Patent ID: 11903610
Assignee: STRYKER CORPORATION
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A method for positioning a cannula comprising:
engaging an inserter with the cannula, the cannula having a flexible body including a central passageway bounded by a first flange and a second flange, the second flange having an irregular shape, the inserter directly engaged with the second flange to reconfigure the second flange from a first position having a first radial dimension to a second position having a second radial dimension less than the first radial dimension;
passing at least the second flange of the cannula and the inserter into a surgical opening formed in a patient through at least one layer of tissue;
moving the second flange and the inserter through the at least one layer of tissue such that at least a portion of the second flange is located under the layer of tissue;
releasing the inserter from the second flange; and
removing the inserter from the surgical opening.