Patent ID: 8105235

Claim:
A surgical stabilizer for inhibiting motion of a cardiac tissue accessed via a minimally invasive opening, wherein a heart surface borders the cardiac tissue, the stabilizer comprising: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a first elongate body extending distally from the distal end of the shaft, the first elongate body having a first stabilizing surface adapted to engage the heart surface to inhibit motion of the cardiac tissue, a length spanning distal and proximal ends of the first elongate body, a first anchor at the distal end of the first elongate body, a width across the first stabilizing surface, a thickness less than the width, and at least one lateral bend; a second elongate body pivotally coupled to the first body at a joint adjacent the distal end of the shaft, the second elongate body having a second stabilizing surface adapted to engage the heart surface to inhibit motion of the cardiac tissue, a length spanning distal and proximal ends of the second elongate body, a second anchor at the distal end of the second elongate body, a width across the second stabilizing surface, a thickness less than the width, and at least one lateral bend, wherein the length of the first elongate body is longer than the length of the second elongate body so that the bodies cross distally of the joint and along the stabilizing surfaces without the first anchor of the first elongate body interfering with the second anchor of the second elongate body when the first and second elongate bodies are aligned in a small profile configuration suitable for insertion through the minimally invasive opening.