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:
Apr. 19, 2011
Filed:
Nov. 19, 2003
J. Donald Hill, Tiburon, CA (US);
Geoffrey Briggs, Los Altos, CA (US);
John Cvinar, Newton, MA (US);
Andy H. Levine, Newton, MA (US);
Eric May, Norfolk, MA (US);
John Meade, Mendon, MA (US);
Michael Sims, Montara, CA (US);
J. Donald Hill, Tiburon, CA (US);
Geoffrey Briggs, Los Altos, CA (US);
John Cvinar, Newton, MA (US);
Andy H. Levine, Newton, MA (US);
Eric May, Norfolk, MA (US);
John Meade, Mendon, MA (US);
Michael Sims, Montara, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A system for performing vascular surgery includes a first retractor blade and a second retractor blade and a fulcrum device. The first retractor blade includes a first grasping bar, and the second retractor blade comprises a second grasping bar. The first retractor blade and the second retractor blade are adapted to engage opposing edges of a subcostal incision in a patient. The fulcrum device includes a first fulcrum slot and a second fulcrum slot formed through opposing edges of the fulcrum device. The first fulcrum slot is adapted to receive the first grasping bar and the second fulcrum slot is adapted to receive the second grasping bar, such that the fulcrum device is adapted to apply leverage from the first retractor blade and the second retractor blade to spread the edges of the incision and to allow access to a chest cavity of the patient.