Apparatuses and methods for performing minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures inside of a beating heart
First Claim
1. A cardiac port for insertion through a chamber wall of a heart chamber to perform a medical procedure inside of a beating heart, comprising:
- a housing having a first end, a second end, and a lumen therethrough;
at least one valve disposed in the housing to open and close the lumen; and
an inlet connected to the housing, the inlet having an inlet passage in fluid communication with the lumen of the housing, the inlet adapted to transmit a fluid between an exterior of the port and the lumen of the housing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides apparatuses and methods for performing minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures inside of a beating heart. An assembly for use in performing such a medical procedure includes a port and a fluid transport device. The port has a housing configured for insertion through a chamber wall of a heart chamber, at least one valve disposed in the housing, and an inlet connected to the housing. The inlet has an inlet passage in fluid communication with a lumen of the housing. The fluid transport device has an end that attaches to the inlet of the port, another end that attaches to a fluid source, and a fluid channel therebetween to pass a fluid from the fluid source to the heart chamber. A method of preparing a beating heart for a diagnostic or medical procedure comprises the steps of inserting a cardiac port through a chamber wall of the beating heart and pressurizing the heart chamber with blood from the patient'"'"'s artery. Repair of the heart'"'"'s mitral valve can be effected by a stapled annuloplasty procedure. Where sutures are used in the diagnostic or surgical procedure, a suture cutting device for cutting a suture inside a beating heart can be used. The suture cutting device can include an elongated body having a lumen, a wall member extending into the lumen, and a knot-receiving chamber defined by a first area on a first side of the wall member. The wall member defines a channel therethrough dimensioned to permit passage of a suture and to prevent passage of a knot. A cutting implement is movably disposed in the lumen in a second area on a second side of the wall member opposite the first side. The cutting implement moves between a first position and second position to cut the suture. Movement of the cutting implement is limited to ensure that the cutting implement does not cut through the suture knot.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A cardiac port for insertion through a chamber wall of a heart chamber to perform a medical procedure inside of a beating heart, comprising:
-
a housing having a first end, a second end, and a lumen therethrough;
at least one valve disposed in the housing to open and close the lumen; and
an inlet connected to the housing, the inlet having an inlet passage in fluid communication with the lumen of the housing, the inlet adapted to transmit a fluid between an exterior of the port and the lumen of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A cardiac port for insertion through a chamber wall of a heart chamber to perform a medical procedure inside of a beating heart, comprising:
-
a housing having a first end, a second end, and a lumen therethrough;
at least one valve disposed in the housing to open and close the lumen; and
first and second retainer members on the housing, the first retainer member being spaced from the second retainer member a predetermined distance to anchor the chamber wall between the first and second retainer members. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21)
-
-
14. An assembly for use in performing a medical procedure inside of a beating heart of a patient, comprising:
-
a port including a housing having a first end, a second end, and a lumen therethrough, the housing configured for insertion through a chamber wall of a heart chamber so that the first end is exterior of the chamber wall and the second end is interior of the chamber wall;
at least one valve disposed in the housing to open and close the lumen; and
an inlet connected to the housing, the inlet having an inlet passage in fluid communication with the lumen of the housing; and
a fluid transport device having one end that attaches to the inlet of the port, another end that attaches to a fluid source, and a fluid channel therebetween to pass a fluid from the fluid source to the inlet, whereby the fluid passes from the inlet through the inlet passage and through the lumen into the heart chamber to maintain an intra-chamber pressure at a desired level.
-
-
16. A method of accessing an interior of a heart chamber of a heart, comprising the steps of:
-
maintaining beating of the heart; and
inserting a port in a chamber wall of the heart chamber, the port having a lumen therethrough for accessing the interior of the heart chamber from exterior of the heart chamber.
-
-
18. A method of preparing a beating heart for a diagnostic or medical procedure, comprising the steps of:
-
inserting a port in a chamber wall of the beating heart, the port having a lumen to access to the heart chamber; and
pressurizing the heart chamber with blood from a patient'"'"'s artery. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
-
22. An apparatus for cutting a suture, comprising:
-
an elongated body having a lumen, a wall member extending into the lumen, and a knot-receiving chamber defined by a first area on a first side of the wall member, the wall member defining a channel therethrough, the channel being dimensioned to permit passage of a suture and to prevent passage of a knot; and
a cutting implement movably disposed in the lumen in a second area on a second side of the wall member opposite the first side, the cutting implement movable between a first position and second position to cut the suture. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 28, 29)
-
-
26. An apparatus for cutting a suture, comprising:
-
an elongated body having a lumen to pass a suture therethrough; and
a cutting implement positioned inside the elongated body to cut the suture.
-
-
27. A method for repairing a damaged heart valve of a beating heart, comprising the steps of:
-
inserting a valved port in a chamber wall of the beating heart to access an interior of a heart chamber;
inserting a stapling device through the valved port; and
positioning staples from the stapling device into at least a portion of the mitral valve annulus of the damaged heart valve to reduce a length of the portion of the mitral valve annulus.
-
Specification