Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
An endoscopic device for engaging a patient's heart for performing a surgical procedure on a coronary artery, the device comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; a heart engaging member coupled to the distal end of the shaft, the heart engaging member including first and second portions each having a contact surface for engaging a patient's heart, the contact surfaces of the first and second portions lying adjacent one another and not facing one another, the contact surfaces also being oriented in generally the same direction, the first and second portions being pivotable relative to the shaft, the heart engaging member and shaft being configured for transmission of a compressive force through the shaft and to the patient's heart via the heat engaging member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
An endoscopic device for engaging a patient's heart for performing a surgical procedure on a coronary artery, the device comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; a heart engaging member coupled to the distal end of the shaft, the heart engaging member including first and second portions each having a contact surface for engaging a patient's heart, the contact surfaces of the first and second portions lying adjacent one another and not facing one another, the contact surfaces also being oriented in generally the same direction, the first and second portions being pivotable relative to the shaft, the heart engaging member and shaft being configured for transmission of a compressive force through the shaft and to the patient's heart via the heat engaging member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
The device of claim 1 wherein: the first and second portions are pivotally coupled to the shaft, the first and second portions being movable relative to one another between a collapsed position and an expanded position, whereby the first and second portions are adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of a surgical site on the coronary artery of the patient's heart when in the expanded position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 1 wherein: the shaft has a longitudinal axis; and the heart engaging member is configured to pivot about a tranverse axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 3, further comprising: an actuator mounted on the shaft and being operatively coupled to the heart engaging member for pivoting the heart engaging member about the transverse axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the heart engaging member includes a suture holder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 5 wherein the suture holder includes at least one slot on an upper surface of the heart engaging member for frictionally engaging the suture, the upper surface positioned opposite at least one of the contact surfaces.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes a lumen having distal and proximal ends, the heart engaging member including at least one hole coupled to the distal end of the lumen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the heart engaging member is collapsible into a configuration suitable for introduction through a percutaneous penetration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 8 wherein the heart engaging member has a maximum cross-sectional width of about 20 mm when collapsed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the heart engaging member includes a pivot assembly, the first and second portions extending from the pivot assembly and being movable between an expanded position, where the first and second engaging portions are spaced apart, and a collapsed position, where the first and second engaging portions are closer together than in the expanded position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 10 wherein the heart engaging member further includes means for biasing the first and second portions toward the expanded position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the heart engaging member is ring-shaped with a central opening so as to surround a surgical site on the patient's coronary artery.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 1, wherein: the contact surface of each of the first and second portions arms are curved and have a radius of curvature between 2 and 10 mm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
153 words
An endoscopic device for engaging opposing sides of a surgical site on a patient's coronary artery, comprising: a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end; a heart engaging member coupled to the distal end of the shaft, the heart engaging member having first and second arms extending from the shaft, the first and second arms being sized and configured to engage a surface of a patient's heart on opposing sides of a surgical site on a coronary artery, the first and second arms each having a contact surface, the contact surfaces of the first and second arms not facing one another and being oriented in generally the same direction, the heart engaging member being pivotally movable relative to the shaft, the heart engaging member and shaft also being configured for transmission of a compressive force through the shaft and to the patient's heart via the heart engaging member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
153 words
An endoscopic device for engaging opposing sides of a surgical site on a patient's coronary artery, comprising: a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end; a heart engaging member coupled to the distal end of the shaft, the heart engaging member having first and second arms extending from the shaft, the first and second arms being sized and configured to engage a surface of a patient's heart on opposing sides of a surgical site on a coronary artery, the first and second arms each having a contact surface, the contact surfaces of the first and second arms not facing one another and being oriented in generally the same direction, the heart engaging member being pivotally movable relative to the shaft, the heart engaging member and shaft also being configured for transmission of a compressive force through the shaft and to the patient's heart via the heart engaging member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device of claim 14 wherein at least one of the first and second arms has an upper surface with a plurality of slots for retaining a suture, the upper surface positioned opposite the contact surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 14, wherein: the first and second arms are pivotally coupled to the shaft.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 14, wherein: the contact surface of each of the first and second arms are curved and have a radius of curvature between 2 and 10 mm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 14, further comprising: p1 a lumen coupled to the shaft and having distal and proximal ends, at least one of the first and second arms having an outlet coupled to the distal end of the lumen.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
136 words
An endoscopic device for engaging a patient's heart to isolate a surgical site on a coronary artery of the patient's heart, comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; and a heart engaging member having only two arms extending from the distal end of the shaft, the two arms each extending away from the shaft to a free end, the free ends of the two arms being spaced apart for stabilizing a section of a coronary artery between the two arms for performing an anastomosis at the section of the coronary artery, the two arms also each having a contact surface for engaging a patient's heart, the contact surfaces of the two arms lying adjacent one another and not facing one another, the contact surfaces also being oriented in generally the same direction.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
136 words
An endoscopic device for engaging a patient's heart to isolate a surgical site on a coronary artery of the patient's heart, comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; and a heart engaging member having only two arms extending from the distal end of the shaft, the two arms each extending away from the shaft to a free end, the free ends of the two arms being spaced apart for stabilizing a section of a coronary artery between the two arms for performing an anastomosis at the section of the coronary artery, the two arms also each having a contact surface for engaging a patient's heart, the contact surfaces of the two arms lying adjacent one another and not facing one another, the contact surfaces also being oriented in generally the same direction.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 19, wherein: the shaft includes a lumen; and the heart engaging member includes an outlet coupled to the lumen.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 19, wherein: the heart engaging member includes a suture holder on a side opposite the atraumatic contact surface, the suture holder being configured to retain a suture.