Tissue stabilizer and methods of using the same
First Claim
1. A device for stabilizing tissue within a patient'"'"'s body, said device comprising:
- a shaft having a shaft longitudinal axis;
a first contacting member having a first longitudinal axis and extending in a direction along said first longitudinal axis;
a second contacting member having a second longitudinal axis and extending in a direction along said second longitudinal axis;
wherein said first and second contacting members are mechanically linked to said shaft and movable relative to said shaft via a joint;
said contacting members being configured to assume;
(a) a low profile configuration in which said first and second longitudinal axes are in first and second positions respectively, in axial alignment with said shaft and in substantial coaxial alignment when viewed along a plane; and
(b) a working configuration in which said first and second longitudinal axes are spaced apart;
wherein upon moving said contacting members from said low profile configuration to said working configuration;
said contacting members are spaced apart; and
one of said first and second contacting members remains, at least temporarily, in said first or second position assumed in said low profile configuration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods are provided for stabilizing tissue, e.g., a beating heart, within a patient'"'"'s body. In certain embodiments, the subject devices are characterized by having a shaft and at least two contacting members operatively associated with the shaft where the contacting members are capable of assuming a substantial coaxial alignment when in a low profile configuration and also capable of assuming an open, working configuration. In other embodiments, the devices are characterized by having a shaft and at least one tissue contacting member associated with the shaft using a ball and socket mechanism, wherein the at least one tissue contacting member may be caused to pitch and/or roll and/or yaw. In the subject methods, a subject device is advanced to the target site and stabilizes the target tissue using compression, negative pressure or both. The subject invention also includes kits for use in practicing the subject methods.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A device for stabilizing tissue within a patient'"'"'s body, said device comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft longitudinal axis; a first contacting member having a first longitudinal axis and extending in a direction along said first longitudinal axis; a second contacting member having a second longitudinal axis and extending in a direction along said second longitudinal axis; wherein said first and second contacting members are mechanically linked to said shaft and movable relative to said shaft via a joint; said contacting members being configured to assume; (a) a low profile configuration in which said first and second longitudinal axes are in first and second positions respectively, in axial alignment with said shaft and in substantial coaxial alignment when viewed along a plane; and (b) a working configuration in which said first and second longitudinal axes are spaced apart; wherein upon moving said contacting members from said low profile configuration to said working configuration; said contacting members are spaced apart; and one of said first and second contacting members remains, at least temporarily, in said first or second position assumed in said low profile configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for stabilizing tissue within a patient'"'"'s body, said method comprising:
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positioning a first contacting member having a first longitudinal axis and a second contacting member having a second longitudinal axis, respectively, in a low profile configuration wherein said first and second longitudinal axes are contained in a plane in which a longitudinal axis of a shaft is contained, said shaft being connected to said first and second contacting members; advancing said first and second contacting members to a site of the tissue to be stabilized; repositioning at least one of said first and second contacting members to a working configuration in which said first and second contacting members are spaced apart from one another upon moving in a plane of movement from said low profile configuration to said working configuration, wherein one of said first and second longitudinal axes, in said working configuration remains, at least temporarily, in said plane with said longitudinal axis of said shaft, while the longitudinal axis of the other of said first and second contacting members is no longer contained within the plane; and contacting the tissue with contact surfaces of said first and second contacting members. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A device for stabilizing tissue within a patient'"'"'s body, said device comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft longitudinal axis; and a first contacting member having a first longitudinal axis and a second contacting member have a second longitudinal axis, said first and second contacting members operatively associated with said shaft, said first contacting member extending in a direction along said first longitudinal axis and said second contacting member extending in a direction along said second longitudinal axis, said contacting members being configured to assume a low profile configuration in which said first and second longitudinal axes and said shaft longitudinal axis are each contained in a plane, and a working configuration in which said first and second longitudinal axes are spaced apart and said contacting members are spaced apart upon moving from said low profile configuration to said working configuration; and
one of said first and second longitudinal axes remains, at least temporarily, in said plane upon moving from said low profile configuration to said working configuration, wherein said contacting members are spaced apart and do not overlap in the plane when in said working configuration, and are parallel to one another upon moving from said low profile configuration to said working configuration.
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36. A method for stabilizing tissue within a patient'"'"'s body, said method comprising:
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positioning a first contacting member having a first longitudinal axis and a second contacting member having a second longitudinal axis, respectively, in a low profile configuration wherein said first and second contacting members are in substantial coaxial alignment and have first and second longitudinal axes, respectively, that are contained in a plane with a longitudinal axis of a shaft when in said low profile configuration, said shaft being connected to said first and second contacting members; advancing said first and second contacting members to a site of the tissue to be stabilized; repositioning at least one of said first and second contacting members to a working configuration in which said first and second contacting members are spaced apart from one another upon moving from said low profile configuration to said working configuration, one of said first and second longitudinal axes, in said working configuration remains, at least temporarily, in said plane, and said contacting members are parallel to one another upon moving from said low profile configuration to said working configuration; and contacting the tissue with said first and second contacting members.
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Specification