Patent ID: 8702703

Claim:
A method of sub-xiphoid ablation of a first vessel of a heart of a patient with a sub-xiphoid ablation clamp comprising first and second opposing jaws comprising first and second opposing relief segments being generally co-planar and concave with respect to one another to form a void therebetween and first and second opposing elongate ablation elements positioned along said first and second opposing jaws and distal of said first and second opposing relief segments relative to a handle, respectively, and configured to ablate said first vessel positioned therebetween, wherein said first and second opposing jaws are articulable, comprising the steps of: approaching said heart with said first and second opposing jaws of said sub-xiphoid ablation clamp from a sub-xiphoid direction; positioning a second vessel within said void formed by said first and second opposing relief segments and said first vessel between said first and second opposing elongate ablation elements; clamping said first vessel between said first and second opposing elongate ablation elements while maintaining blood flow through said second vessel, including pivoting said first and second opposing jaws about a common pivot point located inside of said patient and proximal said void; delivering ablation energy to said first vessel via said first and second opposing elongate ablation elements.