Patent ID: 9561044
Date: 2017-02-07
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61M,A61N

Claim:
1. A Method of accessing posterior surfaces of a body organ in a patient via a minimally invasive procedure, the method comprising: accessing a diaphragm through a first incision in an abdomen of the patient; creating an opening in the diaphragm; advancing an access device through the diaphragm into the thoracic cavity, where the access device comprises at least one working channel where a distal end of the access device is advanced into the thoracic cavity, spaced beyond the diaphragm and between adjacent organs in the thoracic cavity; and separating the adjacent organs using the distal end of the access device such that the distal end of the access device forms a temporary cavity between the adjacent organs to create a space in the thoracic cavity exterior to a pericardium surrounding a heart.