Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A surgical device suitable for insertion into a body fluid passageway to span a damaged or deformed region thereof by forming communication between two relatively sound portions of said passageway spaced apart by the intervening damaged or deformed region of the passageway, said device comprising a substantially tubular body member having open end portions, and an outer sleeve member secured at one end thereof to the body member adjacent to one of said open end portions and secured at the other end thereof to the body member adjacent the second of said open end portions so as to define an annular outer chamber around said body member, said outer sleeve member being formed from flexible material in order to allow inflation of said annular outer chamber, the body member comprising a tubular wall means defining annular inner chamber means and adapted to be in an inoperative, flaccid, condition immediately before use, means being provided for rendering the flaccid wall means into a relatively rigid condition when the device is in position for use within the body fluid passageway, means also being provided for the concomitant inflation of the annular outer chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
A surgical device suitable for insertion into a body fluid passageway to span a damaged or deformed region thereof by forming communication between two relatively sound portions of said passageway spaced apart by the intervening damaged or deformed region of the passageway, said device comprising a substantially tubular body member having open end portions, and an outer sleeve member secured at one end thereof to the body member adjacent to one of said open end portions and secured at the other end thereof to the body member adjacent the second of said open end portions so as to define an annular outer chamber around said body member, said outer sleeve member being formed from flexible material in order to allow inflation of said annular outer chamber, the body member comprising a tubular wall means defining annular inner chamber means and adapted to be in an inoperative, flaccid, condition immediately before use, means being provided for rendering the flaccid wall means into a relatively rigid condition when the device is in position for use within the body fluid passageway, means also being provided for the concomitant inflation of the annular outer chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
248 words
A surgical device suitable for insertion into a body fluid passageway to span a damaged or deformed region thereof by forming communication between two relatively sound portions of said passageway spaced apart by the intervening damaged or deformed region of the passageway, said device comprising a substantially tubular body member having open end portions, and an outer sleeve member secured at one end thereof to the body member adjacent to one of said open end portions and secured at the other end thereof to the body member adjacent the second of said open end portions so as to define an annular outer chamber around said body member, said outer sleeve member being formed from flexible material in order to allow inflation of said annular outer chamber, the body member comprising a tubular wall means adapted to be in an inoperative, flaccid, condition immediately before use, means being provided for rendering the flaccid wall means into a relatively rigid condition when the device is in position for use within the body fluid passageway, means also being provided for the concomitant inflation of the annular outer chamber; and wherein the tubular wall means of said body member comprises an inner flexible wall portion and an outer, substantially coaxial wall portion, said wall portions being sealed to each other at end portions thereof to form an annular wall chamber, the means to render the flaccid wall means into a relatively rigid condition comprising inflation means to inflate the annular wall chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
248 words
A surgical device suitable for insertion into a body fluid passageway to span a damaged or deformed region thereof by forming communication between two relatively sound portions of said passageway spaced apart by the intervening damaged or deformed region of the passageway, said device comprising a substantially tubular body member having open end portions, and an outer sleeve member secured at one end thereof to the body member adjacent to one of said open end portions and secured at the other end thereof to the body member adjacent the second of said open end portions so as to define an annular outer chamber around said body member, said outer sleeve member being formed from flexible material in order to allow inflation of said annular outer chamber, the body member comprising a tubular wall means adapted to be in an inoperative, flaccid, condition immediately before use, means being provided for rendering the flaccid wall means into a relatively rigid condition when the device is in position for use within the body fluid passageway, means also being provided for the concomitant inflation of the annular outer chamber; and wherein the tubular wall means of said body member comprises an inner flexible wall portion and an outer, substantially coaxial wall portion, said wall portions being sealed to each other at end portions thereof to form an annular wall chamber, the means to render the flaccid wall means into a relatively rigid condition comprising inflation means to inflate the annular wall chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion are connected together at intervals by web portions spanning the wall portions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the web portions are arranged to provide a series of longitudinally disposed, interconnected passages.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular wall means of the body portion comprises a flexible wall portion having passages formed therein with intervening solid wall portions, the means to render the body portion into a relatively rigid condition comprising inflation means to inflate the passages in the flexible wall portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the outer wall portion of the annular walled chamber is common with and shared by the annular outer chamber, forming its inner surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the material from which the outer chamber is formed is readily conformable in use to the contours of the interior surface of said intervening body fluid passageway region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the material from which the outer chamber is formed is inelastic.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the outer chamber in its inflated condition adopts a double-cone configuration in which each cone has a base merging with the base of the other cone in an annular region.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
40 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which there are provided monitoring means including a perforated probe projecting beyond a leading end portion of the device and including a tubular conduit to a sampling apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the probe provides support for the inflation means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
220 words
A surgical device suitable for insertion into a body fluid passageway to span a damaged or deformed region thereof by forming communication between two relatively sound portions of said passageway spaced apart by the intervening damaged or deformed region of the passageway, said device comprising: (a) a substantially tubular body member having a longitudinal axis and comprising a tubular wall means defining a first inner chamber means arranged in an annular configuration along said longitudinal axis and adapted to be in an inoperative, flaccid, condition immediately before use and having first and second open end portions along said longitudinal axis; (b) an outer sleeve member secured at one end thereof to the body member adjacent to said first open end portion and secured at the other end thereof to the body member adjacent the second open end portion so as to define a second annular outer chamber surrounding said body member with said second chamber being isolated from said first chamber; (c) said outer sleeve member being formed from flexible material in order to allow inflation of said annular outer chamber; (d) means for rendering said flaccid tubular wall means into a relatively rigid condition when the device is in position for use within the body fluid passageway; and (e) means for the concomitant inflation of the annular outer chamber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
220 words
A surgical device suitable for insertion into a body fluid passageway to span a damaged or deformed region thereof by forming communication between two relatively sound portions of said passageway spaced apart by the intervening damaged or deformed region of the passageway, said device comprising: (a) a substantially tubular body member having a longitudinal axis and comprising a tubular wall means defining a first inner chamber means arranged in an annular configuration along said longitudinal axis and adapted to be in an inoperative, flaccid, condition immediately before use and having first and second open end portions along said longitudinal axis; (b) an outer sleeve member secured at one end thereof to the body member adjacent to said first open end portion and secured at the other end thereof to the body member adjacent the second open end portion so as to define a second annular outer chamber surrounding said body member with said second chamber being isolated from said first chamber; (c) said outer sleeve member being formed from flexible material in order to allow inflation of said annular outer chamber; (d) means for rendering said flaccid tubular wall means into a relatively rigid condition when the device is in position for use within the body fluid passageway; and (e) means for the concomitant inflation of the annular outer chamber.