Superelastic/Shape Memory Tissue Stabilizers and Surgical Instruments

Abstract

A surgical instrument is used for temporary use in a medical procedure in a mammalian body. The surgical instrument is configured to be changed between two shapes upon application of one or both of heating and cooling. The instrument includes a first member, a second member having a surface configured to contact tissue, and a means to apply heating or cooling to one or both of the first member and the second member to change the shape between a first shape and a second shape. A surgical instrument also may be configured to be changed between two shapes upon removal of a constraining force. The surgical instrument includes a first member, a second member having a surface configured to contact tissue, and a constraining means to apply a constraining force to one or both of the first member and the second member to cause one or both of the first member and the second member to be in a first constrained shape. The surgical instruments may be used in minimally invasive valve surgery.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A method of provide a surgical instrument for temporary use in a medical procedure in a mammalian body, the method comprising: 
 providing a surgical instrument fabricated from a superelastic material and being configured to be changed between at least a first shape and a second shape upon application or removal of a force, the surgical instrument comprising: 
 a delivery device, a first member, a second member having a surface configured to contact tissue, and a means to apply a force to one or both of the first member and the second member to change the shape between the first shape and the second shape;  
   applying a force to one or both of the first member and the second member and placing one or both of the first member and the second member into the delivery device in the first shape;    advancing the delivery device in the mammalian body;    advancing the first member and the second member relative to the delivery device such that at least one of the first member and the second member extend out of the delivery device into the mammalian body;    removing the force from one or both of the first member and the second member to change the shape of one or both of the first member and the second member from the first shape to a second shape; and\   using the second member to contact tissue.    
   
   
       22 . A surgical device configured to position a surgical instrument against a tissue surface, the surgical device comprising: 
 an arm including a lumen configured to receive the surgical instrument; and    a foot extending from the arm, wherein the foot includes    an atraumatic, tissue contacting surface configured to be pressed against the tissue surface,    one or more openings on or extending from the atraumatic tissue contacting surface and being configured to apply vacuum or a fluid to the tissue surface, and    one or more of an opening, groove, slot or hole in the atraumatic tissue contacting surface, the opening, groove, slot or hole configured to accept the surgical instrument from the lumen in the arm and contain the surgical instrument, whereby the surgical instrument can be used to perform a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure on the tissue against which the surgical device is in contact.    
   
   
       23 . The surgical device of  claim 22 , wherein the surgical instrument comprises one or more of an ablation device, a radiofrequency device, a tissue cooling device, a diagnostic device, and a therapeutic device.  
   
   
       24 . A surgical device configured to position a surgical instrument against a tissue surface, the surgical device comprising: 
 an arm including a lumen configured to receive the surgical instrument; and    a foot extending from the arm, wherein the foot includes    an atraumatic, tissue contacting surface configured to be pressed against the tissue surface, the tissue contacting surface comprising a pair of adjacent members, the pair of adjacent members each having at least one surface being generally perpendicular to the tissue contacting surface and forming a plane that is opposed to a surface on the opposite adjacent member, the surfaces forming the opposed planes being of generally equal lengths and separated from one another by a distance that is less than the length of each plane,    one or more openings on or extending from the atraumatic tissue contacting surface and being configured to apply vacuum or a fluid to the tissue surface, and    one or more of an opening, groove, slot or hole in the atraumatic tissue contacting surface, the opening, groove, slot or hole being formed between the adjacent members and defined on two sides by the surfaces forming the opposed planes and being configured to accept the surgical instrument from the lumen in the arm and contain the surgical instrument, whereby the surgical instrument can be used to perform a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure on the tissue against which the surgical device is in contact.