Surgical devices for imposing a negative pressure to stabilize the cardiac tissue during surgery
First Claim
1. A device for imposing a negative pressure on a surface of a beating heart comprising:
- A U-shaped housing defining a surgical field, wherein the U-shaped housing comprises a bottom surface shaped to engage the surface of the heart;
a plurality of suction ports having openings disposed through the bottom surface of the housing; and
a vacuum line operably associated with the suction ports for communicating negative pressure to the suction ports.
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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.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A device for imposing a negative pressure on a surface of a beating heart comprising:
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A U-shaped housing defining a surgical field, wherein the U-shaped housing comprises a bottom surface shaped to engage the surface of the heart; a plurality of suction ports having openings disposed through the bottom surface of the housing; and a vacuum line operably associated with the suction ports for communicating negative pressure to the suction ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 18)
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4. A device for imposing a negative pressure on a surface of a beating heart comprising:
a shaft; a suction port assembly extending from a distal end of the shaft, wherein said suction port assembly comprises; a first block comprising a plurality of suction ports; and a second block comprising a plurality of suction ports, wherein the second block is parallel to and spaced apart from the first block so as to define an interior space between the first and second blocks for use as a surgical field, wherein the plurality of suction ports on the first and second blocks comprise openings located through a bottom surface of the two blocks for engaging the surface of the beating heart, and wherein the suction ports of the first and second blocks ace adapted to fix the surface of the beating heart to the suction ports through the application of negative pressure in order to stabilize the surgical field; and a vacuum line for communicating negative pressure to the suction ports. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A surgical system for stabilizing a surface of a beating heart, wherein the system comprises:
a tissue stabilizer comprising; an elongated shaft; and a suction assembly extending from a distal of the elongated shaft, wherein the suction assembly comprises; two elongate blocks substantially parallel to and spaced apart from one another so as to define an interior space therebetween for use as a surgical field; a plurality of suction ports adapted to fix the surface of the beating heart to the suction ports through the application of negative pressure in order to immobilize the surgical field; and a vacuum line for communicating negative pressure to the suction ports. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
Specification