# US 12,004,732 B2 · Surgical instruments, systems and methods of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,732 B2 - Document ID: US12004732B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/236,800 - Filed: 2021-04-21 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-14 - Assignees: Maquet Cardiovascular LLC - Applicants: Maquet Cardiovascular LLC - Inventors: Andrew Serowski; Juan I. Perez; Kumar Jambunathan; Kyle Klein; Kristopher Yee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004732B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/02: for holding wounds open, e.g. retractors; Tractors - A61B 17/0206: {with antagonistic arms as supports for retractor elements} - A61B 90/50: Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms - A61B 90/57: Accessory clamps - A61B 2017/0237: {for heart surgery} - A61B 2017/0243: {for immobilizing local areas of the heart, e.g. while it beats} - A61B 2017/306: {holding by means of suction} - A61B 2017/308: {with suction cups} - A61B 2090/508: {with releasable brake mechanisms} - A61B 2090/571: {for clamping a support arm to a bed or other supports} - A61B 2217/005: with suction drainage system - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A surgical instrument includes a mount body, a joint member, an arm, and a working end. The mount body has a top portion, a distal end, a proximal end and a bottom portion. The joint member is pivotally mounted at a distal end portion of the mount body, to allow positioning of a proximal portion of an arm extending distally from the joint member. The joint member is also configured to at least partially constrain movement of the proximal portion of the arm to a plane. The working end is mounted to a distal end portion of the arm. The surgical instrument can be configured as a heart stabilizer or a heart positioner. The joint member may further be configured as a slotted ball, a disk member, or a combination thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical instrument comprising: a mount body having a top portion, a distal end, a proximal end and a bottom portion; a joint member pivotally mounted at a distal end portion of the mount body to allow positioning of a proximal portion of an arm extending distally from the joint member, the joint member configured to at least partially constrain movement of the proximal portion of the arm to a plane; and a working end mounted to a distal end portion of the arm, wherein the surgical instrument is a stabilizer and the working end comprises a pair of contact members; wherein the joint member comprises a first joint member and a second joint member, wherein the first joint member confines movement of the proximal portion of the arm to yawing, and the second joint member confines movement of the proximal portion of the arm to pitching. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the joint member pivotally mounted at the distal end portion of the mount body is a disk member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The instrument of claim 2, further comprising ridges or teeth provided around at least a portion of a perimeter of the disk member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The instrument of claim 2, further comprising a cable extending through the disk member, at least a portion of the arm, and at least a portion of the mount body, wherein the disk member comprises a slot formed therein, the slot being curved to facilitate bending and tightening of the cable thereagainst when the disk member has been pivoted, thereby helping to eliminate or reduce variations in at least one of cable length and cable tension at different angular positions of the disk member relative to the mount body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the joint member further comprises a slotted ball. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The instrument of claim 5, wherein the joint member further comprises a disk member, and the slotted ball is connected to the disk member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The instrument of claim 5, further comprising an actuator rotatably mounted to the mount body towards the proximal end of the mount body, and a cable extending from the actuator through the mount body, joint member, slotted ball and arm, the actuator and the cable being configured to change a state of the arm from a flexible state to a rigid state by movement of the actuator in a first direction, and from the rigid state to the flexible state by movement of the actuator is a second direction opposite the first direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion comprises a mounting mechanism configured to reversibly clamp the instrument to a fixed object. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The instrument of claim 8, wherein the mounting mechanism comprises a fixed jaw that is unitarily formed with the main body, and a movable jaw movably engaged to the main body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The instrument of claim 8, further comprising a cam mounted above a bottom surface of the movable jaw and below a mounting mechanism actuator, the cam connected to the mounting mechanism actuator to be actuated to lock or unlock the movable jaw. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The instrument of claim 8, wherein the mounting mechanism comprises a mounting mechanism actuator, the mounting mechanism actuator including rocker switches with cams configured to clamp to the fixed object. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the working end further comprises a blower/mister device incorporated into at least one of the contact members. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the working end further comprises a support member to link the contact members to the arm, wherein the support member is pivotally linked to the contact members. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The instrument of claim 13, wherein the contact members each comprise a clip at a proximal end portion thereof, the clips configured to form a snap fit with the support member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the contact members each having a relatively thicker cross-sectional dimension at an outside edge thereof and a relatively thinner cross-sectional dimension at an inside edge thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the arm comprises an intermediate link that is adjustable by a user to adjust a portion of the arm distal of the intermediate link and the working member to assume a flexible configuration in a first configuration, and to assume a rigid configuration in a second configuration, while allowing a portion of the arm proximal of the intermediate link to remain flexible during both the first configuration and the second configuration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the top portion is smooth and comprises a flat portion with no obstructions thereon, and wherein the top surface provides a rest for a surgeon's hand, that can be used to help stabilize the surgeon's hand. ### Claim 18 A surgical instrument comprising: a mount body having a top portion, a distal end, a proximal end and a bottom portion; a joint member pivotally mounted at a distal end portion of the mount body to allow positioning of a proximal portion of an arm extending distally from the joint member, the joint member configured to at least partially constrain movement of the proximal portion of the arm to a plane; and a working end mounted to a distal end portion of the arm, wherein the surgical instrument is a stabilizer and the working end comprises a pair of contact members; wherein the joint member comprises a slotted ball. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The instrument of claim 18, wherein the joint member further comprises a disk member, and the slotted ball is connected to the disk member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The instrument of claim 18, further comprising an actuator rotatably mounted to the mount body towards the proximal end of the mount body, and a cable extending from the actuator through the mount body, joint member, slotted ball and arm, the actuator and the cable being configured to change a state of the arm from a flexible state to a rigid state by movement of the actuator in a first direction, and from the rigid state to the flexible state by movement of the actuator is a second direction opposite the first direction.