168 results about "Coronary Artery Bypasses" patented technology

Devices, systems and methods related to endoscopic surgery, particularly related to robotic surgical operations, provide a tissue stabilizer for endoscopically stabilizing a target tissue within a patient's body. For stabilizing a beating heart during a closed-chest coronary artery bypass grafting procedure, a stabilizer is inserted through an endoscopic cannula and provides sufficient surface area to contact the heart and effectively stabilize the target tissue area. The stabilizer can straddle a blood vessel, such as a coronary artery, which is targeted for an anastomosis. Vessel occlusion fasteners may occlude the target blood vessel prior to the anastomosis procedure.

A method for closed-chest cardiac surgical intervention relies on viewing the cardiac region through a thoracoscope or other viewing scope and endovascularly partitioning the patient's arterial system at a location within the ascending aorta. The cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegia can be induced, and a variety of surgical procedures performed on the stopped heart using percutaneously introduced tools. The method of the present invention will be particularly suitable for forming coronary artery bypass grafts, where an arterial blood source is created using least invasive surgical techniques, and the arterial source is connected to a target location within a coronary artery while the patient is under cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegia.

Surgical methods and instruments are disclosed for performing port-access or closed-chest coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery in multivessel coronary artery disease. In contrast to standard open-chest CABG surgery, which requires a median sternotomy or other gross thoracotomy to expose the patient's heart, post-access CABG surgery is performed through small incisions or access ports made through the intercostal spaces between the patient's ribs, resulting in greatly reduced pain and morbidity to the patient. In situ arterial bypass grafts, such as the internal mammary arteries and/or the right gastroepiploic artery, are prepared for grafting by thoracoscopic or laparoscopic takedown techniques. Free grafts, such as a saphenous vein graft or a free arterial graft, can be used to augment the in situ arterial grafts. The graft vessels are anastomosed to the coronary arteries under direct visualization through a cardioscopic microscope inserted through an intercostal access port. Retraction instruments are provided to manipulate the heart within the closed chest of the patient to expose each of the coronary arteries for visualization and anastomosis. Disclosed are a tunneler and an articulated tunneling grasper for rerouting the graft vessels, and a finger-like retractor, a suction cup retractor, a snare retractor and a loop retractor for manipulating the heart. Also disclosed is a port-access topical cooling device for improving myocardial protection during the port-access CABG procedure. An alternate surgical approach using an anterior mediastinotomy is also described.

Disclosed are an optical navigation positioning system based on CT (computed tomography) registration results and a navigation method thereby. The system comprises a preoperative CT image guide input module, an image segmentation module, a body surface initial-registration module, a preoperative CT image and intraoperative two-dimensional ultrasound image module and an intraoperative navigation module. By combining virtual reality and intraoperative ultrasound, intraoperative positioning errors caused by factors such as breathing are compensated, and accordingly a target point for coronary artery bypass grafting is accurately positioned and navigated. Cardiac and coronary vessel tree in preoperative cardiac CT image data is manually segmented and reconstructed, an augmented virtual reality environment integrating endoscope and virtual endoscope is built by the aid of optical navigation apparatus and CT-ultrasound-based intraoperative registration error correction, and accordingly the target point of coronary artery bypass grafting is accurately positioned and navigated.

Organ manipulation devices for atraumatically grasping the surface of an organ and repositioning the organ to allow access to a location on the organ that would otherwise be substantially inaccessible. Methods of accessing a beating heart, retracting the heart using an organ manipulation apparatus, and stabilizing a surgical target area with a stabilizer. Both the organ manipulator and stabilizer are fixed to a stationary object which may be a sternal retractor. A system for performing beating heart coronary artery bypass grafting includes a sternal retractor, organ manipulator and stabilizer.

Methods are described for preventing or reducing ischemia and/or systemic inflammatory response in a patient such as perioperative blood loss and/or systemic inflammatory response in a patient subjected to cardiothoracic surgery, e.g., coronary artery bypass grafting and other surgical procedures, especially when such procedures involve extra-corporeal circulation, such as cardiopulmonary bypass.

Devices for stabilizing tissue during a surgical procedure. The beating heart may be stabilized during a surgical procedure on the heart, using a described stabilizing device. In one example, a stabilizing device is 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 id effectively eliminated such that the heart is stabilized and the site of the surgery moves only minimally if at all.

A bypass graft includes a tubular portion having an internal tubular diameter and a first end and a second end. The tubular portion has a central axis. A flared portion has an adjoining end, wherein the adjoining end of the flared portion is integrally formed on and is substantially concentric with the second end of the tubular portion, and a flared end, wherein the flared end has a flared end internal diameter, such that the internal flared end diameter is greater than the internal tubular diameter. The flared portion includes a circumferential skirt for surgical attachment of the graft to a patient's blood vessel. A method for manufacturing a bypass graft, includes the steps of providing a mandrel having a tubular portion and a flared end with a flared end central axis; forming a layer of polyurethane over the mandrel; drying the layer of polyurethane on the mandrel; forming a skirt edge around the flared end of the mandrel to form an opening at a predetermined angle to the flared end central axis; forming a second edge around the tubular portion of the mandrel, and removing the graft from the mandrel.

A coronary artery bypass graft procedure is performed through one or more openings made in the patient to create a point of entry to the thoracic cavity. A vein measurement device measures the distance between the proximal and distal anastomotic sites for each graft. A proximal anastomosis tool splits to release a graft vessel after deploying an anastomosis device at the proximal anastomosis site. The tool may be articulated. An integrated stabilizer stabilizes one or more tools relative to the surface of the beating heart at a distal anastomotic site. A distal anastomotic tool may be provided as part of the integrated stabilizer, and connects one end of the graft vessel to a target vessel. An epicardial dissector may be provided as part of the integrated stabilizer, and dissects the epicardium from the target vessel at a distal anastomotic site, as needed.

A method for closed-chest cardiac surgical intervention relies on viewing the cardiac region through a thoracoscope or other viewing scope and endovascularly partitioning the patient's arterial system at a location within the ascending aorta. The cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegia can be induced, and a variety of surgical procedures performed on the stopped heart using percutaneously introduced tools. The method of the present invention will be particularly suitable for forming coronary artery bypass grafts, where an arterial blood source is created using least invasive surgical techniques, and the arterial source is connected to a target location within a coronary artery while the patient is under cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegia.

Anastomotic stents for connecting a graft vessel to a target vessel, and methods of use thereof. The anastomotic stents of the invention are suitable for use in a variety of anastomosis procedures, including coronary artery bypass grafting. One embodiment of the invention comprises a large vessel anastomotic stent for use with large diameter target vessels such as the aorta or its major side branches. Another embodiment of the invention comprises a small vessel anastomotic stent for use on a target vessel which has a small diameter such as a coronary artery. Another aspect of the invention involves applicators for use with the stents of the invention.

This invention is a cannulation apparatus, and related methods for providing indirect access to a surgical site within a patient. The cannulation apparatus includes at least two fluid flow paths that are slidable coupled (40) (50) to one another, and selectively positional within the patient. The first, the second flow path s may be advanced through a single incision disposed remotely from the surgical field to first, and second predetermined locations within the patient. Exemplary sites for the incision include the groin region or in the neck region of the patient. The cannulation apparatus, and method of the present invention are particularly suited for use in providing cardiopulmonary support during cardiac surgery, including coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The cannulation apparatus of the present invention also provides an entry site for one or more support devices used in the surgical procedure.

Described are equipment, a system, a kit and a method for the performance of a minimally-intensive body access, such as cardiac access. Epicardial Access Surgery (EAS) is disclosed. EAS does not need general anesthesia or extracorporeal circulation nor does it need a chest opening, which is very advantageous for various aspects. For instance an operation of a coronary artery bypass is created by creating a direct path of flow from one body artery into a coronary artery with the aid of catheter-based minimally-invasive EAS based bypass surgery. In addition, various medical devices are used, such as a special partially flexible needle, a special partially covered stent, and a special partially flexible port.

In accordance with the present invention, there is disclosed surgical methods and apparatus for accessing and stabilizing the heart. The methods and apparatus facilitate access to an anastomosis site, allows various instruments or devices to be maneuvered and secured in place, and provide stabilization of the heart. In particular, the apparatus involves a retractor apparatus having one or more opposing blades having a channel adapted to engage an incision in a patient. The retractor blades may have features to cooperatively engage an instrument mount. The instrument mount preferably is configured to hold an instrument, such as a tissue stabilizer, and allows the instrument to be easily maneuvered. The retractor blades may have a number of suture locks for securing sutures used during surgery. The retractor system is particularly useful in accessing, positioning and stabilizing the beating heart for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.