Patent ID: 7226462

Claim:
An apparatus for dissecting tissue to facilitate a laparoscopic surgical procedure in an anatomical region of a patient's body, the apparatus comprising: (a) a cannula having an end which is insertable through a laparoscopic incision in the patient's body; (b) a deflated inflatable balloon coupled to the cannula, the balloon having a distal end, a proximal end, and a neck portion adjacent the proximal end, where a width of the inflated balloon is at a maximum at the proximal end adjacent the neck portion and immediately decreases towards the distal end of the balloon and causes a non-uniform dissection of tissue, and a portion of the balloon is inverted into another portion of itself to reduce the length of the deflated balloon; and (c) a lumen which provides access to the interior of the balloon for inflating the balloon with a fluid.