초록 ▼

Apparatus for creating an anatomic space in tissue in a body including an introducer device having a tubular member with a bore extending therethrough. A tunneling shaft assembly is slidably mounted in the bore of the introducer device. The tunneling shaft assembly includes a tunneling shaft having

Apparatus for creating an anatomic space in tissue in a body including an introducer device having a tubular member with a bore extending therethrough. A tunneling shaft assembly is slidably mounted in the bore of the introducer device. The tunneling shaft assembly includes a tunneling shaft having proximal and distal extremities. A blunt tip is secured to the distal extremity of the tunneling shaft. A balloon assembly is provided. The balloon assembly is removably secured to the tunneling shaft. The balloon assembly includes a deflated collapsed balloon. A sheath encloses the balloon and is carried by the tunneling shaft. The sheath has a weakened region extending longitudinally thereof permitting the sheath to be removed to release the balloon.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for separating tissue, comprising: a) a cannula tube having a lumen; b) an obturator rod having a distal end, the obturator rod being received in the lumen of the cannula tube; c) a guide having a distal end, the guide being movably received between the obturator

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for separating tissue, comprising: a) a cannula tube having a lumen; b) an obturator rod having a distal end, the obturator rod being received in the lumen of the cannula tube; c) a guide having a distal end, the guide being movably received between the obturator rod and the cannula tube so that the distal end of the obturator rod engages the distal end of the guide when the obturator rod is moved in a proximal direction, the guide including: a guide tube having a distal end, the guide tube being disposed around the obturator rod, an end collar fixedly disposed at the distal end, a first collar fixedly disposed on the guide tube proximally of the end collar, and a guide collar slidably disposed on the guide tube; the guide collar having a proximal portion for engaging the first collar, the guide collar transitional from a first state defined by engagement of the proximal portion with a first region of the first collar having a first diameter to a second state defined by engagement of the proximal portion with a second region of the first collar having a second diameter different from the first diameter, wherein relative proximal movement between the obturator rod and the guide transitions the guide collar from the first state to the second state, wherein the guide collar is movable within the lumen of the cannula tube when in the second state; and d) the guide collar being expandable to engage the cannula tube when the guide collar is in the first state; and e) a balloon mounted on the obturator rod. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first collar comprises a shoulder defining the first region and the guide collar is adapted for expansion upon engagement with the shoulder. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the guide collar comprises at least one flexible member for expanding upon engagement of the shoulder. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the guide collar is sized so as to be received in the lumen of the cannula tube before expansion. 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the shoulder is sized so that the guide collar is larger than the lumen of the cannula tube after expansion. 6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein further movement of the obturator rod moves the guide tube with respect to the guide collar, releasing the guide collar from engagement with the shoulder transitioning the guide collar from the first state to the second state engaging the guide collar with another shoulder defining the second region. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein further movement of the obturator rod releases the guide from engagement with the cannula tube. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide collar includes at least one finger adapted to engage at least the distal end of the cannula tube when the guide collar is in the first state, the at least one finger adapted to transition the guide collar from the first state to the second state with further movement of the obturator rod in the proximal direction when the at least one finger engages the distal end of the cannula tube. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein guide collar includes at least one finger adapted to disengage from an inner surface of the cannula tube when the guide collar transitions from the first state to the second state. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide collar is configured to engage a distal end of the cannula tube when the guide collar is in the first state. 11. A method of guiding a tunneling shaft of a tissue separation apparatus, comprising: a) providing a cannula tube having a lumen, an obturator rod received in the lumen of the cannula tube; a guide movably received between the obturator and the cannula, the guide including: a guide tube having a distal end, the guide tube being disposed around the obturator rod, an end collar fixedly disposed at the distal end, a first collar fixedly disposed on the guide tube proximally of the end collar, and a guide collar slidably disposed on the guide tube; the guide collar having a proximal portion for engaging the first collar, the guide collar transitional from a first state defined by engagement of the proximal portion with a first region of the first collar having a first diameter to a second state defined by engagement of the proximal portion with a second region of the first collar having a second diameter different from the first diameter, wherein relative proximal movement between the obturator rod and the guide transitions the guide collar from the first state to the second state, wherein the guide collar is movable within the lumen of the cannula tube when in the second state; b) moving the obturator rod in a proximal direction so that the guide collar engages the first region and expands engaging an inner surface of the cannula tube; and c) applying a force to the obturator rod so that the guide collar engages the second region releasing the guide from engagement with the inner surface of the cannula tube. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of moving the obturator rod includes engaging a distal end of the guide with a distal end of the obturator rod. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of applying a force includes moving the guide tube with respect to the guide collar, releasing the guide collar from engagement with the cannula tube. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first collar includes a shoulder defining the first region and wherein the step of expanding the guide collar comprises engaging a proximal end of the guide collar with the shoulder. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the guide collar includes a flexible portion at the proximal end and the step of expanding the guide collar comprises engaging the flexible portion with the shoulder. 16. The method of claim 11, further comprising removing the obturator rod from the cannula tube after the guide is released. 17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the obturator rod includes an engagement member disposed on a distal end of the obturator rod, the engagement member adapted to engage a distal end of the guide. 18. An apparatus for separating tissue, comprising: a) a cannula tube having a lumen; b) an obturator rod having a distal end, the obturator rod being received in the lumen of the cannula tube; and c) a guide movably received between the obturator and the cannula so that the obturator rod is substantially centered in the cannula tube when the obturator rod is moved in a proximal direction, the guide including: a guide tube having a distal end, the guide tube being disposed around the obturator rod, an end collar fixedly disposed at the distal end, a first collar fixedly disposed on the guide tube proximally of the end collar, and a guide collar slidably disposed on the guide tube; the guide collar having a proximal portion for engaging the first collar, the guide collar transitional from a first state defined by engagement of the proximal portion with a first region of the first collar having a first diameter to a second state defined by engagement of the proximal portion with a second region of the first collar having a second diameter different from the first diameter, wherein relative proximal movement between the obturator rod and the guide transition the guide collar from the first state to the second state, wherein the guide collar is movable within the lumen of the cannula tube when in the second state; and d) the guide collar being movable between an expanded first position in engagement with an inner surface of the cannula tube defining the first state and a second position released from engagement with the cannula tube defining the second state. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the guide collar is movable from an initial position released from engagement with the cannula tube to the first position. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the guide collar has a distal end, the guide collar being disposed so that a distal end of the obturator rod engages the distal end of the guide collar when the obturator rod is moved in a proximal direction. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the guide collar-transitions from the first state to the second state when the distal end of the obturator rod engages the distal end of the guide. 22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first collar comprises a shoulder defining the first region and the guide collar is adapted for expansion upon engagement with the shoulder. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the guide collar comprises at least one flexible member for expanding upon engagement of the shoulder. 24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein further movement of the obturator rod releases the guide from engagement with the cannula tube. 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein further movement of the obturator rod moves the guide tube with respect to the guide collar, releasing the guide collar from engagement with the shoulder. 26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the guide collar is adapted to remain in the second state when the guide moves in the proximal direction relative to the cannula tube after transitioning from the first state to the second state.