Patent ID: 8162817

Claim:
A suction cup adapted to engage a surface of a beating heart with sufficient force to move the beating heart to an unnatural position upon moving the suction cup, while the suction cup maintains engagement with the surface of the heart and the heart continues to beat, said suction cup comprising: a first chamber defined in a first sidewall section of said suction cup, said first chamber having a rim and being configured to engage the surface of the beating heart; and a second chamber defined in a second sidewall section of said suction cup, said second chamber being smaller than said first chamber and in fluid communication with said first chamber, said second chamber having a distal opening and a proximal opening with a chamber space defined therebetween; and an aperture proximal of said proximal opening of said second chamber, said aperture being smaller in dimension than said proximal opening and being further adapted to fluidly connect said suction cup with a source of suction; wherein at least a portion of said suction cup conforms to a shape of the surface of the beating heart when engaged therewith under a suction force.