Vessel harvesting retractor with integral electrosurgical clamping elements

Abstract

An endoscopic vessel harvesting device and a method of endoscopic harvesting of vessels from a patients body. The method comprises locating the vessel, and inserting the vessel harvesting device through an incision. Dissecting the vessel from the surrounding tissue, and capturing side branch vessels in a vessel capturing means. Ligating and transecting the side branch vessels using electrodes and a knife located in the vessel capturing means. Finally, ligating and transecting the vessel, and removing the vessel from the patients body. The vessel harvesting device comprises a head piece, a shaft having a lumen for receiving an endoscope, and a vessel capturing means located on the head piece for capturing the side branch vessels in the receiver.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A device for harvesting a blood vessel, comprising: 
 a shaft having a lumen configured to accept an endoscope, the shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;    a handle connected to the proximal end of the shaft;    a head piece connected to a distal end of the shaft;    a holding means connected to the shaft and spaced apart from the head piece for holding the blood vessel; and    a transecting means connected to the shaft for transecting the blood vessel.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the lumen is disposed between the handle and the holding means.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising ligation means for ligating the blood vessel.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the head piece defines an area between tissue overlying the blood vessel and tissue underlying the blood vessel.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the holding means and the transecting means are concurrently disposed in the defined area.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the holding means, the transecting means and the ligating means are concurrently disposed in the defined area.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one electrode disposed within the defined area.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , further comprising a second electrode disposed within the defined area.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said transecting means is slidable relative to the shaft.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the head piece is configured to separate tissue from the blood vessel.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a first actuation means for operating the holding means.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a second actuation means for operating the transecting means.  
     
     
         13 . A device for harvesting a blood vessel, comprising: 
 a shaft having a lumen configured to accept an endoscope, the shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;    a handle connected to the proximal end of the shaft for manipulating the device;    a head piece connected to a distal end of the shaft;    a vessel holder connected to the shaft and spaced apart from the head piece for holding the blood vessel; and    a vessel cutter connected to the shaft for cutting the blood vessel.    
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the lumen is disposed between the handle and the vessel holder.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a ligator for ligating the blood vessel.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the head piece defines an area between tissue overlying the blood vessel and tissue underlying the blood vessel.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the vessel holder and the vessel cutter are concurrently disposed in the defined area.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the vessel holder, the vessel cutter and the ligator are concurrently disposed in the defined area.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one electrode disposed within the defined area.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , further comprising a second electrode disposed within the defined area.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein said vessel cutter is slidable relative to the shaft.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the head piece is configured to separate tissue from the blood vessel.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a first actuator for operating the vessel holder.  
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , further comprising a second actuator means for operating the vessel cutter.  
     
     
         25 . A method of harvesting vessels comprising: 
 providing a vessel harvesting device comprising a shaft having a lumen configured to accept an endoscope, the shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a handle connected to the proximal end of the shaft for manipulating the device, a head piece connected to a distal end of the shaft, a vessel holder connected to the shaft and spaced apart from the head piece for holding the blood vessel, and a vessel cutter connected to the shaft for cutting the blood vessel;    locating a vessel to be harvested;    making an incision to expose the vessel;    inserting the vessel harvesting device into the patient through the incision;    dissecting the vessel from the surrounding tissue with the vessel harvesting device;    holding a side branch of the vessel using the vessel holder;    transecting the side branch of the vessel using the vessel cutter; and    removing the vessel.