US 11,786,249 B2
Apparatus and method for delivering surgical tissue connectors into an abdominal cavity and removing the surgical tissue connectors from the abdominal cavity
Jeffrey Smith, Irvine, CA (US); and Darren R. Sherman, New Hope, PA (US)
Assigned to Freehold Surgical, LLC, New Hope, PA (US)
Filed by Freehold Surgical, LLC, New Hope, PA (US)
Filed on Aug. 18, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/996,447.
Application 16/996,447 is a continuation of application No. 15/860,416, filed on Jan. 2, 2018, granted, now 10,743,878.
Application 15/860,416 is a continuation of application No. 14/411,243, granted, now 9,855,044, issued on Jan. 2, 2018, previously published as PCT/US2013/047862, filed on Jun. 26, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/666,380, filed on Jun. 29, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2020/0375599 A1, Dec. 3, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 17/10 (2006.01); A61B 17/04 (2006.01); A61B 17/02 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/105 (2013.01) [A61B 17/00234 (2013.01); A61B 17/0218 (2013.01); A61B 17/0401 (2013.01); A61B 17/08 (2013.01); A61B 17/10 (2013.01); A61B 17/0469 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00362 (2013.01); A61B 2017/048 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0409 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0411 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0414 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0446 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0464 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0496 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of retracting a first internal organ of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a retractor system comprising:
a first tissue connector (12) including a base (18) and a hook (22) secured to the base, the first tissue connector having a proximal end surface (28) and a distal end surface (30) at axially opposite ends of a base side surface (24); and
a second tissue connector (14) comprising:
an additional base (68) and an additional hook (72) secured to the additional base;
an interior bore (102) and a pin (106) extending across the interior bore;
a cord (16, 54, 56, 114, 112, 116) characterized by a cord first end (54) and a cord second end (56), and said cord second end characterized by a cord first portion (114), a cord second portion (116) and a cord intermediate portion (112), said cord first portion (116) connected to and extending from an additional base proximal end surface (78) toward the first tissue connector (12); and
an actuator including a releasable one-way cord lock through which the cord second end (56, 114, 112, 116) passes, said releasable one-way cord lock comprising a lock pin (126) axially slidably disposed in a first axially extending slot (124) disposed in the additional base, said lock pin (126) extending across the interior bore of the additional base (68), and a sleeve (128) surrounding an additional base side surface (74) and axially slidable between first and second positions relative to the additional base (68), said sleeve (128) secured to the lock pin (126);
inserting the first tissue connector (12) through a tube (142) and connecting it to a first location within the abdomen of the patient;
inserting the second tissue connector (14) through the tubular delivery device and connecting it to a second location within the abdomen of the patient and extending the cord under the first internal organ; and
adjusting a length of the cord second portion (116) extending from the second tissue connector (14) in order to decrease a length of the cord first portion extending toward the first tissue connector (12) to move the first internal organ to a position away from the second internal organ, and operating the actuator to lock the cord second end (56, 114, 112, 116) to the additional base (68).