Medtronic, Inc.

David Bruce DeWindt

Ronald A Devries

William E Sidor

Steven R Gundry

Roderick E Briscoe

Paul F Rom

Karyl L Stapert

Donald R Sandmore

David Edward Weston

Rebecca Lynn Engel

William F Sidor

Steven M Gundry

Frederick Alan Shorey, Jr

Katherine Rose Joseph

John Mrachek

A cannula has a body with a proximal end and a distal end and a tip on the distal end. The tip has an outer wall defining a lumen opening at the end of the tip and extending to the proximal end of the cannula. The tip further comprises one or more ribs extending into the lumen to support the outer wall from kinking when the cannula is flexed. The outer wall has a inner surface defining the lumen and a plurality of non-circular apertures formed in the tip extending into the lumen. The apertures having a major axis and a minor axis. The major axis aligned in relation to a circumference of the outer wall to prevent puckering or buckling when the tip is bent. This alignment is also designed to support the outer wall from kinking when the tip is bent.

Kink resistant cannula having buckle resistant apertures

Embodiments of the invention provide a cannula having a body with a first outer diameter, a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a portion outward of the first outer diameter having a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter that is adapted to space tissue from the fluid inlet to maintain fluid flow. Such a cannula is particularly useful for cardiopulmonary bypass procedures using a kinetically assisted venous drainage system.

Cannula system and method

A method of performing minimally invasive cardiac surgery includes the step of creating an access aperture into a patient's chest cavity, the access aperture being considerably smaller than a traditional cardiac surgery incision. A cannula is provided that has an oval portion with a longer major axis and a shorter minor axis and the cannula is inserted into the chest cavity through the access aperture.

Oval-shaped cardiac cannula

An obturator for a cannula includes an elongate member and a flexible disc. The cannula has proximal and distal ends and a lumen extending therebetween. The distal end of the cannula has a circular cross-section. The cannula also includes a first portion having a non-circular cross-section and at least one fluid aperture formed adjacent the distal end. The flexible disc of the obturator is coupled to a distal end of the elongate member, both of which are adapted to be telescopically received in the lumen of the cannula. The flexible disc is configured to restrict the flow of fluid, entering the at least one fluid aperture, through the lumen.

Flexible disc obturator for a cannula assembly

A cannula comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, wherein at least a portion of the cannula body is non-circular in cross section, preferably oval. A cannula wherein a portion of the cannula body is oval in cross section is ideally suited in surgical procedures wherein the cannula extends through a percutaneous aperture. The oval portion of the cannula body utilizes the space of the percutaneous aperture efficiently, thereby minimizing the necessary size of the access aperture.

Growing community of inventors

Grand Rapids, MI, United States of America

David Bruce DeWindt