Endoscopic subxiphoid surgical procedures
First Claim
1. A surgical procedure comprising:
- forming an incision;
advancing an endoscopic cannula through the incision toward a target location on a patient'"'"'s pericardium;
introducing a pericardium-penetrating instrument through the endoscopic cannula into contact with the pericardium at the target location;
forming an aperture through the pericardium at the target site to expose epicardial tissue;
introducing a tacking instrument through the endoscopic cannula through the aperture in the pericardium for installing a plural number of tacks at selected locations in the epicardial tissue; and
installing an element in contact with at least a pair of the plural number of tacks to exert tension thereon.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Endoscopic subxiphoid surgical procedures and instruments facilitate translumination of tissue through the pericardium, and promote encircling an intrapericardial region with one or more tissue-ablating probes for ablating cardiac tissue substantially encircling the left and right pulmonary veins as a treatment for chronic atrial fibrillation. Such endoscopic subxiphoid surgical procedures and instruments also facilitate placement of epicardial tacks about the annulus of the mitral valve for supporting a tensioned suture or band that decreases the size of the mitral annulus to repair a regurgitant valve. Suction-oriented instruments facilitate temporary attachment to an organ to establish precise positioning on the organ during a surgical procedure.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A surgical procedure comprising:
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forming an incision;
advancing an endoscopic cannula through the incision toward a target location on a patient'"'"'s pericardium;
introducing a pericardium-penetrating instrument through the endoscopic cannula into contact with the pericardium at the target location;
forming an aperture through the pericardium at the target site to expose epicardial tissue;
introducing a tacking instrument through the endoscopic cannula through the aperture in the pericardium for installing a plural number of tacks at selected locations in the epicardial tissue; and
installing an element in contact with at least a pair of the plural number of tacks to exert tension thereon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification