgical operations comprises a pair of blade assemblies which are adapted to open about a set of axes that are not parallel to a third spatial axis. The retractor further comprises a pair of arms, which are adapted to move the pair of blade a... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8012089 | Disposable expandable cordless lighted retractor A hand-held, surgical instrument to manipulate a patient's tissues having a grip, a first blade, a second blade, a blade actuator, at least one blade rib, a light, and a power source. The first blade and the second blade each extend from the base end of the grip. Th... | 09/06/2011 |
| 7892174 | Surgical access system and method of using the same A surgical access system includes retractor for creating an access path between an incision site and a surgical site. The retractor includes a frame having a base member and a pair of generally curved rails extending therefrom. A tubular member is coupled to the fra... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7481766 | Multiple-blade retractor A retractor with multiple blades for use in surgery. The retractor may comprise first and second elongated portions which are pivotally connected to each other. A first blade may be connected to the first elongated portion and a second blade may be connected to the ... | 01/27/2009 |
| 7384392 | Disposable expandable cordless lighted retractor A surgical instrument to manipulate a patient's tissues, comprising a handle, a first blade, a second blade, and a blade actuator, and may further comprise a light and a power source. The first blade and the second blade each extend from the handle. The second blade... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7338434 | Method and system for organ positioning and stabilization This invention provides a heart positioning device, method and system for positioning, manipulating, holding, grasping, immobilizing and/or stabilizing a heart. The heart positioning device may include a suction head and a shaft with a means for remotely changing th... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7326177 | Tissue stabilizer having an articulating lift element Devices and methods are disclosed for stabilizing tissue within a patient's body during a surgical operation to provide a relatively motionless surgical field, such as during a coronary artery bypass graft procedure. The devices include tissue stabilizers which enga... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7311664 | Apparatus for temporarily engaging body tissue An improved tissue engagement device such as a suction stabilizer or retractor. The stabilizer or retractor is provided with one or more suction pods mounted to the distal end of a flexible arm. The flexible arm is coupled to a base assembly, which attaches the arm ... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7270632 | Surgical retractor having lifting capability A surgical retractor includes a pair of small grips that are disposed at the ends of arms that can be moved toward or away from each other. The grips engage and separate the sides of an incision that has been made in a patient. A lifting mechanism that can be attach... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7235049 | Surgical retractor and method of positioning an artery during surgery The present invention relates to a surgical retractor that immobilizes tissue at a surgical site. A preferred embodiment of the retractor is used during minimally invasive direct coronary bypass procedures to arrest movement of the grafting site while the heart cont... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7229408 | Low profile surgical retractor A compact, low-profile surgical retractor (100) avoids the need for a bulky frame. The retractor includes retractor blade components (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) joined pivotally. A cable (170) is guided by each retractor blade component. A wi... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7207949 | Surgical access system and related methods A surgical access system including a tissue distraction assembly and a tissue retraction assembly, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures bef... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7189201 | Method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue A method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue. In particular, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue within a patient's body cavity. In one embodiment, the tissue immobil... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7156806 | Stabilized table rail clamp A clamping device which secures a retractor support apparatus to an operating table having a side rail. The clamping device has a first clamping member disposed between a side of the operating table and the side rail. The clamping device also includes a second clamp... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7153321 | Surgical forceps A surgical forceps has blades of arcuate shape and handles which are urged apart by springs on a guide blade which mounts the blades by a pivot joint. The guide blade projects below the blades. Gripping means formed by bifurcated arms on the guide blade will, when m... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7147599 | Surgical retractor with improved arms A surgical retractor comprising a laterally extending rack having a first arm connected to the rack spaced from a movable second arm connected to the rack. In the preferred embodiment, the first and second arms have first segments connected to the rack connected to ... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7056287 | Surgical instruments and procedures for stabilizing the beating heart during coronary artery bypass graft surgery Devices for stabilizing tissue during a surgical procedure. The beating heart may be stabilized during a surgical procedure on the heart, using a described stabilizing device. In one example, a stabilizing device is introduced through an opening in the chest and bro... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7048683 | Method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue A method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue. In particular, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of heart tissue to thereby permit surgery on a coronary vessel in that area wit... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7037305 | Heart presentation device and method A medical instrument for positioning an internal organ during surgical and diagnostic procedures is provided. In one embodiment, the medical instrument includes a body having a tissue grasping element and an actuating member effective to move the tissue grasping ele... | 05/02/2006 |
| 6945933 | Instruments and methods for minimally invasive tissue retraction and surgery Methods and devices retract tissue for minimally invasive surgery in a patient. A retractor includes a working channel formed by a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions are movable relative to one another from a first configuration for in... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6890342 | Method and apparatus for closing vascular puncture using hemostatic material A method and apparatus for closing a vascular wound includes a guidewire and/or other surgical implement extending from the wound. A hemostatic material is advanced over the surgical implement and into contact with an area of the blood vessel surrounding the wound. ... | 05/10/2005 |
| 6869398 | Four-blade surgical speculum A speculum system with four blades is provided. The blades project in approximately the same direction, and each blade is connected to a handle linearly or at an angle. The handles are coupled together. In one embodiment, the distance between the blades is changeabl... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6783976 | Carrier and specimen-handling tool for use in diagnostic testing A diagnostic system may include a carrier having at least one well, an upper surface, and a cavity extending downwardly from the upper surface. A specimen-handling tool may be configured to be positioned within the cavity and may include an elongated body having a l... | 08/31/2004 |
| 6746467 | Access platform for internal mammary dissection An access platform having a first and a second blade interconnected to a spreader member that laterally drives the blades apart or together and support pads interconnected to a blade. A torsional member is operably interconnected to a blade and the spreader member a... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6592514 | Organ retraction tape positioner and method for retracting and positioning an internal organ A surgical retraction and positioning device comprises a stable platform and a flexible tape attached thereto for easier retraction and manipulation of a heart during cardiac surgery. The stable platform has an elongate body having a curved handle extendi... | 07/15/2003 |
| 6361493 | Device to permit offpump beating heart coronary bypass surgery A heart retractor links lifting of the heart and regional immobilization which stops one part of the heart from moving to allow expeditious suturing while permitting other parts of the heart to continue to function whereby coronary surgery can be performe... | 03/26/2002 |
| 6346078 | Eyelid retractor for electrosurgery A lid retractor for use, for example, in transconjuntival blepharoplasty electrosurgery on eyelids which avoids having to move the retractor during the procedure. The lid retractor comprises an elongated handle which at one end, the gripper end, divides i... | 02/12/2002 |
| 6221008 | Device for lifting the abdominal wall for laparoscopy Disclosed is a device for lifting the abdominal wall for laparoscopy, whereby the device can be inserted into the abdominal cavity through an opening in the abdominal wall, having an instrument shaft, which is provided at its distal end region with at lea... | 04/24/2001 |
| 6152874 | Adjustable multi-purpose coronary stabilizing retractor An apparatus for stabilizing a predetermined area on a heart of a patient to enable a surgical procedure, the apparatus comprising a bifurcated member having two elongated prongs which can be adjustable as to width and an elongated handle segment attached... | 11/28/2000 |
| 6074343 | Surgical tissue retractor A surgical tissue retractor for use in small tissue incisions such as heart valve surgery. The retractor is comprised of a plurality of retractor blades that can be operated simultaneously or at least one or more blades can be operated independently. Righ... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6024697 | Multi-bladed speculum for dilating a body cavity A speculum for dilating a body cavity with at least three blades, twice as many supporting members, a rachet mechanism between pairs of directly connected supporting members, and a light source receptacle located on one of the blades with a curved plastic... | 02/15/2000 |
| 6019722 | Device to permit offpump beating heart coronary bypass surgery A heart retractor links lifting of the heart and regional immobilization which stops one part of the heart from moving to allow expeditious suturing while permitting other parts of the heart to continue to function whereby coronary surgery can be performe... | 02/01/2000 |
| 5976171 | Access platform for internal mammary dissection An access platform having a first and a second blade interconnected to a spreader member that laterally drives the blades apart or together and support pads interconnected to a blade. A torsional member is operably interconnected to a blade and the spread... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5944736 | Access platform for internal mammary dissection An access platform having a first and a second blade interconnected to a spreader member that laterally drives the blades apart or together and a sternal pad interconnected to a blade. The superior blade is pivotally coupled to the spreader member such th... | 08/31/1999 |
| 5885210 | Surgical retractor A self-retaining hand-held surgical retractor includes a main pair of blades mounted to a pair of fulcrumed levers. The proximal ends of two longitudinally extending bars are mounted to a toggle link carried between the handles. The bars pass through arms... | 03/23/1999 |
| 5782753 | Surgical retractor A surgical retractor comprising a base adapted to lie on the patient's skin, a handle slidably mounted with respect to the base, a tissue retracting blade extending from the handle, and a locking member movable from at least a first position to a second p... | 07/21/1998 |
| 5730757 | Access platform for internal mammary dissection An access platform having a first and a second blade interconnected to a spreader member that laterally drives the blades apart or together and support pads interconnected to the first blade. A torsional member is operably interconnected to the first blad... | 03/24/1998 |
| 5722935 | Laparoscopic retractor having a plurality of blades extending laterally from a handle A surgical retractor retracts tissue from a body cavity in which surgery is to be performed. The retractor has a plurality of fingers or blades which extend laterally from a handle. The fingers pivot about a pivot pin between a retracted position and an e... | 03/03/1998 |
| 5716326 | Method for lifting tissue and apparatus for performing same A surgical lifter adapted to engage and lift the skin from the underlying tissue to create a work space in which a surgeon can operate, includes an expandable lifter head comprising at least two blades pivotally connected for relative pivotal movement bet... | 02/10/1998 |
