A safe, reliable, reproducible system and method for entry into the pericardial sac. The method and system described generally includes penetration of the subcutaneous tissue with a guide sheath or a relatively blunt stylet contained within a sheath. The stylet is removed from the sheath and a vacuum mechanism is installed. Once in contact with the pericardium, the sheath is engaged with the pericardial tissue, allowing the vacuum mechanism to draw the pericardium away from the heart to create a greater space between the heart and pericardium allowing needle insertion onto the pericardial cavity in a much safer and controlled manner.

A percutaneous access device for use in minimally invasive surgery includes an elongated body having a proximal portion and an opposing distal portion. The proximal portion has a proximal bore extending therethrough and the distal portion has a distal bore extending therethrough. The distal portion of the body is hingedly connected to the proximal portion in a first percutaneous access position and a second anchoring position. In the first percutaneous access position the distal and proximal bores are linearly aligned when a surgical instrument is inserted into both the proximal and distal bores. In the second anchoring position the distal bore is angularly displaced from the proximal bore when the surgical instrument is removed from the distal bore.

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.

Embodiments of a surgical access port system that comprises a retractor that is adapted for being coupled to a cap and that is particularly useful in natural orifice surgery are described. The retractor comprises an outer ring, wherein the outer ring is configured to be disposed proximate the natural orifice of the patient and substantially surround the orifice; a tubular body; a funnel segment extending between and coupling the outer ring and the tubular body, wherein the funnel segment provides a diametric reduction between the relatively large diameter of the outer ring and the relatively smaller diameter of the tubular body, which is sized to fit within a natural orifice with minimal distention of the orifice; and an inflatable member disposed around the distal end of the tubular body, the inflatable member sized and configured to fit snugly around the tubular body in the deflated condition and to expand against the wall of the natural orifice in the inflated state to thereby stabilize and retain the retractor within the orifice.

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.

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 device includes a proximal end portion configured to support a seal assembly having an insufflation port. The device includes a cannula tube extending distally from the proximal end portion and having an inner surface that defines a lumen extending longitudinally through the cannula tube. The cannula tube is configured to be inserted distally through a body cavity wall of a patient, and the lumen is configured to guide a surgical instrument shaft distally through the cannula tube for accessing a body cavity of the patient. The device includes a channel formed in the inner surface of the cannula tube. The channel extends longitudinally between a proximal end of the lumen and a distal end of the lumen, and the channel is configured to direct a gas therethrough to or from the insufflation port of the seal assembly while a surgical instrument shaft is disposed within the lumen.

A length adjustable cannula includes: a pipe-like main body having a through hole formed therein and an outer circumferential surface on which a screw thread is formed; a base grip provided at an end of the main body; an inner support plate provided at another end of the main body; and an outer support plate thread-coupled with the outer circumferential surface of the main body, the outer support plate being movable along the screw thread in a lengthwise direction of the main body. A position of the outer support plate is adjusted based on a distance from an outside skin to a medical treatment region of a human body, such that the outer support plate is brought into contact with the outside skin and the inner support plate is brought into contact with and supported by an inside skin of the human body.

A flexible cannula and radially extending conformable flanges used to provide an adjustable effective length of flexible cannula, adjustable for varying tissue depths. At least some of the example embodiments include a flexible tubular body having a length, a flexible distal flange, a flexible proximal flange, and one or more flexible intermediate flanges positioned on the length of the tubular body between the distal and the proximal flanges. All of the flanges may be have the equivalent outer diameters. Each flange may be spaced axially spaced apart from the adjacent flexible flange with varying spacing. Some flanges may also have a circumferential row of perforations, allowing for selective removal of some flanges. The tubular body may also have a ring of perforations, allowing for selective removal of a portion of the tubular body. The flexible cannula may also have at least one suture docking stations on a proximal end of the cannula, to selectively retain a length of suture therein.

A tool includes a burr having a first shaft configured for rotation or oscillation. The burr has a plurality of cutting edges at a first end of the burr. The first shaft has a central longitudinal passage extending from the first end to a second end of the first shaft. A camera is mounted adjacent the first end of the first shaft.