Medical device and method

Abstract

A blood vessel dissecting device method involves inserting a dissecting device into a living body, advancing the dissecting device along a vein, and dissecting the vein and tissue bound to the vein from other surrounding tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 making an incision in a limb of a living body to permit access to a side branch of a vein located inside the living body from outside the living body;   confirming a position of the side branch of the vein;   introducing two elongated bodies into the living body by way of the incision;   moving the two elongated bodies in the living body to position the two elongated bodies under the vein and on opposite sides of the side branch of the vein so that an inner side of each of the two elongated bodies faces the side branch of the vein;   lifting the vein and tissue in contact with the vein in a first direction away from fascia underlying the tissue to create a space between the tissue and the fascia;   moving the inner side of each of the two elongated bodies into contact with the side branch and holding the side branch of the vein using the inner sides of the two elongated bodies; and   pulling the side branch of the vein in a second direction opposite the first direction by moving the two elongated bodies, whose inner sides are holding the side branch of the vein, in the second direction.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising dissecting the side branch of the vein from other tissue adjacent the side branch. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifting of the tissue to create the space between the body tissue and the fascia includes applying a force to the two elongated bodies that moves the two elongated bodies in the first direction, positioning an expandable body between each of the two elongated bodies and the fascia, and expanding each expandable body. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifting of the tissue to create the space between the body tissue and the fascia includes moving each of the two elongated bodies along an inclined tool. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifting of the tissue to create the space between the body tissue and the fascia includes inserting a plurality of the elongated bodies in stacked relation on each lateral side of the side branch. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the two elongated bodies includes first and second hinged parts, and wherein the lifting of the tissue to create the space between the body tissue and the fascia includes rotating the first part of each elongated body relative to the second part so that the first and second parts of each elongated body form an angle other than 180° and 0° relative to each other. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising retaining the two elongated bodies in parallel relation to one another while the two elongated bodies are holding the side branch and are moving the side branch in the second direction. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising holding the two elongated bodies in a fixed lateral position relative to one another while the two elongated bodies are holding the side branch and are moving the side branch in the second direction. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising pinching and pulling a portion of skin on the limb while pulling the side branch of the vein in the second direction to hold the space. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising squeezing a portion of the limb on opposite sides of the limb while the two elongated bodies are holding the side branch and are moving the side branch in the second direction. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifting of the tissue that is in contact with the vein in the first direction includes rotating the two elongated bodies positioned on opposite sides of the side branch in one rotational direction to create the space, followed by moving the two elongated bodies toward the side branch so that the inner side of each of the two elongated bodies contacts the side branch, and then rotating the two elongated bodies in contact with the side branch in an other rotational direction opposite the one rotational direction to pull the side branch of the vein in the second direction. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the introducing of the two elongated bodies into the living body by way of the incision includes introducing a distal end of each of the two elongated bodies into the living body by way of the incision, the method further comprising moving the two elongated bodies so that the distal end of each of the two elongated bodies is exposed outside the body while a portion of each of the two elongated bodies located between the distal end and a proximal end is positioned in the living body. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the holding of the side branch of the vein by the inner sides of the two elongated bodies is performed while inhibiting slippage between the inner sides of the two elongated bodies and the side branch. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 making an incision in a limb of a living body to permit access, from outside the living body, to a side branch of a vein located inside the living body;   inserting a distal end of each of two elongated bodies into the living body by way of the incision;   moving the two elongated bodies in the living body to position the two elongated bodies on opposite sides of the side branch of the vein;   lifting tissue that is in contact with the vein in a first direction away from fascia underlying the tissue to create a space between the tissue and the fascia;   holding the side branch of the vein using the two elongated bodies; and   pulling the side branch of the vein in a second direction opposite the first direction by moving the two elongated bodies, which are holding the side branch, in the second direction.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising dissecting the side branch from other tissue while the side branch is held by the two elongated bodies. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising retaining the two elongated bodies in parallel relation to one another while the two elongated bodies are holding the side branch and are moving the side branch in the second direction. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising holding the two elongated bodies in a fixed lateral position relative to one another while the two elongated bodies are holding the side branch and are moving the side branch in the second direction. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the lifting of the tissue includes rotating the two elongated bodies in one rotational direction to create the space, followed by moving the two elongated bodies toward the side branch so that the two elongated bodies contact the side branch, and then rotating the two elongated bodies in contact with the side branch in an other rotational direction opposite the one rotational direction to pull the side branch of the vein in the second direction. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising moving the two elongated bodies so that the distal end of each of the two elongated bodies is exposed outside the body while a portion of each of the two elongated bodies located between the distal end and a proximal end is positioned in the living body.