Oval-shaped cardiac cannula

A method of performing minimally invasive cardiac surgery, comprising the steps of:

• creating an access aperture into a patient's chest cavity, wherein the access aperture is substantially smaller than a median sternotomy;
• providing a cannula having in cross-section an oval portion with a longer major axis and a shorter minor axis;
• inserting the cannula into the chest cavity through the access aperture;
• and
• delivering a fluid through the cannula.

A method of performing minimally invasive cardiac surgery, comprising the steps of:

• creating an access aperture into a chest cavity, wherein the access aperture is considerably smaller than a median sternotomy;
• providing a cannula having an oval portion with a longer major axis and a shorter minor axis;
• inserting the cannula into the chest cavity through the access aperture;
• and
• venting a fluid from the chest cavity via the cannula.

A method of performing minimally invasive cardiac surgery, comprising the steps of:

• creating an access aperture into a chest cavity, wherein the access aperture is considerably smaller than a median sternotomy;
• providing a cannula having an oval portion with a longer major axis and a shorter minor axis;
• inserting the cannula into the chest cavity through the access aperture;
• and
• inserting an additional surgical tool into the chest cavity through the access aperture.

A method of performing minimally invasive cardiac surgery, comprising the steps of:

• creating an access aperture into a chest cavity, wherein the access aperture is considerably smaller than a median sternotomy;
• providing a cannula having an oval portion with a longer major axis and a shorter minor axis;
• inserting the cannula into the chest cavity through the access aperture;
• and
• performing a surgical procedure on the heart.

A method of performing minimally invasive cardiac surgery, comprising the steps of:

• creating an access aperture into a patient's chest cavity, wherein the access aperture is substantially smaller than a median sternotomy;
• providing a cannula having an oval portion with a longer major axis and a shorter minor axis;
• inserting the cannula into the chest cavity through the access aperture;
• and
• conducting blood between the body and a heart bypass system through the cannula.

A minimally invasive cardiac procedure, comprising the steps of:

• creating an access aperture through a chest wall, wherein the access aperture is considerably smaller than a traditional cardiac surgery incision;
• providing a cannula having a portion with a non-circular cross-section;
• and
• inserting the cannula into the access aperture.

A method of forming a venous cannula, comprising the steps of:

• providing a length of tubing having an outer circular cross-section and having a helically wound wire supporting the tubing wall, the length of tubing having a proximal end and a distal end;
• forming a segment in the length of tubing, the segment having an outer oval cross-section, wherein the proximal end and the distal end of the length of tubing remain with an outer circular cross-section;
• and
• providing a flow aperture on the distal end of the length of tubing.

A method of efficiently utilizing the area of a percutaneous aperture during cardiac surgery, comprising the steps of:

• providing a cannula having a proximal circular cross-sectional segment, an intermediate oval cross-sectional segment having a longer major axis and a shorter minor axis, and a distal circular cross-sectional segment having a flow inlet;
• inserting the distal segment into a chest cavity through the aperture;
• and
• positioning the cannula such that the intermediate oval cross-sectional segment extends through the aperture with the minor axis extending inwardly from a side wall of the aperture, thereby efficiently utilizing the area of the aperture.

A cannula for use in conducting fluid to or from a body, comprising:

• a cannula body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends;
• a first fluid aperture formed on the proximal end;
• and
• a second fluid aperture formed adjacent the distal end;
• wherein a cross section of a first portion of the cannula body is non-circular and has a major cross-sectional axis and a minor cross-sectional axis, the length of the major axis being greater than the length of the minor axis and wherein the lumen extending through the first portion of the cannula body has the same cross-sectional shape as the cross section of the first portion of the cannula body.

A cannula for use in conducting fluid to or from a body, comprising:

• a cannula body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends;
• a first fluid aperture formed on the proximal end;
• a second fluid aperture formed adjacent the distal end;
• and
• a helical reinforcing spring integrally provided in the cannula body;
• wherein a cross section of a first portion of the cannula body is non-circular and has a major cross-sectional axis and a minor cross-sectional axis, the length of the major axis being greater than the length of the minor axis and wherein the lumen extending through the first portion of the cannula body has a substantially similar cross-sectional shape as the cross section of the first portion of the cannula body.

A cannula for use in conducting fluid to or from a body, comprising:

• a cannula body having a proximal end and a distal end, the cannula body having an outer surface;
• a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, the lumen defined by an inner surface of the cannula body;
• a first fluid aperture formed on the proximal end;
• and
• a second fluid aperture formed adjacent the distal end;
• wherein a first portion of the cannula body has a cross section of the outer surface that is non-circular and a cross section of the inner surface that is the same shape as the cross section of the outer surface.

A cannula for use in conducting fluid to or from a body, comprising:

• a cannula body having a proximal end with a circular cross section, a distal end with a circular cross section, and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends;
• a first fluid aperture formed on the proximal end;
• and
• a second fluid aperture formed adjacent the distal end;
• wherein a cross section of a first portion of the cannula body between the proximal end and the distal end is oval.