Device to permit offpump beating heart coronary bypass surgery
First Claim
1. A method of positioning a beating heart and stabilizing a portion thereof in preparation for performing a surgical procedure on the beating heart or a vessel associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:
- engaging the heart with a head of a heart positioning device;
repositioning the heart into a displaced position;
maintaining the heart in the displaced position, while allowing cardiac output to be maintained substantially unabated and uninterrupted, by fixing the heart positioning device with respect to a stationary object; and
immobilizing a select portion of the heart in the vicinity of a target area in which the surgical procedure is to be performed.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A heart retractor links lifting of the heart and regional immobilization which stops one part of the heart from moving to allow expeditious suturing while permitting other parts of the heart to continue to function whereby coronary surgery can be performed on a beating heart while maintaining cardiac output unabated and uninterrupted. Circumflex coronary artery surgery can be performed using the heart retractor of the present invention. The retractor includes a plurality of flexible arms and a plurality of rigid arms as well as a surgery target immobilizing element. One form of the retractor can be used in minimally invasive surgery, while other forms of the retractor can accommodate variations in heart size and paracardial spacing.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of positioning a beating heart and stabilizing a portion thereof in preparation for performing a surgical procedure on the beating heart or a vessel associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:
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engaging the heart with a head of a heart positioning device; repositioning the heart into a displaced position; maintaining the heart in the displaced position, while allowing cardiac output to be maintained substantially unabated and uninterrupted, by fixing the heart positioning device with respect to a stationary object; and immobilizing a select portion of the heart in the vicinity of a target area in which the surgical procedure is to be performed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of positioning a beating heart and stabilizing a portion thereof in preparation for performing a surgical procedure on the beating heart or a vessel associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:
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engaging the heart with a heart positioning device; repositioning the heart into a displaced position; maintaining the heart in the displaced position, while allowing cardiac output to be maintained substantially unabated and uninterrupted, by fixing the heart positioning device with respect to a stationary object; and immobilizing a select portion of the heart by application of a target-immobilizing element to the select portion and fixing the target immobilizing element relative to the fixed heart positioning device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification