Medtronic, Inc.

Cornelius Borst

Hendricus Jacobus Mansvelt Beck

Erik W L Jansen

Paul Frederik Grundeman

Paul F Gr&uuml;ndeman

Jack Goodman

Eric J Boone

William G O'Neill

Hendricus J Mansvelt-Beck

John D Hall

Eric Vroegop

Vincent J Testa

Erik W Jansen

Paul F Gr{overscore (u)}ndeman

Cornelis Wilhelmus Jozef Verlaan

Robin Henricus Heijmen

Hendrious J Mansvelt Beck

Martijn Heikens

Jules Scheltes

Henricus Jacobus Mansvelt Beck

Cornelius Wilhelmus Josef Verlaan

Robert Van Dalen

A method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue. In particular, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of heart tissue to thereby permit surgery on a coronary vessel in that area without significant deterioration of the pumping function of the beating heart. The local area of heart tissue is immobilized to a degree sufficient to permit minimally invasive or micro-surgery on that area of the heart. The present invention features a suction device to accomplish the immobilization. The suction device is coupled to a source of negative pressure. The suction device has a series of suction ports on one surface. Suction through the device causes suction to be maintained at the ports. The device further is shaped to conform to the surface of the heart. Thus, when the device is placed on the surface of the heart and suction is created, the suction through the ports engages the surface of the heart. The suction device is further fixed or immobilized to a stationary object, such as an operating table or a sternal or rib retractor. Thus, the local area of the heart near the suction device is temporarily fixed or immobilized relative to the stationary object while suction is maintained. In such a fashion, the coronary artery may be immobilized even though the heart itself is still beating so that a bypass graft may be performed. In addition the suction device may be used in either a conventional, open-chest environment or in a minimally-invasive environment, e.g. endoscopic.

Method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue

A method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue. In particular, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue within a patient's body cavity. In one embodiment, the tissue immobilized is heart tissue to thereby permit surgery on a coronary vessel in that area without significant deterioration of the pumping function of the beating heart. The local area of heart tissue is immobilized to a degree sufficient to permit minimally invasive or micro-surgery on that area of the heart. The apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue includes a first tissue engaging member and a second tissue engaging member coupled to a spreader. The spreader is operated by an actuator to selectively control the movement of the first tissue engager and the second tissue engager. The method for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue includes controlling the spreading of the first tissue engaging member and the second tissue engaging member so a selective amount of spreading occurs.

The invention is a method and apparatus for performing beating heart surgery, in which a single articulating arm supports multiple suction pods. Once the suction pods are applied to the heart surface, tightening a cable fixes the arm in place. Then, the suction pods may be spread apart from each other to tighten the surface of the cardiac tissue lying between the suction pods. In one embodiment, fixation of the arm as well as the spreading apart of the suction pods may occur concurrently or almost concurrently through the tensioning of a single cable. Additional embodiments of the method, system and its components are shown.

A method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue. In particular, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue within a patient's body cavity. In one embodiment, the tissue immobilized is heart tissue to thereby permit surgery on a coronary vessel in that area without significant deterioration of the pumping function of the beating heart. The local area of heart tissue is immobilized to a degree sufficient to permit minimally invasive or micro-surgery on that area of the heart. The apparatus for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue includes a first tissue engaging member and a second tissue engaging member coupled to a spreader The spreader is operated by an actuator to selectively control the movement of the first tissue engager and the second tissue engager The method for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue includes controlling the spreading of the first tissue engaging member and the second tissue engaging member so a selective amount of spreading occurs.

A temporary intravascular arteriotomy seal for insertion into and retrieval from a blood vessel through an opening in the wall of the vessel. The seal comprises a thin flexible sheet material. According to one embodiment, in an untensioned state, the seal is curved and foldable in the width direction. It is adapted to be folded in the width direction upon exertion for a force on the gripping element directed in the length direction, and upon contacting of the sheet material by the sides of the opening in the vessel wall. By use of the sealing device, arterial by-pass grafting in a briefly-occlusive or non-occlusive end-to-side or side-to-side anastomosis technique is possible with virtually no obstruction to flow, little endothelial denudation and otherwise no wall damage by the intravascular device, and without blocking of side branches. A further embodiment of a device according to the present invention is characterized in that the gripping element is formed by a supply duct which ends in an opening in the flexible sheet material for administration of substances to the supply duct into a blood vessel for rescue arterial perfusion purposes. Optionally, the seal may be inflatable.

Temporary vascular seal for anastomosis

Growing community of inventors

Bilthoven, Netherlands

Cornelius Borst