Importance

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Abstract

A balloon dissector for use in surgery in which the balloon is constructed of a substantially non-elastic material (such as polyester film) so that its volume and shape are predetermined at the time of manufacture. With the ability to control the shape during manufacture, the dissector is manufactured for specific applications within the patient so as to follow naturally occurring lines within the body. As such, the dissector is especially useful for such applications as the forehead (for brow-lifts) and the breasts (for breast augmentation). Dissection by the balloon is either through a blunt dissection or a sharp dissection through selective manufacture of the balloons edges. Edges, usually formed at the intersection of two sheets of material, can be either blunt (folded inward) or sharp (folded outward and hardened). In this manner, the balloon dissector is specifically designed for certain applications. An embodiment of the invention is made of radiopaque so that its progress, both in positioning and in inflation, is monitorable using traditional radiation imaging devices.

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First Claim