Surgical devices for imposing a negative pressure to stabilize cardiac tissue during surgery
First Claim
1. A device to facilitate a surgical procedure on a heart, said device comprising:
- a main body having an outer surface and an inner surface, said outer and inner surfaces opposing one another, said main body further comprising a bottom surface disposed transversely to bottom ends of said inner and outer surfaces, extending between and connecting said inner and outer surfaces at said bottom ends;
at least one suction port extending between said opposing inner and outer surfaces, opening through said bottom surface and adapted to engage a surface of the heart such that at least a portion of the surface of the heart becomes fixed relative to said main body, wherein said inner surface is configured to define a working space above the surface of the heart when said bottom surface of said main body is fixed thereto;
a sealed, airtight, pressure conducting chamber within said main body, adapted to be operably connected to a source of negative pressure to conduct the negative pressure to at least one of said at least one suction ports;
at least one passage interconnecting at least one of said at least one ports with said pressure conducting chamber;
wherein each said passage has a diameter smaller than a diameter of each said port, respectively; and
at least one instrument guide defining at least one instrument path traversing across both said inner and outer surfaces, through a wall formed by said opposing outer and inner surfaces, and through which a surgical instrument may be introduced for controlled manipulation in the working space relative to said main body.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is devices and techniques which use a negative (suction) pressure or vacuum, applied through a surgical instrument, to fix the position of a portion of the surface of a beating heart so that a surgical procedure can be more easily performed. The devices apply a negative pressure at several points on the outer surface of the heart such that a portion of the heart is fixed in place by the suction imposed through the surgical instrument. Because the instrument fixes the position of the tissue, and because the instruments remain at a constant distance from the particular portion of the heart where the surgery is being performed, the device may also serve as a support or platform so that other surgical instruments or devices can be advantageously used at the site. In certain preferred embodiments, the devices described herein have structures to facilitate the use of additional surgical instruments such that the placement of negative pressure device permit the surgeon to advantageously manipulate the other instruments during surgery. The negative pressure is preferably imposed through a plurality of ports which may be disposed in a substantially planar surface of the instrument which contacts the cardiac tissue.
211 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A device to facilitate a surgical procedure on a heart, said device comprising:
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a main body having an outer surface and an inner surface, said outer and inner surfaces opposing one another, said main body further comprising a bottom surface disposed transversely to bottom ends of said inner and outer surfaces, extending between and connecting said inner and outer surfaces at said bottom ends; at least one suction port extending between said opposing inner and outer surfaces, opening through said bottom surface and adapted to engage a surface of the heart such that at least a portion of the surface of the heart becomes fixed relative to said main body, wherein said inner surface is configured to define a working space above the surface of the heart when said bottom surface of said main body is fixed thereto; a sealed, airtight, pressure conducting chamber within said main body, adapted to be operably connected to a source of negative pressure to conduct the negative pressure to at least one of said at least one suction ports; at least one passage interconnecting at least one of said at least one ports with said pressure conducting chamber;
wherein each said passage has a diameter smaller than a diameter of each said port, respectively; andat least one instrument guide defining at least one instrument path traversing across both said inner and outer surfaces, through a wall formed by said opposing outer and inner surfaces, and through which a surgical instrument may be introduced for controlled manipulation in the working space relative to said main body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. In combination, a device to facilitate a procedure on a heart, having a main body having at least one suction port adapted to engage a surface of the heart such that at least a portion of the surface of the heart becomes fixed relative to said main body, said main body defining an interior working space that is not placed under suction when said at least one suction port is engaged with the surface of the heart by applying suction through said at least one suction port, and at least one instrument guide defining at least one instrument port formed in a wall of said main body, transverse to a direction in which said at least one suction port faces, and through which a surgical instrument may be introduced into said interior working space for controlled manipulation relative to said main body;
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at least one surgical instrument extending through said at least one instrument guide. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of performing a procedure on cardiac tissue, said method comprising the steps of:
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contacting a device to the cardiac tissue; applying suction through the device to engage the cardiac tissue contacted with the device, wherein the device defines a working space relative to an inner surface of the device and a surface of the cardiac tissue that does not have suction applied thereto; and inserting an instrument into the working space through an instrument path established through, in a direction across, a wall formed by an outer surface and the inner surface of a portion of the device. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. In combination, a device to facilitate a procedure on a heart, having a main body having at least one suction port adapted to engage a surface of the heart such that at least a portion of the surface of the heart becomes fixed relative to said main body, and a plurality of instrument guides defining instrument paths through which surgical instruments may be introduced for controlled manipulation relative to said main body;
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a plurality of surgical instruments extending through said plurality of instrument guides, wherein said plurality of instruments comprises a video scope and a suturing instrument.
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40. A device to facilitate a surgical procedure on a heart, said device comprising:
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a main body having an outer surface and an inner surface, said outer and inner surfaces opposing one another and defining a width of said main body wall, said main body further comprising a bottom surface disposed transversely to bottom ends of said inner and outer surfaces, extending between and connecting said inner and outer surfaces at said bottom ends; at least one suction port extending between said opposing inner and outer surfaces, opening through said bottom surface and adapted to engage a surface of the heart such that at least a portion of the surface of the heart becomes fixed relative to said main body, wherein said inner surface is configured to define a working space above the surface of the heart when said bottom surface of said main body is fixed thereto; and at least one instrument port comprising an opening traversing said width of said main body wall and shaped to receive an instrument.
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41. A device to facilitate a surgical procedure on a heart, said device comprising:
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a main body having an outer surface and an inner surface, said outer and inner surfaces opposing one another and defining a width of said main body wall, said main body further comprising a bottom surface disposed transversely to bottom ends of said inner and outer surfaces, extending between and connecting said inner and outer surfaces at said bottom ends; at least one suction port extending between said opposing inner and outer surfaces, opening through said bottom surface and adapted to engage a surface of the heart such that at least a portion of the surface of the heart becomes fixed relative to said main body, wherein said inner surface is configured to define a working space above the surface of the heart when said bottom surface of said main body is fixed thereto; and a plurality of instrument guides traversing said width of said main body wall.
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Specification