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.

Devices, systems, and methods for delivering prosthesis implants into surgically-created implant pockets in a subject and for preventing capsular contracture resulting from surgical insertion of prosthesis implants. The device may include a delivery member operable to wrap around the implant thereby forming a conforming cavity around the implant that conforms to the shape of the implant. The delivery member is also operable to propel the implant from the conforming cavity into the implant pocket in the subject upon the application of mechanical force to the delivery member. The device also includes a shielding member coupled with the delivery member. The shielding member is operable to shield the implant from at least a portion of the dissection tunnel connecting the incision to the implant pocket during delivery of the implant to the implant pocket. The device is capable of shielding the implant from microbial contamination, including contamination by the endogenous flora of the subject, during delivery of the implant into the surgically-created implant pocket.

A medical device may include an introducer sheath, having a distal and a proximal end and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end. The introducer sheath may also include a tab formed at the distal end and extending distal to the lumen, and a frangible portion extending between the distal end and the proximal end.

Apparatus, systems, and methods for inserting prosthesis implants into surgically-created implant pockets in a subject and for preventing capsular contracture resulting from surgical insertion of prosthesis implants. The apparatus includes a base having an upper surface and a lower surface and having an aperture formed therein which extends through the upper surface and the lower surface of the base. The apparatus also includes a tubular member that is coupled to the base. The inner bore of the tubular member is operable to receive the implant and has a substantially uniform cross-sectional width over the predetermined length. The apparatus is capable of shielding the implant from microbial contamination, including contamination by the endogenous flora of the subject, during insertion of the implant into the surgically-created implant pocket.

Apparatus and methods are provided for accessing body lumens and/or for delivering instruments into body lumens, e.g., vessels within a patient's vasculature. A flexible sheath is provided that is expandable from a contracted condition to an enlarged condition wherein the sheath at least partially defines a lumen therein. The sheath is lubricious and has a relatively thin wall, thereby providing a collapsible/expandable guide for delivering fluids and/or instruments through tortuous anatomy and/or into relatively narrow passages. The sheath is advanced from an entry site to a body lumen in the contracted condition. Once the sheath reaches a target body lumen, the sheath is expanded to the enlarged condition, thereby defining a lumen within the sheath, and fluids and/or instruments are introduced into the body lumen via the sheath lumen. Upon completing the procedure, the sheath is removed from the body lumen.

A tissue retractor comprising an outer ring, an inner ring, and a flexible, metal sheath extending therebetween is described. Embodiments of the inner ring comprise a flat or wedge-shaped conformation useful for insertion between muscle layers. Other embodiments of the inner ring include variable diameter inner rings, where the diameter can be adjusted as required and optionally locked into place, and reshapeable inner rings that permit a user to conform the inner ring to the anatomy of the patient when placing the inner ring.

A surgical sheath for use in endoscopic trans-nasal or intra-ocular surgery is made of a braid material. The sheath may be manufactured by placing a length of braided tube material over a mandrel. The braid material is conformed to the shape of the mandrel and is then heat set. An atraumatic end may be made by folding or rolling one or both ends of the sheath. A coating may also optionally be applied to the braid material. The sheath reduces collateral trauma to the tissues in the surgical pathway.

A device for establishing and maintaining a sterile environment for conducting surgical procedures is disclosed. In particular, the tent-like device provides an interior space attachable to a patient's skin to allow surgical treatment of the patient. Several aspects of the invention are directed to devices to be used in connection with such a surgical procedure using the tent-like device. According to the invention, an isolation device for providing a sterile operation chamber above a skin region of a patient is provided, in particular for performing a surgical procedure, said isolation device comprising an inflatable bag coupled to a support frame, the support frame having a transport configuration and an operation configuration. In the transport configuration, the first inflatable bag is confined, such as to have compact dimensions. In the operation configuration, the first inflatable bag is extended, such as to form said sterile operation chamber.

A device and a method for insertion of a cannula into a user's tissue are disclosed. A patch pump comprising a non-linear needle path with a first bend may be provided. A rigid needle may be located in the non-linear needle path and may be composed of a material that allows the rigid needle to maintain a bend at the first bend when traversing the non-linear needle path. A movement mechanism may be configured to apply a first force on a first end of the rigid needle to cause the rigid needle to traverse the non-linear needle path from a first needle position to a second needle position. The cannula may receive a second force from a second end of the rigid needle when the movement mechanism applies the first force on the first end of the rigid needle and may be configured to traverse from a first cannula position to a second cannula position based on the second force.

An example assembly for use with a vacuum system and an esophageal positioning device esophageal positioning device includes an introducer, in which the esophageal positioning device includes a first segment and a second segment. The second segment is pivotally connected to the first segment. A gap portion of an outer tube of the introducer is defined along a longitudinal axis between a tube tip of the introducer and the distal end of the second segment of the esophageal positioning device when the esophageal positioning device is disposed within the introducer. The gap portion defines one or more radial vacuum holes.