UNITARY ENDOSCOPIC VESSEL HARVESTING DEVICES WITH A VISUAL CUE TO IDENTIFY ORIENTATION OF CUTTING ELEMENTS
Unitary endoscopic vessel harvesting devices with an elastic force are disclosed. In some embodiments, such devices comprise an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, a tip disposed at the distal end of the elongated body. The tip having a visual cue indicating a location of at least one cutting element extending from the elongated body.
1 .- 20 . (canceled)
21 . A method of harvesting a blood vessel, comprising:
advancing a conical dissection tip of an endoscopic cannula along an exterior surface of the blood vessel to separate the blood vessel from surrounding tissue, wherein a branch vessel that emanates from the blood vessel is encountered during said advancing;
viewing the branch vessel through a transparent portion of the conical dissection tip via an endoscope received in the endoscopic cannula, wherein the transparent portion of the conical dissection tip includes at least a first visual cue that is visible to a user looking through the transparent portion with the endoscope to allow the user to confirm positioning of the conical dissection tip during said viewing;
energizing a cutting element positioned adjacent the branch vessel to seal off part of the branch vessel; and
mechanically cutting through a sealed-off portion of the branch vessel with the cutting element.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the first visual cue is located at the distal end of the conical dissection tip.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the transparent portion of the conical dissection tip includes a second visual cue.
24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the first visual cue includes a curved line.
25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the first visual cue is visualizable by the user on an electronic display.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the first visual cue, despite being visible to the user during said viewing, significantly avoids obstructing a field of view of the user on the electronic display.
27 . A method of harvesting a blood vessel, comprising:
advancing a conical dissection tip of an endoscopic cannula along an exterior surface of the blood vessel to separate the blood vessel from surrounding tissue; and
viewing said advancing through a transparent portion of the conical dissection tip via an endoscope received in the endoscopic cannula, wherein the transparent portion of the conical dissection tip includes at least a first visual cue that is visible to a user looking through the transparent portion with the endoscope to allow the user to confirm positioning of the conical dissection tip during said viewing.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the first visual cue is located at the distal end of the conical dissection tip.
29 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the transparent portion of the conical dissection tip includes a second visual cue.
30 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the first visual cue includes a curved line.
31 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the first visual cue, despite being visible to the user during said viewing, significantly avoids obstructing a field of view of the user.
32 . The method of claim 27 , wherein a branch vessel that emanates from the blood vessel is encountered during said advancing.
33 . The method of claim 32 further comprising positioning a cutting element adjacent the branch vessel.
34 . The method of claim 33 further comprising energizing the cutting element to seal off part of the branch vessel.
35 . The method of claim 34 further comprising mechanically cutting through a sealed-off portion of the blood vessel with the cutting element.
36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the cutting element is a longitudinally extendable-retractable cutting element.
37 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the first visual cue comprises at least one of an indentation, a protrusion, and a marking.
38 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the first visual cue is visualizable by the user on an electronic display.
39 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the first visual cue is located on at least one of an internal surface and an external surface of the conical dissection tip.
40 . A method of harvesting a blood vessel, comprising:
advancing a conical dissection tip of an endoscopic cannula along an exterior surface of the blood vessel to separate the blood vessel from surrounding tissue, wherein a branch vessel that emanates from the blood vessel is encountered during said advancing;
viewing the branch vessel through a transparent portion of the conical dissection tip, wherein the transparent portion of the conical dissection tip includes at least a first visual cue that is visible to a user looking through the transparent portion to allow the user to confirm positioning of the conical dissection tip non-radiologically during said viewing; and
energizing a cutting element positioned adjacent the branch vessel to seal off part of the branch vessel.