Patent ID: 11950839
Assignee: SD CARDIOTHORACIC INNOVATIONS, LLC
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A device adapted for the thoracoscopic placement of a pacing contact at a target site on an epicardial surface of a heart, the device comprising:
(a) an inner tubular vacuum conduit having an inner vacuum conduit distal end comprising an inner suction foot portion, said inner tubular vacuum conduit having a flexible distal end and adapted to conduct a vacuum to said inner suction foot portion;
(b) an outer tubular vacuum conduit having an outer vacuum conduit distal end comprising an outer suction foot portion, said outer tubular vacuum conduit having a flexible distal end and adapted to conduct a vacuum to said outer suction foot portion,
said inner tubular vacuum conduit slidingly engaged within outer tubular vacuum conduit, so as to permit said inner suction foot portion to be advanced from a position within said outer suction foot portion to a position beyond said outer suction foot portion distal end;

(c) at least one actuator adapted to articulate said outer suction foot portion while said inner suction foot portion is disposed within said outer suction foot portion;
(d) a waste removal vacuum conduit having a waste removal vacuum conduit distal end, and slidingly engaged within said inner tubular vacuum conduit so as to permit said waste removal vacuum conduit distal end to be advanced to said inner suction foot portion distal end;
(e) an electrocautery blade extensible from between said inner suction foot portion and said outer suction foot portion;
(f) a support sheath for supporting said vacuum conduits, and having a proximal end and a distal end, with respective proximal end inlet and distal end outlet; and
(g) a handle portion extending laterally from said support sheath, said handle portion having a lower portion and an upper portion, and a longitudinal axis, and defining a space adapted to accommodate and support an electrosurgical pencil therein; and (1) an electrosurgical pencil disposed within said space and having an electric input contact extending from said lower portion of said handle, and an electric output contact extending from said upper portion of said handle; (2) a hollow electrocautery sheath extending from said upper portion at an angle to said longitudinal axis, said hollow electrocautery sheath having a rotatable electrocautery connection, and (3) an electrical connection between said electrosurgical pencil and said electric output to said rotatable electrocautery connection.