Surgical instruments and procedures for stabilizing the beating heart during coronary artery bypass graft surgery
First Claim
1. A method to stabilize the beating heart comprising the steps of:
- contacting at least one section of the beating heart with a stabilizing means, exerting a force on the stabilizing means.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is methods and devices which a surgeon may use to stabilize the beating heart during a surgical procedure on the heart. Pursuant to the invention, a stabilizing device is introduced through an opening in the chest and brought into contact with the beating heart. By contacting the heart with the device and by exerting a stabilizing force on the device, the motion of the heart caused by the contraction of the heart muscles is effectively eliminated such that the heart is stabilized and the site of the surgery moves only minimally if at all. Typically, in separate steps, the surgeon contacts the heart with the stabilizing means, assesses the degree of movement of the anastomosis site, and exerts a force on the stabilizing means such that the contraction of the beating heart causes only minimal excess motion at the surgery site. By fixing the position of the stabilizing means in a configuration where the motion of the beating heart is effectively eliminated, the surgeon is able to stabilize the beating heart for the duration of the procedure. The stabilizing means may be attached to a rigid support or may be attached to a semi-rigid support which is rendered motionless mechanically, chemically, or by human intervention. In certain preferred embodiments, the stabilizing means is affixed to a semi-rigid support which is caused to become rigid, by any of a variety of techniques, such that the position of the stabilizing means becomes fixed by the support, and the heart remains substantially motionless for the duration of the procedure.
103 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method to stabilize the beating heart comprising the steps of:
contacting at least one section of the beating heart with a stabilizing means, exerting a force on the stabilizing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method to install a coronary artery bypass graft from a source artery to a target coronary artery while the heart is beating comprising the steps of:
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1) providing an access space to the beating heart by a surgical procedure selected from the group consisting of a thoracotomy and a sternotomy, 2) introducing a stabilizing means through the access space, 3) contacting the surface of the beating heart proximate to the target artery at an anastomosis with a stabilizing means, 4) exerting a stabilizing force on the beating heart by positioning the stabilizing means, 5) restricting blood flow through the target artery while allowing the heart to continue to beat, 6) sewing an anastomosis to the target artery, 7) re-establishing blood flow through the target artery.
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8. A device for use in a cardiovascular surgery on the beating heart comprising:
a means for stabilizing the beating heart comprising contact members shaped to engage the surface of the beating heart, said contact members attached to a shaft means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A device for use in cardiac surgery comprising:
means for stabilizing the beating heart comprising a sheath member having support attachments positioned along its length. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
Specification