Surgical procedures using endoscopic inflatable retraction devices

Abstract

Retraction of an organ or tissue plane to be retracted is performed to gain access for a surgical instrument to treat an organ or tissue plane to be treated. An inflatable retractor, including a main envelope enclosing a main chamber, is provided with the main envelope in a collapsed state. The main envelope of the retractor is placed adjacent the organ or tissue plane to be retracted. The main chamber is inflated to an expanded state to retract the organ or tissue plane to be retracted. An aperture is pierced in the main envelope to provide access for the surgical instrument passed into the main chamber to contact an organ or tissue plane to be treated while the main chamber is maintained in the expanded state, notwithstanding the aperture pierced in the main envelope. The organ or tissue plane to be retracted and the organ or tissue plane to be treated may be different parts of the same organ or tissue plane. The method may be used in procedures including retracting the bowel to provide anterior access to organs, including the spinal column, the aorta and the kidneys, lying outside the peritoneum; retracting one part of the lung to provide access to another part of the lung; retracting the pericardium from the heart to provide access to the outer surface of the heart; retracting the liver to provide access to the gastro-esophagal junction; and retracting the brain from the dura mater to provide access to the brain.