| US 7,594,888 B2 | ||
| Expandable ports and methods for minimally invasive surgery | ||
| Douglas Raymond, Randolph, Mass. (US); Shinikequa White, Dorchester, Mass. (US); Richard Pellegrino, Upton, Mass. (US); Anthony Carlone, Bristol, R.I. (US); William Frasier, New Bedford, Mass. (US); Connie Marchek, Foxboro, Mass. (US); Brian Murphy, Quincy, Mass. (US); Stephen Connolly, Sharon, Mass. (US); Nicholas Pavento, Walpole, Mass. (US); and Sara Dziedzic, Braintree, Mass. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Depuy Spine, Inc., Raynham, Mass. (US) | ||
| Filed on Oct. 21, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/255,784. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/623161, filed on Oct. 29, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0106416 A1, May 18, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. A61B 1/32 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 600—219 [600/215; 600/222] | 4 Claims |
| 1. An expandable port for minimally invasive surgery, the port comprising:
a first section having a proximal end, a distal end, a first side, and a second side, the first section being arcuate in shape,
the first side and the second side each extending from the proximal end to distal end of the first section, the first section
have an inner wall and a coextensive outer wall each of which extend continuously from the proximal end to the distal end
of the first section in a parallel arrangement, the inner wall connecting to the outer wall at the distal end of the first
section along the extent of the distal end of the first section, the inner wall being spaced apart from the outer wall at
two separate and distinct locations to define two separate and distinct housings, the two housings comprising a first housing
opening at the first side of the first section and a second housing opening at the second side of the first section;
a second section having a proximal end, a distal end, a first side, and a second side, the second section being arcuate in
shape, the first side and the second side each extending from the proximal end to distal end of the first section, the second
section have an inner wall and a coextensive outer wall each of which extend continuously from the proximal end to the distal
end of the second section in a parallel arrangement, the inner wall connecting to the outer wall at the distal end of the
second section along the extent of the distal end of the second section, the inner wall being spaced apart from the outer
wall at two separate and distinct locations to define two separate and distinct housings, the two housings comprising a third
housing opening at the first side of the second section and a fourth housing opening at the second side of the second section;
a first intermediate section having a length approximate to a length of the first section and a length of the second section,
a second intermediate section having a length approximate to a length of the first section and a length of the second section;
the port being expandable from a closed configuration in which the first side of the first section engages the first side
of the second section along the length of the first section and length of the second section and the second side of the first
section engages the second side of the second section along the length of the first section and the length of the second section
to an expanded configuration in which the first side of the first section is spaced apart from the first side of the second
section to create a first gap therebetween and the second side of the first section is space apart from the second side of
the second section to define a second gap therebetween,
wherein when the port is in the closed configuration a first portion of the first intermediate section is positioned within
the first housing and a second portion of the first intermediate section is positioned in the third housing and a first portion
of the second intermediate section is positioned within the second housing and a second portion of the second intermediate
section is positioned in the fourth housing, and
wherein when the port is in the expanded configuration the first intermediate section spans the first gap between the first
side of the first section and the first side of the second section and the second intermediate section spans the second gap
between the second side of the first section and the second side of the second section, the inner wall of the first section,
the inner wall of the second section, the first intermediate section, and the second section providing a continuous uninterrupted
pathway from the proximal ends of the first section and the second section to the distal ends of the first section and the
second section when the port is in the expanded configuration.
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