A surgical lift device to assist in surgical access through skin, tissue and organs

Purpose of the invention is to provide an improved solution to the problem of accessing internal organs and tissues in case of minimally invasive surgery, where surgical and inspection/guidance tools must be introduced into the human body (e.g. into the abdomen) through small apertures.

The aim is to allow ease of operating the tools, adequate tactile sensitivity for the surgeon and minimal stress and pain to the patient, both during and after surgery. To this purpose, a lift device is provided, based on a suction member, which allows lifting of a human body wall by applying a negative pressure between this member and an external skin surface, and holding said body wall in an elevated position for the required time duration.

This invention is a very significant improvement compared to the currently adopted solutions to access internal body organs through small surgical apertures in the skin and body walls. Purpose of the invention is to provide an improved solution to the problem of accessing internal organs and tissues in case of minimally invasive surgery, where surgical and inspection/guidance tools must be introduced into the human body (e.g. into the abdomen) through small apertures.

Most frequently the required lifting of the body wall to provide sufficient access to the internal organs is based on insufflation of a pressurized gas into the body cavity through a trocar; this can cause pain in the patient, also for some time following surgery, and gas absorption by the body tissues. Moreover, to avoid pressurization loss, which would lead to delays or interruption of surgery, a seal has to be achieved between operation tools and the body aperture, and this leads to high friction, nearly complete loss of tactile feel for contact between tissues and tools, and difficulty to manipulate these tools.

Other solutions, nearly abandoned for the associated pain and stress on the patient, rely on hooks inserted through the skin and pulled upwards by cords attached to a frame surrounding the surgery area. This invention provides lifting by means of reduced pressure between an external, transparent, dome-shaped suction member, reversibly sealed to the external skin surface of the relevant body wall. Reduced pressure is provided by an external vacuum source, connected to said suction member; this is also fitted with one or more low-friction entry ports, through which the suitable tools are inserted, as shown in the figures; no separate structure obstructing the operation area is required. No pressurized gas is pumped into the body, and no tight-fitting seal between the tools and the aperture in the body wall is necessary, therefore avoiding stress to the patient and preserving tactile sensitivity for the surgeon.

Patent Application No. EP094250511
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