Surgical instruments and procedures for stabilizing the beating heart during coronary artery bypass graft surgery

A device for use in cardiovascular surgery on a beating heart, comprising:

• a stabilizing member including at least a pair of contact members adapted to engage a surface of the beating heart, and at least a pair of exposure members operable in concert with said at least a pair of contact members to reposition a portion of the surface of the beating heart, thereby providing improved exposure of a target surgical site.

A device for use in cardiovascular surgery on a beating heart, comprising:

• a stabilizing member including at least one contact member adapted to engage a surface of the beating heart, and at least one exposure member operable in concert with said at least one contact member to reposition a portion of the surface of the beating heart, thereby providing improved exposure of a target surgical site, wherein said at least one contact member comprises a spring tensioned frame, and said at least one exposure member is mounted to said spring tensioned frame and movable with respect thereto.

A device for use in cardiovascular surgery on a beating heart, comprising:

• a stabilizing member including at least one contact member adapted to engage a surface of the beating heart, and at least one exposure member operable in concert with said at least one contact member to reposition a portion of the surface of the beating heart, thereby providing improved exposure of a target surgical site, wherein said at least one exposure member comprises friction means on a surface adapted to engage the surface of the heart.

A device for use in cardiovascular surgery on a beating heart, comprising:

• a stabilizing member including at least one contact member adapted to engage a surface of the beating heart, and at least one exposure member operable in concert with said at least one contact member to reposition a portion of the surface of the beating heart, thereby providing improved exposure of a target surgical site, wherein said at least one exposure member comprises pins on a surface adapted to engage the surface of the heart.

A device for use in cardiovascular surgery on a beating heart, comprising:

• a stabilizing member including at least one contact member adapted to engage a surface of the beating heart, and at least one exposure member operable in concert with said at least one contact member to reposition a portion of the surface of the beating heart, thereby providing improved exposure of a target surgical site, wherein said at least one contact member comprises friction means on a surface adapted to engage the surface of the heart.

A device for use in cardiovascular surgery on a beating heart, comprising:

• a stabilizing member including at least one contact member adapted to engage a surface of the beating heart, and at least one exposure member operable in concert with said at least one contact member to reposition a portion of the surface of the beating heart, thereby providing improved exposure of a target surgical site, wherein said at least one contact member comprises a stabilizing plate and said at least one exposure member comprises an edge of said stabilizer plate, said edge deflected downwardly out of a general plane of said stabilizer plate.

A device for use in cardiovascular surgery on a beating heart, comprising:

• a pair of contact members adapted to engage a surface of the beating heart;
• and
• a pair of exposure members operable to reposition a portion of the surface of the beating heart with respect to positioning of said contact members, thereby providing improved exposure of a target surgical site.

A device for use in cardiovascular surgery on a beating heart, comprising:

• a stabilizing member including first and second heart engaging members adapted to engage the surface of a beating heart on opposite sides of a target surgical site, at least one of said first and second heart engaging members having a first portion adapted to engage a surface of the beating heart, and a second portion movably connected to said first portion, for movement relative to said first portion, and adapted to the surface of the beating heart and operate in concert with said first portion to reposition a portion of the surface of the beating heart, relative to said first portion, thereby providing improved exposure of the target surgical site.

The device of wherein said shaft means comprises at least two tubular members which telescope to adjust the length of said shaft means.

A device for use in cardiovascular surgery on a beating heart, comprising:

• a stabilizing member including at least one contact member having a first portion adapted to engage a surface of the beating heart, and a second portion connected to said first portion and adapted to engage a surface of the beating heart and operate in concert with said first portion to reposition a portion of the surface of the beating heart, thereby providing improved exposure of a target surgical site, wherein said second portion is biased for movement toward said first portion.