Applikator für Antiadhäsionsschicht

An applicator is provided for applying a sheet (80) of surgical material, e.g., an adhesion barrier or other surgical fabric, to internal body tissue. The applicator includes an expandable operating tip (60) which is insertable into an endoscopic tube through an incision in a body to enable a surgeon to apply the adhesion barrier or other surgical fabric to tissue inside the body. A preferred embodiment of the applicator includes a set of telescoping tubes comprising an outer delivery tube (100), a intermediate deployment tube (102), and a inner irrigation tube (104). An expandable spreader tip is mounted at the distal end of the irrigation tube and connected to the distal end of the deployment tube. By advancing the deployment tube and irrigation tube relative to the delivery tube, the spreader tip is exposed at the distal end of the delivery tube. The spreader tip is expanded by movement of the deployment tube relative to the irrigation tube to spread the adhesion barrier over the tissue. A nozzle (116) is provided at the distal end of the irrigation tube for applying a fluid, e.g., a saline solution, to the adhesion barrier.