Remote tissue retraction device

Abstract

A medical device for managing tissue in an organ, such as the stomach, for retracting or positioning tissue and related organs to allow certain regions of the stomach to be acquired for a gastroplasty procedure. The medical device includes an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a retractor section disposed at or near the distal end. The retractor section is adapted to be moveable from a delivery position to a retraction position to move or manage the tissue of the stomach. The retraction device can be configured for use with a second therapeutic device or such a therapeutic device may have a retraction device integrated within it or adapted for cooperative use therewith.

1 . A device for managing tissue in an organ, comprising: 
 an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end; and    a retractor section disposed at or near the distal end and adapted to be moveable from a delivery position to a retraction position to move the tissue of the organ, the retractor section further being configured for use with a second therapeutic device.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second therapeutic device includes an endoscope.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second therapeutic device includes a tissue treatment device.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second therapeutic device includes a second retractor section.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the second retractor section includes a wire for moving additional tissue of the organ.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the retractor section is generally straight in the delivery position and has a varying degree of curvature in the retraction position.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein distal end of the elongated body includes an atraumatic tip.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the atraumatic tip includes a nose cone.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the atraumatic tip includes a roller.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the retractor section includes U-shaped link elements.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated body includes a spring element to bias the retractor section into the delivery position.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the spring element includes at least one wire.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one wire is formed from a superelastic alloy.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated body includes at least one cable extending from the proximal end to the distal end for moving the retractor section from the delivery position to the retraction position.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one cable is manipulated from the proximal end of the elongated body to cause the retractor section to move toward the retraction position.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the retractor section includes a channel.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the retraction section forms an arc in the retraction position.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the arc formed by the retractor section in the retraction position has a diameter in the range of about one inch to about sixteen inches.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second therapeutic device is disposed at least partially within the elongate body.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the second therapeutic device is disposed within the retractor section.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second therapeutic device is disposed alongside the elongate body.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second therapeutic device is integrated into the elongate body.  
     
     
         23 . A method of managing tissue in an organ, comprising: 
 inserting a retractor section of a retractor device into the organ, wherein the retractor section is moveable from a delivery position to a retraction position;    moving the retractor section into the retraction position to manipulate tissue within the organ; and    actuating a therapeutic device to perform a therapeutic procedure within the organ.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein moving the retractor section into the retraction position is caused by tensioning a cable disposed from a proximal end of the retractor device to a distal end of the retraction device thereby actuating the retraction section into the retraction position.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the retractor section is biased toward the delivery position.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising advancing an endoscope through the elongated body into the organ and articulating the endoscope to view the therapeutic device.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising deploying a secondary retractor device to manipulate tissue within the organ.  
     
     
         28 . A device for managing tissue in an organ, comprising: 
 an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end;    a retractor section adjacent the distal end of the elongated body; and    a tissue treatment device disposed between the elongated body proximal end and the retractor section.    
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the device is adapted for use with an endoscope.  
     
     
         30 . A device for managing tissue in an organ for a transoral procedure, comprising: 
 an elongated body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a channel therebetween, the elongated body including a retractor section adjacent the distal end, wherein the retractor section is moveable from a delivery position to a retraction position to move tissue of the organ; and    an endoscope moveably disposed within the channel.    
     
     
         31 . A method of providing therapy to the stomach of a patient, comprising: 
 inserting a retraction device transorally to the stomach;    inserting a tissue treatment device transorally to the stomach;    deploying the retraction device to move portions of the stomach tissue relative to the tissue treatment device, allowing a target region of the stomach to be approximated for treatment; and    acquiring stomach tissue at the target region for treatment with the tissue treatment device.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising viewing at least a portion of the target region of the stomach with an endoscope.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the retraction device and tissue treatment device are integrated together into one device.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the deployed retraction device blocks tissue away from the tissue treatment device.