A surgical retractor assembly for providing surgical exposure. The surgical retractor assembly consists of multiple ring segments connected by adjustable ratchet mechanisms to form a complete ring. The ratchet mechanisms are attached to tissue retractor blades which provide exposure of the wound when expanded, without the requirement of a direct connection/attachment to an operating table. The tissue retractor blades are attached in a manner which is adjustable and facilitates the ability of the overall surgical retractor assembly (ring segments and connectors) to be raised or lowered with respect to the patient. The ring segments also allow attachments of additional retractor blades or other surgical retractor accessories for additional surgical exposure.

In one embodiment, an expandable access sheath including a planar sheet of material that is configured to be rolled up around an inflatable balloon, the sheet comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a proximal edge, and a distal edge, the sheet further including at least one locking tab that extends from either the inner surface or the outer surface of the sheet, wherein the leading edge of the sheet is configured to interface with the locking tab to lock the access sheath in a predetermined configuration in which the access sheath forms an inner working channel having a predetermined cross-sectional dimension after the access sheath has been expanded by the inflatable balloon.

A modular retractor may include a first body portion that houses a distraction mechanism for opening and closing a first arm and a second arm. A first pivoting member may be coupled to a distal end of the first arm and a second pivoting member may be coupled to a distal end of the second arm, for example. A first blade attachment mechanism may be coupled to the first pivoting member and a second blade attachment mechanism may be coupled to the second pivoting member. The first and second blade attachment mechanisms may be configured to couple to first and second blades and be independently inclinable. A first actuator may be operably coupled to the distraction mechanism for opening and closing the first arm and second arm. Various embodiments may include at least one connection point for connecting to at least one retractor module.

A reducer device for insertion into a surgical cannula includes a tubular member having a proximal opening and a distal opening and an electrically conductive component configured and positioned to provide an electrically conductive path from an interior of the tubular member to an exterior of the tubular member. The electrically conductive path is localized along an axial length of the tubular member. A method of configuring a surgical device includes positioning a surgical cannula within an incision of a patient's body wall, positioning a reducer device within the surgical cannula, and positioning a surgical instrument within the reducer device. Positioning the surgical instrument within the reducer device includes forming an electrically conductive pathway between the surgical cannula and the surgical instrument.

A trocar surgical seal or surgical access device is provided. The trocar surgical seal comprises first and second supports coupled together by a film passageway. The trocar surgical seal provides an instrument seal for instruments inserted therethrough. The trocar surgical seal occupies minimal surgical space.

One embodiment is directed to a system for deploying a device to a distal location across a vessel, comprising an elongate introducer sheath tubing member comprising open-cell fibrous wall material defining a lumen therethrough, wherein in a collapsed configuration the sheath has a first cross-sectional outer diameter and a first lumen inner diameter, and in an expanded configuration, the sheath has a second cross-sectional outer diameter and a second lumen inner diameter; and a substantially non-porous expandable layer coupled to a proximal portion of sheath and configured to prevent fluids present in the lumen from crossing the fibrous wall material. Also disclosed is a delivery assembly comprising an obturator which releasably captures the distal portion of an introducer sheath which obturator can be removed after the sheath is deployed to a desired location.

A depth limiter that is configured to couple with a cannula of a surgical access device. The depth limiter includes first and second user contact portions and first and second biasing features. The first biasing feature includes a first resilient portion and a first gripping surface. The second biasing feature includes a second resilient portion and a second gripping surface. The first and second resilient portions are configured to move the respective first and second gripping surfaces from a fixed configuration to a movable configuration when the respective first and second user contact portions are actuated. In the fixed configuration, the first and second gripping surfaces collectively restrict axial movement of the depth limiter by directly contacting the cannula. In the movable configuration, the first and second gripping surfaces extend parallel to a longitudinal axis and allow for axial movement of the depth limiter relative to the cannula.

A dilator system for arterial and venous cannulas, where there is a smooth transition between the dilator and the outer wall of the cannula. One aspect of the subject technology provides a blunt-tip cannula that is used as a dilator for insertion of an arterial or venous cannula. The balloon might either be a single diameter or may have a larger diameter at the distal portion such that the diameter of the distal portion of the balloon dilator matches the diameter of the cannula at the tip. Another aspect of the subject technology is a balloon dilator for cannulae that may be positioned over a guidewire, for guidewire-directed placement of a cannula within a vessel, duct, lumen or heart structure of the body. Another aspect of the subject technology is an inflation system for the balloon dilator, such that the balloon dilator may be deflated and quickly removed from the cannula after the cannula has been positioned and secured within the vessel, duct, lumen or heart structure. Another aspect of the subject technology includes a stiffening element in the balloon dilator along its shaft to increase the rigidity of the combined balloon dilator and cannula to provide improved ease of insertion. Another aspect of the subject technology is an improved curvature of the shape of the right angle dilator that achieves more uniform flow within the dilator and ease of insertion and more even flow within the cannula, and ease of insertion of and retraction of the balloon dilator. Another aspect of the subject technology is a gel-filled balloon dilator that improves ease of insertion of the cannula within the vessel, duct, lumen or heart structure, and can be removed without deflation.

Medical devices for accessing the central nervous system, as well as making and using medical devices, are disclosed. An example medical device may include an expandable access sheath having a proximal end region and a distal end region. The expandable access sheath may be designed to shift between a first configuration and an expanded configuration. The expandable access sheath may include a tubular body having one or more axial support members disposed along the tubular body. The medical device may include an expansion member designed to shift the expandable access sheath between the first configuration and the expanded configuration.

A surgical access device includes a cannula body and a fixation mechanism. The cannula body includes a housing, and an elongated portion extending distally from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis. The fixation mechanism includes a flange, a fixation sleeve, and a proximal sleeve. The flange is rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The fixation sleeve extends distally from the flange and radially surrounds a portion of the elongated portion of the cannula body. The proximal sleeve extends distally from the flange and radially surrounds a proximal portion of the fixation sleeve. Rotation of the flange causes a radially-expandable portion of the fixation sleeve to move between a first position defining a first gap between the radially-expandable portion and the elongated portion, and a second position defining a second, greater, gap between the radially-expandable portion and the elongated portion.