4,709,697 DATED DECEMBER 1, 1987

TISSUE PNEUMATIC SEPARATOR STRUCTURE AND METHOD
AIR-WAND®

In its simplest form, the invention comprises a tissue separator approximately the size of a felt pen having a mechanical nudging tip thereon for physically nudging the tissue to be separated to provide atraumatic tissue separation. In the preferred embodiment, the invention is a tissue pneumatic separator wherein a suitable gas at a controlled head pressure flows through a calibrated orifice in a floating tip in variously controlled directions to separate layers of tissue rapidly and accurately without damage to the tissue or membranes being separated. The tip of the tissue pneumatic separator of the invention floats on balanced cushions of the gas to limit the nudging pressure applied by the floating tip.

In a sophisticated embodiment of the tissue pneumatic separator, nitrogen gas is variably controlled in pressure and may be passed to the floating tip through at least two separate controls operable either by a surgeon 's thumb or his forefinger. In one modification of the tissue pneumatic separator of the invention, gas used in the separation of tissue and flowing forward through the calibrated orifice of the floating tip is controlled by the surgeon's forefinger while moisturizing fluid is passed forward around the floating tip of the tissue pneumatic separator and controlled by the physician's thumb. In another modification of the tissue pneumatic separator, the gas utilized to separate tissue and flowing forward through the calibrated orifice of the floating tip is controlled by the surgeon's forefinger while excess fluids in the area of the tissue being separated may be withdrawn rearward by suction around the floating tip of the tissue pneumatic separator under control of the surgeon's thumb.

In accordance with the method of the invention form, tissue to be separated is physically nudged by a bulbous tip affixed to the tissue separator stem and body assembly. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, tissue is separated by nitrogen gas passing through a floating tip of the tissue pneumatic separator, which tip may also be used to nudge the tissue being separated under a controlled and balanced gas pressure. In further modifications of the method of the invention, moisturizing fluid may be passed to the tissue being separated at the same time the tissue is being separated by gas directed thereon and/or physical nudging, or fluid may be removed from the area of the tissue being separated in accordance with the method of the invention at the same time tissue separation is being accomplished.