The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 31, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 30, 1997
Charles S Taylor, San Francisco, CA (US);
William N Aldrich, Redwood City, CA (US);
Federico J Benetti, Santa Fe, AR;
Richard S Ginn, San Jose, CA (US);
Dwight P Morejohn, Davis, CA (US);
Brent Regan, Davis, CA (US);
Eugene E Reis, San Jose, CA (US);
Ivan Sepetka, Los Altos, CA (US);
William F Witt, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Cardiothoracic Systems, Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
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 that it naturally rises as the blades are separated. Alternatively, a vertical displacement member is operably interconnected to a blade and the spreader member and is used to vertically displace the interconnected superior blade and, thus, increase a surgeon's working space and visual access for the dissection of an internal mammary artery. A tissue retractor is interconnected to the blades to draw the soft tissue around an incision away from the surgeon's working area.