Patent ID: 7967835

Claim:
A surgical apparatus for use in fascial cleft surgery and adapted to perform blunt dissection between two layers of anatomically named fascia, the dissection extending to the limits of an anatomic space defined by fusion of said two layers of fascia in a minimally invasive manner comprising, in combination: an applicator, the applicator being formed of a hollow tube body member having an open proximal end and an open distal end; a malleable introducing flange fixedly attached to the distal end of the applicator, said introducing flange having a spoonbill-like shape and reconfigurable from an first configuration to a second configuration upon application of a force, wherein the introducing flange remains in the second configuration when the force is removed; an elastic dissection balloon movably positioned within said applicator at the distal end thereof adjacent said introducing flange wherein said dissection balloon being reversibly expandable between a deflated condition and an expanded condition and wherein said dissection balloon being movable from a first storage position within the hollow tube body of the applicator to a position exterior thereof, said entire elastic dissection balloon axially repositionable relative to said introducing flange, wherein said dissection balloon is formed of a chosen elastic material having a tensile strength less than the tensile strength of the points of fusion between the two layers of fascia such that the dissection balloon fails prior to achieving pressures that would destroy the anatomic boundaries of the fascia; a gripping handle coupled to said applicator at the open proximal end thereof, said gripping handle including a thumb engaging recess corresponding to the introducing flange for allowing a user to judge the orientation of the introducing flange during use of the apparatus, said gripping handle having a gripping surface that is generally parallel to the applicator; a hollow introducing rod slideably positioned within said applicator, said introducing rod having a first end terminating in a concave surface positioned adjacent the dissection balloon for positioning said dissection balloon exterior said applicator to within an anatomic space for subsequent inflation and deflation, said introducing rod having a second end extending exterior the proximal end of said applicator; and a fill tube extending through said hollow introducing rod to said dissection balloon and operably associated therewith for inflating and deflating said dissection balloon, wherein the elastic dissection balloon is separately inflatable irrespective of the position of the malleable introducer of the applicator.