Patent ID: 9427318
Filing Date: 2016-08-30
CPC Classification: A61B,A61F

Claim Text:
1. A method for measuring a size of a patient's heart, the method comprising: inserting into a patient's body through a surgical access incision a distal end portion of a heart measurement tool having a suction cup and a plurality of elongate support members that are longitudinally extendable and retractable in relation to the suction cup; positioning the suction cup adjacent to an apex of the patient's heart while the suction cup is positioned distally of the plurality of elongate support members; after positioning the suction cup, extending the plurality of elongate support members distally past the suction cup such that distal portions of the plurality of elongate support members extend around at least a portion of the patient's heart, and after extending the plurality of elongate support members, determining the size of the patient's heart using a scale disposed on a proximal portion of the heart measurement tool.