A surgical retractor for cardiac surgery with a hollow tube-shaped first base body with a first base body longitudinal axis on which at least one first rib comprising a first end, a second end, and a first rib longitudinal axis is laterally disposed with its first end, and with a second base body with a second base body longitudinal axis on which at least one second rib comprising a first end, a second end, and a second rib longitudinal axis is laterally disposed with its first end, wherein in the first base body a first transport rod with a first transport rod longitudinal axis is disposed such that it is supported rotatably about the first transport rod longitudinal axis, wherein the at least one second rib penetrates the first base body in a through hole transversely to the first base body longitudinal axis, and wherein the at least one second rib comprises several recesses spaced apart with respect to one another along the second rib longitudinal axis, and the first transport rod comprises at least one projection cooperating with the recesses.

Method and devices for viewing one or more valve leaflets via a viewer. In some embodiments the viewer includes a body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end being closed and having a transparent viewing window, the second end arranged to be attached to an aorta or a pulmonary artery, and one or more ports arranged to provide fluid access to an internal portion of the viewer to pressurize the one or more leaflets. A diameter of the viewing window is larger than an outer diameter of the second end. An outer diameter of the first end of the body is larger than an outer diameter of the second end. The body is a tubular body.

A surgical stabilizer arm includes a reusable base portion and a disposable arm portion. The articulating links that enable the arm to be positioned into arbitrary trajectories are included the disposable portion, thus eliminating the need to clean between the links after a surgical procedure. The disposable portion also includes a tool attachment mechanism and a cable. The reusable portion includes a retractor clamping mechanism, a top plate, a T-shaped base post, a main body, a nosepiece, a threaded drawbar, a thrust bearing assembly, and a threaded handle that can extend or retract the drawbar when rotated. The threaded drawbar may include a slot into which an end of the cable can be inserted, which allows tension to be applied to the cable when the handle is rotated to pull the drawbar into the body of the reusable portion and lock the articulating links in place.

A device for treating heart failure in a patient. The device comprising a body, at least one passage through the body, at least one one way valve in the passage and a mounting means adapted for mounting the body in an opening provided in the patient's atrial septum. In use, the device is oriented such that, when the patient's left atrial pressure exceeds the patient's right atrial pressure by a predetermined amount, the one way valve(s) opens to allow blood flow through the passage(s) from the left atrium to the right atrium to thereby reduce the left atrial pressure.

Retraction of one or more three-dimensional or planar amorphous objects is provided to gain access for a procedure where the retracted elements are easily damaged by application of normal forces. For example, a surgical instrument to provide access to an organ or tissue plane. Microtextured surfaces are provided that provide immobilization of amorphous objects, the immobilization of which is characterized by low normal forces and high shear or in plane forces. The retraction device is comprised of microstructured surfaces on one or more arms. Preferably these arms are soft and flexible to minimize damage to retracted objects. In some instances, these arms resemble and are used as a nonslip tape. Alternatively, parts or whole arms of the retraction device are rigid to provide a supportive aspect. These arms may be configured around a handle. Furthermore, the microtextured aspect may be further augmented with conventional gripping surfaces, such as a sticky surface, or a surface comprised of one or more hooks or barbs. The handle means may be distributed over the retraction device, for example, holes distributed along the arms through which anchoring means are tied. The retraction device is particularly well suited for grasping wet, oily, slimy or living surfaces by applying a small nondestructive normal force.

A surgical rib retractor is disclosed. The surgical rib retractor has a housing and a body pivotably coupled to the housing and movable between a closed position and an open position. The surgical rib retractor further has a first arm unit pivotably coupled to the first shoulder and configured to receive one rib. The first arm unit may include a first arm, and a first strut movable relative to the first arm in a first plane defined by the first arm. The surgical rib retractor also has a second arm unit pivotably coupled to the second shoulder and configured to receive another rib. The second arm unit may include a second arm and a second strut movable relative to the second arm in a second plane define by the second arm, where the second plane is not parallel to the first plane when the body is in the closed position.

The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for treating heart failure by normalizing elevated blood pressure in the left and right atria of a heart of a mammal. The present disclosure includes methods for creating and maintaining an opening in the atrial septum. Tools for making an opening and enlarging the opening are also disclosed. Use of the techniques and tools described herein prolongs the patency of an intra-atrial pressure relief opening.

A cardiac retractor is disclosed. The cardiac retractor has an outer tube. The cardiac retractor also has a fixed collar fixedly coupled to a proximal end of the outer tube. The cardiac retractor further has a fixed link fixedly coupled to a distal end of the outer tube. The cardiac retractor also has an inner tube rotatable within the outer tube. The cardiac retractor further has a fixed key coupled to a proximal end of the inner tube and configured to rotate the inner tube relative to the outer tube. The cardiac retractor also has a keyed link coupled to a distal end of the outer tube.

A trans-xiphoid procedure for gaining entry to the chest cavity of a patient, sometimes also referred to herein as a “TRAX” procedure. The procedure may be used for, among other things, mobilization of the mammary arteries and performing coronary artery bypass surgery in which the mammary artery of the patient or other conduit is joined to a coronary artery of the patient, such as the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery.

A device for cardiac surgery is disclosed, having a) a plurality of pairs of suture guides spaced about the frame; b) a plurality of suture tubes, with one suture tube corresponding to each pair of suture guides; c) a plurality of snares, each corresponding to and passed through one of the plurality of suture tubes so that a handle at one end of the snare protrudes from a proximal end of the corresponding suture tube and a snare loop at another end of the snare protrudes through a distal end of the corresponding suture tube, and wherein the snare loop further protrudes through one of the suture guides in the corresponding pair of suture guides; and d) a plurality of sutures, each corresponding to one of the pairs of suture guides and coupled to the suture guide in the corresponding pair of suture guides which does not have the snare loop passing through it.