Patent ID: 8313507
Filing Date: 2012-11-20
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A surgical method, comprising: obtaining a surgical assembly having (i) a hollow needle with a sharp distal end and an outer diameter between 2.0 mm and 3.0 mm, and (ii) a rake retractor having a shaft that extends through said hollow needle, said shaft having a central axis, said rake retractor being movable relative to said hollow needle and including at a distal end of said shaft at least three elongated tines, each tine having a first end mechanically coupled to the distal end of the shaft and an opposite free end, each tine being mechanically biased toward an open position wherein the free ends of the tines fan out relative to each other in different angular displacements with respect to the central axis of the shaft, and when said distal end of said hollow needle extends over said tines in a closed position, said tines are forced by said distal end of said hollow needle to collapse relative to each other against the mechanical bias of the tines toward and into said closed position; with said tines of said rake retractor in the closed position, using said sharp distal end of said hollow needle to puncture the skin of said patient and insert a distal portion of said surgical assembly into a cavity of said patient; moving said rake retractor forward relative to said needle to cause said tines to extend out of said needle and to automatically fan out relative to each other into said open position due to the mechanical bias of said tines; moving said tines of said rake retractor to manipulate tissue within the patient; and moving said needle forward relative to said rake retractor to cause said tines to collapse relative to each other to said closed position within said needle, wherein said sharp distal end of said hollow needle has an outer surface which contacts the skin of the patient during puncture of the skin of the patient, and an inner surface which directly contacts a plurality of said tines during forward movement of the needle relative to the tines to cause the tines to collapse relative to each other within said needle.