Inventors:
Vivek R. Deshmukh - Portland OR, US
Neil R. Crawford - Tempe AZ, US
Assignee:
Catholic Healthcare West, - Phoenix AZ
International Classification:
A61B 1/32
Abstract:
For minimally invasive surgical applications, an expandable surgical retractor is inserted in a surgical corridor and expanded to a desired size and shape. Cooling allows the retractor to maintain the expanded characteristic. Following surgery, the retractor can be removed in a manner that minimizes bleeding and tissue damage.