Patent ID: 6277137
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A cannula for dissecting an elongated cavity in tissue particularly along a course of a vessel, the cannula comprising:a tubular body having animal end and a distal end;at least one lumen extending within the length of the body between the proximal and distal ends thereof for receiving therein an endoscope, with viewing end disposed within the lumen near the distal end of the body;a transparent tissue separating member substantially covering the distal end of the body and having a conically tapered outer surface converging toward a blunt tip disposed forward of the distal end of the body for directly contacting tissue, the member having substantially rigid and non-collapsible walls and having an internal surface that converges to a sharp point at a location substantially aligned with the viewing end of the endoscope for visualization thereby with reduced distortion through the walls of the member; anda tissue dilating element disposed on an exterior wall of the tubular body of the cannula near the distal end of the tubular body at a location thereon that is proximally spaced from the outer surface of the member for displacing tissue in contact therewith to a dimension greater than an outer dimension of the tubular body near the distal end thereof.