US 12,029,405 B2
Devices and methods for tissue retraction
Ryan V. Wales, Northborough, MA (US); Paul Smith, Smithfield, RI (US); Danny S. Lee, Cambridge, MA (US); Scott E. Brechbiel, Acton, MA (US); Jialiang Wang, Smithfield, RI (US); and Sean P. Fleury, Princeton, MA (US)
Assigned to Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Maple Grove, MN (US)
Filed by Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Maple Grove, MN (US)
Filed on Dec. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/553,183.
Application 17/553,183 is a continuation of application No. 16/840,855, filed on Apr. 6, 2020.
Application 16/840,855 is a continuation of application No. 15/938,969, filed on Mar. 28, 2018, granted, now 10,694,934.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/478,169, filed on Mar. 29, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0104701 A1, Apr. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/02 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/32 (2006.01); A61B 17/064 (2006.01); A61B 17/08 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/10 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/0218 (2013.01) [A61B 1/0008 (2013.01); A61B 1/32 (2013.01); A61B 17/0206 (2013.01); A61B 17/064 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00269 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00336 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0034 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00867 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0225 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0641 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0645 (2013.01); A61B 17/083 (2013.01); A61B 17/10 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tissue retraction system comprising:
a tissue fastener having a first jaw and a second jaw configured to grasp tissue;
an elongate flexible element having first and second ends and a flexible bow portion between the first and second ends; and
a delivery catheter configured to deliver the elongate flexible element, with at least one of the one or more tissue fasteners attached to one of the ends of the elongate flexible element, to a target tissue site;
wherein:
at least one of the first and second ends of the elongate flexible element is configured to be engaged by and delivered with the tissue fastener within the delivery catheter;
one of the first and second ends of the elongate flexible element is mounted on one of the first jaw or the second jaw of the tissue fastener; and
the flexible bow portion of the elongate flexible element comprises a pair of substantially parallel elements each with a flexible bow portion between parallel end portions, the flexible bow portions transitionable from a collapsed configuration within the delivery catheter to an expanded configuration extending substantially away from each other when unconstrained.