Apparatuses and methods for performing minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures inside of a beating heart

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatuses and methods for performing minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures inside of a beating heart. An assembly for use in performing such a medical procedure includes a port and a fluid transport device. The port has a housing configured for insertion through a chamber wall of a heart chamber, at least one valve disposed in the housing, and an inlet connected to the housing. The inlet has an inlet passage in fluid communication with a lumen of the housing. The fluid transport device has an end that attaches to the inlet of the port, another end that attaches to a fluid source, and a fluid channel therebetween to pass a fluid from the fluid source to the heart chamber. A method of preparing a beating heart for a diagnostic or medical procedure comprises the steps of inserting a cardiac port through a chamber wall of the beating heart and pressurizing the heart chamber with blood from the patient's artery. Repair of the heart's mitral valve can be effected by a stapled annuloplasty procedure. Where sutures are used in the diagnostic or surgical procedure, a suture cutting device for cutting a suture inside a beating heart can be used. The suture cutting device can include an elongated body having a lumen, a wall member extending into the lumen, and a knot-receiving chamber defined by a first area on a first side of the wall member. The wall member defines a channel therethrough dimensioned to permit passage of a suture and to prevent passage of a knot. A cutting implement is movably disposed in the lumen in a second area on a second side of the wall member opposite the first side. The cutting implement moves between a first position and second position to cut the suture. Movement of the cutting implement is limited to ensure that the cutting implement does not cut through the suture knot.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.