Patent ID: 6712795
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A surgical procedure comprising the steps of:providing a trocar having a cylindrical body penetrating tube; providing a mini-retractor comprising a pair of blades for insertion through an incision into the body and having proximal ends and distal ends and, frame means mounting the proximal ends both for translational movement of the blades relatively together and apart to expand an outer operating window and for relative pivotal movement to fan the distal ends within the body to expand an inner operating window, the blades having adjacent, trocar engaging sidewalls arcuately shaped to conform with the outer profile of the trocar; making a plurality of small incisions in an abdominal wall, inserting the blades of the retractor with the blades thereof closed together in side by side substantially parallel relation through a selected incision into the abdominal cavity; relatively moving the blades a small distance apart; inserting a cylindrical tube of a trocar between the blades into the abdominal cavity; moving the blades together into clamping engagement with the tube of the trocar in a sealing fit, thereby mounting the trocar in the Incision; inserting trocars in other incisions; inflating the abdominal cavity by insufflation through a trocar other than the trocar inserted in the min-retractor to provide pneumoperitoneum pressure and to elevate the min-retractor and, performing at least an initial part of a laparoscopic surgical procedure using the trocar in conjunction with trocars inserted in other incisions.