Locking arm having ball joints for use in an organ manipulator apparatus

A method for compliant retraction of an organ, including the steps of:

• (a) retracting the organ by exerting suction thereon using a suction member coupled to a mounting element, in such a manner that the suction member has freedom to move at least along an axis of said suction member relative to the mounting element in response to normal movement of the organ;
• and
• (b) maintaining the organ in a retracted position by exerting suction thereon using the suction member while said suction member is coupled to the mounting element, in such a manner that said suction member has freedom to move at least along the axis of said suction member relative to the mounting element.

A method for compliant retraction of an organ, including the steps of:

• (a) retracting the organ by exerting traction thereon using a bio-absorbable disc having an adhesive surface affixed to the organ, wherein the disc is coupled to a mounting element in such a manner that the disc has freedom to move at least along an axis of said disc relative to the mounting element;
• and
• (b) maintaining the organ in a retracted position by exerting traction thereon while the disc is coupled to the mounting element, in such a manner that the disc has freedom to move, at least along the axis of said disc relative to the mounting element.

A locking arm having a flexible state and a rigid state for use in an organ manipulator apparatus, the arm comprising:

• a cable;
• and
• ball joints threaded along the cable, each of the ball joints having a convex surface, a concave socket surface, a length, and a diameter, wherein the socket surface is shaped for receiving the convex surface of an adjacent one of the ball joints, and the diameter is greater than the length.

A locking arm having a flexible state and a rigid state for use in an organ manipulator apparatus, the arm comprising:

• a cable;
• and
• ball joints threaded along the cable, each of the ball joints having a convex surface and a concave socket surface, wherein each of the ball joints is molded from plastic and at least a first portion of the concave socket surface is molded with a texture which provides sufficiently high friction to lock the arm in the rigid state when the cable is tensioned to tighten the convex ball surface of an adjacent one of the ball joints against the first portion of the concave socket surface.

A locking arm having a flexible state and a rigid state for use in an organ manipulator apparatus, the arm comprising:

• a cable;
• and
• ball joints threaded along the cable, each of the ball joints having a main portion defining a convex surface and part of a concave socket surface, and an insert portion defining a remaining part of the concave socket surface, wherein the main portion is molded from hard plastic and the insert portion is molded from a material having greater friction than does the hard plastic.

A locking arm having a flexible state and a rigid state for use in an organ manipulator apparatus, the arm comprising:

• a cable;
• and
• ball joints threaded along the cable, each of the ball joints having a first portion defining a convex surface and part of a concave socket surface, and a second portion defining a remaining part of the concave socket surface, wherein the first portion of each of the ball joints comprises molded hard plastic and the second portion comprises molded thermoplastic or silicone elastomer.

A locking arm having a flexible state and a rigid state for use in an organ manipulator apparatus, the arm comprising:

• a cable;
• and
• ball joints and sleeves threaded alternately along the cable, each of the ball joints defining a convex surface at each end, and each of the sleeves defining a concave socket surface at each end, wherein each of the ball joints is molded from plastic having a first hardness and each of the sleeves is molded from plastic having a second hardness different from the first hardness.

A locking arm having a flexible state and a rigid state for use in an organ manipulator apparatus, the arm comprising:

• a cable;
• and
• a first set of ball joints and a second set of ball joints threaded alternately along the cable, wherein each of the ball joints in the first set and the second set defines a convex surface and a concave socket surface, each of the ball joints in the first set is molded from plastic having a first hardness and each of the ball joints in the second set is molded from plastic having a second hardness different from the first hardness.