Surgical instrument for cardiac valve repair on the beating heart
US5972020A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 14, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 26, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 14, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61F2/2427
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention is an apparatus and method to perform a surgical procedure within the beating heart. The instrument provides a seal to surround cardiac tissue, thereby defining a segregated surgical field within the body of the instrument. A suction device is preferred to remove blood and fluids from the surgical field so that a surgical procedure can be performed while the heart continues to beat. The instrument is particularly suitable for a procedure to repair defective or diseased cardiac valves, such as the mitral valve; a procedure which previously required that the heart be stopped so that the corrective surgical procedure could be performed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.