Patent ID: 7963941
Filing Date: 2011-06-21
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A surgical method comprising: inserting a hollow needle into a hollow internal organ of a patient, said organ communicating with the ambient environment via a natural body opening, said organ defining an internal body cavity, said needle being inserted into said organ through said natural body opening, said needle being located at a distal end of an elongate flexible shaft member, said shaft member being provided at a proximal end with a handpiece having a steering control or actuator; inserting a distal end portion of an endoscope insertion member into said hollow internal organ, said endoscope having a sheath, said endoscope being disposed in a longitudinally extending first tubular channel in said sheath, said sheath being provided with at least one longitudinally extending second tubular channel different from said first tubular channel, said needle being inserted into said body cavity via said second tubular channel; thereafter using said endoscope to view a wall of said hollow internal organ from said body cavity; inserting a distal or free end of said needle through said wall of said organ; upon a passage of said distal or free tip of said needle through said wall of said organ, conveying a pressurized fluid through said needle into the patient on the side of said wall opposite said body cavity in an amount sufficient to insufflate an abdominal cavity of the patient; removing said needle from said wall; inserting a port element in a collapsed configuration into said body cavity; deploying said port element in said organ wall so that parts of said port element are disposed on opposing sides of said wall; and after the deploying of said port element, expanding at least a portion of said port element into an expanded configuration so that said wall is sandwiched between expanded port element parts, said sheath is provided with at least one longitudinally extending additional tubular channel different from said first tubular channel and said second tubular channel, said a port element being inserted in a collapsed configuration into said body cavity via said additional tubular channel.