Diaphragm entry for posterior surgical access
AssigneeAtriCure, Inc.
InventorsJames G. Whayne, Sidney D. Fleischman, Rebecca Neubert, Earl Wayne Rogers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and devices described herein facilitate improved treatment of body organs. More specifically, devices and methods described herein are for minimally invasive surgery permit improved diaphragmatic access to a body cavity to perform a surgical procedure, for example ablation and/or coagulation of cardiac tissue during minimally invasive surgical access to the heart. The diaphragmatic access described provides direct visualization of anatomic structures within the thoracic cavity such as the posterior left atrium, the posterior side of pulmonary veins, or any other such anatomic structure.
Claims62
A method of performing a minimally invasive procedure on a heart, the method comprising:
- accessing a diaphragm through a first incision in an abdomen of the patient;
- advancing an access device through the diaphragm into a thoracic cavity of the patient where the access device is inserted into the body to the thoracic cavity in a generally straight profile, and where a distal end of the access device is advanced through the diaphragm into the thoracic cavity adjacent to a posterior surface of the heart and exterior to a pericardium surrounding the heart such that the access device separates an organ from the heart to create a temporary cavity adjacent to a posterior surface of the heart, where the access device comprises at least at least one working channel;
- and
- positioning a coagulation device into the thoracic cavity through the working channel and adjacent to the posterior surface of the heart;
- and
- coagulating an area on the posterior surface of the heart.
A method of performing epicardial coagulation on a heart in a patient, the method comprising:
- accessing a diaphragm through a first incision in an abdomen of the patient;
- advancing an access device through the diaphragm into a thoracic cavity of the patient where a distal end of the access device is advanced through the diaphragm adjacent to a posterior surface of the heart exterior to a pericardium surrounding the heart such that the access device separates an organ from the heart to forming a temporary cavity in the thoracic cavity, where the access device comprises at least at least one working channel;
- and
- positioning a coagulation device into the thoracic cavity through the working channel and adjacent to an epicardial surface without dissecting any pericardial reflections;
- and
- coupling a visualization system to the working channel;
- and
- coagulating an area on the pericardial surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.