Development of a novel heart positioner for minimally invasive coronary surgery

Abstract Purpose We developed a heart positioner, the “Tentacles NEO”, specifically designed for minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICS-CABG). Description The device has three flexible suction tubes with a suction cup at the tip of each tube. The suction tubes can be detached from the device body allowing them to be manipulated in any direction through a small incision around the small thoracotomy. When the device displaces the heart, the suction cup moves behind the chest wall and do not crowd the operative field. Evaluation Although the sideways suction force of the new device was as strong as that of the original device, “Tentacles”, the longitudinal and perpendicular force exerted was approximately 80% of the original device. Nevertheless, the new device could safely and favorably displace the heart in a pig model and even during off-pump CABG via sternotomy. During MICS-CABG, the device was able to displace the heart without crowding the operative field. Conclusions The new heart positioner, Tentacles NEO, is a useful and practical heart positioner suitable for MICS-CABG.