Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

Provided herein are trans-abdominal gastric systems and related methods that are useful in a range of applications for accessing internal regions of a patient. A cannula has internal and external anchors to reliably secure the anchor to an abdominal wall of the patient. An introducer with a capture element facilitates system placement by retrograde introduction. Upon completion, the system is removed and the gastric and abdominal wall incision and defect closed by sutures specially connected to the system that ensures reliable system removal and suture closure in a configuration that is outside the abdominal wall. The systems and methods are particularly suited for use with conventional laparoscopic or endoscopic medical instruments.

A port for laparoscopic surgery comprises an opening for attachment to a wound protector and a flexible membrane extending therefrom to define an airtight seal around an incision in a patient. A plurality of access points are defined in the membrane, through which laparoscopic trocars and elongate laparoscopic surgical instruments can be inserted.

A surgical access apparatus is presented including a cannula having a housing and a cannula shaft, the cannula shaft defining an internal lumen and a slot in communication with the internal lumen and an obturator insertable through the internal lumen of the cannula. The obturator includes an obturator shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and a tip member disposed at the distal end of the obturator shaft, the tip member configured to form an incision through tissue. An outer surface of the obturator shaft and the tip member defines a channel for receiving and directing insufflation fluid into a body cavity, a portion of the same channel also configured to guide a surgical instrument, such as a suture passer/grasper for closing an incision, towards and through the slot. In this way, the cannula and obturator can be employed both for forming an incision at the beginning of a surgical procedure and for closing the same incision at the conclusion of the surgical procedure.

A delivery device for installing a medical device in a patient comprising a body portion having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a chisel shaped tip, a receptacle disposed in the distal end of the body portion for receiving a medical device for implanting in the patient, a handle disposed at the proximal end of the body portion for facilitating advancement of the proximal end of the body portion into the patient.

A surgical access port for insertion into a body cavity can have an elongate tubular body extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end, and a tip at the distal end of the tubular body for penetrating through a body wall and into the body cavity. The distal tip moves from a first, penetrating position to a second, retaining position when the body wall has been traversed. The surgical access port may further comprise a seal housing connected to the proximal end of the tubular body, the seal housing having an access port providing an opening into the tubular body to allow passage of surgical instruments. The distal tip may be sharp, pointed or bladed. The distal tip may also be substantially blunt or have a conical surface. The access port may further comprise a retention member for connecting the tubular body and the distal tip.

A lead receptacle having a lumen configured to traverse from an outer side of an outermost intercostal muscle to an inner side of an innermost intercostal muscle of an intercostal space of a patient and to support a lead traversing through the lumen. The lumen being configured to support one or more cardiac leads traversing through the intercostal space.

A surgical access apparatus is presented including a cannula having a housing and a cannula shaft, the cannula shaft defining an internal lumen and a slot in communication with the internal lumen and an obturator insertable through the internal lumen of the cannula. The obturator includes an obturator shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and a tip member disposed at the distal end of the obturator shaft, the tip member configured to form an incision through tissue. An outer surface of the obturator shaft and the tip member defines a channel for receiving and directing insufflation fluid into a body cavity, a portion of the same channel also configured to guide a surgical instrument, such as a suture passer/grasper for closing an incision, towards and through the slot. In this way, the cannula and obturator can be employed both for forming an incision at the beginning of a surgical procedure and for closing the same incision at the conclusion of the surgical procedure.

Surgical access ports useful in minimally invasive surgical procedures are provided. The access ports comprise a cannula that defines a passageway for one or more surgical instruments through a tissue tract and a dome extending from the cannula to provide an expanded diameter for receiving one or more surgical instruments.

Systems and methods are adapted for treating the carotid artery. The systems include interventional catheters and blood vessel access devices that are adapted for transcervical insertion into the carotid artery. Embodiments of the systems and methods can be used in combination with embolic protection systems including blood flow reversal mechanisms, arterial filters, and arterial occlusion devices.