Inflatable medical device

摘要

A surgical device for providing or enlarging an operative space is described. The surgical device can include a shell having inflatable ribs and generally planar non-inflatable segments spaced apart by the ribs. When inflated, the ribs support the planar segments of the shell to provide an expansion space above a tissue layer. Once the shell is in the inflated configuration, a vacuum can be provided through the shell to lift the tissue layer toward the shell.