Patent ID: 7338434

Claim:
A heart positioning device for moving a heart to a non-physiological orientation comprising: a suction head comprising a flexible, resilient material that may be compressed and resiliently return to its original shape and may flex to permit the suction head to engage and conform to a target tissue on the surface of the heart, the suction head having a vacuum passageway in fluid communication with the suction head to apply suction between the suction head and the target tissue on the surface of the heart; a shaft having a vacuum lumen extending therethrough, the shaft coupled at a distal end to the suction head by a movable joint; a handle coupled to a proximal end of the shaft for remote manipulation of the position of the suction head to effect movement of the heart to a non-physiological orientation; and means on a proximal portion of the heart positioning device for remotely bending the movable joint from a first position in which the suction head is axially aligned with the shaft to a second, position in which the suction head is axially unaligned with the shaft.