Surgical apparatus and method for performing transabdominal cardiac surgery

A surgical method for performing a surgical intervention on a target anatomic structure of a patient body, said patient body also including non-target anatomic structures, said patient body defining an abdominal cavity and a thoracic cavity, said abdominal and thoracic cavities respectively defining an abdominal and a thoracic peripheral wall and being separated from each other by a diaphragm, said abdominal cavity defining a peritoneal space and an extra-peritoneal space, said thoracic peripheral wall including a rib cage, said target anatomic structure being located within said thoracic cavity, said surgical intervention involving the use of a surgical instrument, said instrument comprising an intracannular section and an extracannular section, and an extravascular access cannula, said extravascular access cannula being configured and sized for receiving at least a portion of said intracannular section surgical instrument, said method comprising the steps of:

• introducing said extravasuclar access cannula at least partially into said abdominal cavity of said patient body;
• positioning said extravascular access cannula in a cannulating configuration wherein said extravascular access cannula provides a cannulated passageway between said abdominal and thoracic cavities said cannulated passageway being substantially encompassed by said extravascular access cannula so as to physically separate said cannulated passageway from adjacent non-target anatomic structures;
• using said surgical instrument for performing said surgical intervention while said instrument is at least partially inserted in said cannulated passageway and is in an operational configuration wherein said surgical instrument is allowed operation access to said target anatomic structure and relative movement is allowed between said intracannular section and said access cannula.