Benjamin E Sherman

US Patent:

7585277, Sep 8, 2009

Filed:

Feb 1, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/346004

Inventors:

Charles S. Taylor - Stockton NJ, US
Dwight P. Morejohn - Davis CA, US
Benjamin Sherman - Milpitas CA, US
Gary B. Weller - Los Gatos CA, US
William F. Witt - Palo Alto CA, US
Caralin R. Adair - Mountain View CA, US

Assignee:

MAQUET Cardiovascular LLC - San Jose CA

International Classification:

A61B 1/32

US Classification:

600210, 600229

Abstract:

Methods and devices which a surgeon may use to stabilize the beating heart during a surgical procedure on the heart. A stabilizing device may be introduced through an opening in the chest and brought into contact with the beating heart. By contacting the heart with the device and by exerting a stabilizing force on the device, the motion of the heart caused by the contraction of the heart muscles in a vicinity of a site of surgery to be performed, is effectively eliminated. A surgeon may contact the heart with the stabilizing means, assess the degree of movement of the anastomosis site, and exert a force on the stabilizing means such that the contraction of the beating heart causes only minimal excess motion at the surgery site. The stabilizing means may be attached to a rigid support or may be attached to a semi-rigid support which is rendered motionless mechanically, chemically, or by human intervention.