Beating heart controller and simulator

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods for a surgical training tool that drives movement of an organ in order to reproduce a movement of that organ to mimic the conditions of a live surgical procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a training model by animating a heart within a synthetic chest cavity, the method comprising:
 advancing a first catheter having a first expandable member into a vascular body in the synthetic chest cavity, where the vascular body is fluidly coupled to the heart;   advancing a second catheter having a second expandable member into the synthetic chest cavity;   positioning the first expandable member into a first ventricle of the heart;   positioning the second expandable member into a second ventricle of the heart;   coupling the first catheter to a first fluid path, the first fluid path being in fluid communication with a positive pressure source;   coupling the second catheter to a second fluid path, the second fluid path being in fluid communication with the positive pressure source that provides a fluid flow; and   providing pressure to the first catheter and the second catheter; and   monitoring a parameter of the fluid flow in the first catheter and the second catheter to control the fluid flow in the first fluid path and the second fluid path to pressurize and depressurize the first expandable member and the second expandable member respectively to produce a beating pattern in the heart.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid path comprises a first valve, and where the second fluid path comprises a second valve. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable valve, where the first fluid path and second fluid path are fluidly isolated in the adjustable valve. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where the parameter of the fluid flow comprises a parameter selected from a group consisting of a time of flow, a volume of flow, a pressure, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 advancing a third catheter having a third expandable member into the synthetic chest cavity;   positioning the third expandable member into a first atrium of the heart;   coupling the third catheter to a third valve that is fluidly coupled to the positive pressure source; and   where monitoring the parameter of the fluid flow further comprises monitoring the parameter of the fluid flow in the third catheter to control the third valve to pressurize and depressurize the third expandable member.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 advancing a fourth catheter having a fourth expandable member into the synthetic chest cavity;   positioning the fourth expandable member into a second atrium of the heart;   coupling the fourth catheter to a fourth valve that is fluidly coupled to the positive pressure source; and   where monitoring the parameter of the fluid flow further comprises monitoring the parameter of the fluid flow in the fourth catheter to control the fourth valve to pressurize and depressurize the fourth expandable member.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , where the positive pressure source comprises a plurality of inflation sources where at least a first inflation source is fluidly coupled to the first valve and where a second inflation source is fluidly coupled to the second valve. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where advancing the second catheter into the synthetic chest cavity comprises advancing the second catheter into a second vascular body in the synthetic chest cavity, where the second vascular body is fluidly coupled to the heart. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising detaching a stiffening member from the first catheter prior to coupling the first catheter to the first fluid path. 
     
     
         10 . A method of preparing a training model by animating a heart located in a synthetic chest cavity, the method comprising:
 advancing a first catheter having a first expandable member into a vascular body in the synthetic chest cavity that is fluidly coupled to the heart;   advancing a second catheter having a second expandable member into the synthetic chest cavity;   positioning the first expandable member through the synthetic chest cavity and into a first ventricle of the heart;   positioning the second expandable member into a second ventricle of the heart;   coupling the first catheter to a first fluid path, the first fluid path being in fluid communication with a positive pressure source;   coupling the second catheter to a second fluid path, the second fluid path being in fluid communication with the positive pressure source that provides a fluid flow; and   providing pressure to the first catheter and the second catheter; and   monitoring a parameter of the fluid flow in the first catheter and the second catheter to control the fluid flow in the first fluid path and the second fluid path to pressurize and depressurize the first expandable member and the second expandable member respectively to produce a beating pattern in the heart.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first fluid path comprises a first valve, and where the second fluid path comprises a second valve. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising an adjustable valve, where the first fluid path and second fluid path are fluidly isolated in the adjustable valve. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , where the parameter of the fluid flow comprises a parameter selected from a group consisting of a time of flow, a volume of flow, a pressure, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 advancing a third catheter having a third expandable member into the synthetic chest cavity;   positioning the third expandable member into a first atrium of the heart;   coupling the third catheter to a third valve that is fluidly coupled to the positive pressure source; and   where monitoring the parameter of the fluid flow further comprises monitoring the parameter of the fluid flow in the third catheter to control the third valve to pressurize and depressurize the third expandable member.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 advancing a fourth catheter having a fourth expandable member into the synthetic chest cavity;   positioning the fourth expandable member into a second atrium of the heart;   coupling the fourth catheter to a fourth valve that is fluidly coupled to the positive pressure source; and   where monitoring the parameter of the fluid flow further comprises monitoring the parameter of the fluid flow in the fourth catheter to control the fourth valve to pressurize and depressurize the fourth expandable member.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , where the positive pressure source comprises a plurality of inflation sources where at least a first inflation source is fluidly coupled to the first valve and where a second inflation source is fluidly coupled to the second valve. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising detaching a stiffening member from the first catheter prior to coupling the first catheter to the first fluid path.