Med Institute Incorporated

Cook Urological, Inc.

Donald R Hollinger

Neal E Fearnot

Edward D Pingleton

Ralph V Clayman

Gary L Butler

Timothy G Vendrely

A pneumatic tissue dissector 10 useful for cutting or dissecting living tissue during endoscopic or laparoscopic procedures includes a dissector tip 16 for exuding a flow of pressurized gas, an inlet arrangement 24 for controlling the flow of gas from the tip 16, and an exhaust system 30 for exhausting the gas exuded from the tip 16. The exhaust system includes an inlet 32 adjacent to the tip 16 and an outlet spaced from the inlet 32. The outlet 34 is operable in coordination with the inlet arrangement 24 and is capable of exhausting a flow of gas about equal to that exuded by the tip 16, ensuring that the pressure in the cavity in which the procedure is performed does not increase or fluctuate. The flow of pressurized gas from the tip 16 is preferably compatible with an insufflation cavity pressure of no more than about 15 mm Hg, and the inlet arrangement 24 preferably supplies gas to the tip 16 at a pressure of no more than about 50 psi. The dissector 10 preferably further includes a laparoscopic introducer sheath 68 which is shorter in length than the distance between the inlet 32 and the outlet 34.

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Bloomington, IN, United States of America

Donald R Hollinger