Arthroscopic retractor and method of using the same

Claim 1

An expandable cannula for moving tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle to create an actual space within such tissue at a location, not within a normal body cavity such as inside an artery or vein, and not inside an existing body passage such as an alimentary passage, said cannula comprising: a rigid longitudinally extending tubular body member having a rigid tubular wall with an outer cylindrical surface and an inner cylindrical surface, said inner cylindrical surface defining a central instrument passage extending longitudinally through the entire length of said body member, said tubular body member having proximal and distal ends defining the proximal and distal termini of the central instrument passage, the central instrument passage having a diameter sufficiently large to receive therethrough surgical instruments of the type commonly used in endoscopic surgery, such instruments including but not limited to endoscopes, drills, reamers and other surgical instruments commonly used in arthroscopic surgery of joints such as a knee joint or a shoulder joint, said tubular body member being strong and rigid enough to move tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle to create an actual space within such tissue both when (i) said expandable cannula is first inserted into such tissue and when (ii) said expandable cannula is already inserted into and is being moved around in the tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle by a surgeon using said expandable cannula during endoscopic surgery or arthroscopic surgery, said expandable cannula including a sleeve member circumscribing said tubular body member, said sleeve member including a mechanical expanding portion intermediate said proximal and distal ends of said tubular body member and capable of expanding radially outwardly against tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle tissues and move such tissue away from the central instrument passage when said retractor is in use, to create an actual space therein; and said sleeve member including a fluid-operated expanding portion intermediate said proximal and distal ends of said tubular body member and capable of expanding radially outwardly against tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle tissues and move such tissue away from the central instrument passage when said retractor is in use, to create an actual space therein; said mechanical expanding portion being axially co-extensive with said fluid-operated expanding portion.

Claim 8

A method comprising the steps of: providing an expandable cannula comprising: a rigid longitudinally extending tubular body member having a rigid tubular wall with an outer cylindrical surface and an inner cylindrical surface, the inner cylindrical surface defining a central instrument passage extending longitudinally through the entire length of the body member, the tubular body member having proximal and distal ends defining the proximal and distal termini of the central instrument passage, the central instrument passage having a diameter sufficiently large to receive therethrough surgical instruments of the type commonly used in endoscopic surgery, such instruments including but not limited to endoscopes, drills, reamers and other surgical instruments commonly used in arthroscopic surgery of joints such as a knee joint or a shoulder joint, the tubular body member being strong and rigid enough to move tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle to create and actual space within such tissue both when (i) the expandable cannula is first inserted into such tissue and when (ii) the expandable cannula is already inserted into and is being moved around in the tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle by a surgeon using the expandable cannula during endoscopic surgery or arthroscopic surgery, the expandable cannula including a sleeve member circumscribing the tubular body member, the sleeve member including a mechanical expanding portion intermediate the proximal and distal ends of the tubular body member and capable of expanding radially outwardly against bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle tissue tissues and move such tissue away from the central instrument passage when the retractor is in use, to create an actual space therein; and the sleeve member including a fluid-operated expanding portion intermediate the proximal and distal ends of the tubular body member and capable of expanding radially outwardly against tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle tissues and move such tissue away from the central instrument passage when the retractor is in use, to create and actual space therein, the mechanical expanding portion being axially co-extensive with the fluid-operated expanding portion; inserting the expandable cannula into tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle; and expanding the cannula to create an actual space within such tissue at a location not within a normal body cavity such as inside an artery or vein, and not inside an existing body passage such as a urinary passage or an alimentary passage.

Claim 9

A method comprising the steps of: providing an expandable cannula comprising: a rigid longitudinally extending tubular body member having a rigid tubular wall with an outer cylindrical surface and an inner cylindrical surface, the inner cylindrical surface defining a central instrument passage extending longitudinally through the entire length of the body member, the tubular body member having proximal and distal ends defining the proximal and distal termini of the central instrument passage, the central instrument passage having a diameter sufficiently large to receive therethrough surgical instruments of the type commonly used in endoscopic surgery, such instruments including but not limited to endoscopes, drills, reamers and other surgical instruments commonly used in arthroscopic surgery of joints such as a knee joint or a shoulder joint, the tubular body member being strong and rigid enough to move tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle to create and actual space within such tissue both when (i) the expandable cannula is first inserted into such tissue and when (ii) the expandable cannula is already inserted into and is being moved around in the tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle by a surgeon using the expandable cannula during endoscopic surgery or arthroscopic surgery, the expandable cannula including a sleeve member circumscribing the tubular body member, the sleeve member including a mechanical expanding portion intermediate the proximal and distal ends of the tubular body member and capable of expanding radially outwardly against bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle tissue tissues and move such tissue away from the central instrument passage when the retractor is in use, to create an actual space therein; and the sleeve member including a fluid-operated expanding portion intermediate the proximal and distal ends of the tubular body member and capable of expanding radially outwardly against tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle tissues and move such tissue away from the central instrument passage when the retractor is in use, to create and actual space therein, the mechanical expanding portion being axially co-extensive with the fluid-operated expanding portion; inserting the expandable cannula into tissue such as bone, cartilage, tendon, and/or muscle; and expanding the cannula to create an actual space within such tissue at a location not within a normal body cavity such as inside an artery or vein, and not inside an existing body passage such as a urinary passage or an alimentary passage.