Surgical instrument assembly and associated technique

摘要

A surgical instrument assembly comprises an elongate member provided at a distal end with a clamping member having a pair of opposed jaws. Each of the jaws includes an elongate substantially linear arm. The instrument assembly additionally comprises an actuator mehanism mounted to the elongate member and operatively connected to the jaws for alternately opening and closing the jaws, as well as at least one balloon element attached to the jaws so as to form a cushion upon inflation of the balloon element. An inflation device is operatively connected to the balloon element for inflating the balloon from a collapsed insertion configuration to an expanded use configuration.