Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for performing beating heart surgery, in which a single articulating arm supports multiple suction pods. Once the suction pods are applied to the heart surface, tightening a cable fixes the arm in place. Then, the suction pods may be spread apart from each other to tighten the surface of the cardiac tissue lying between the suction pods. In one embodiment, fixation of the arm as well as the spreading apart of the suction pods may occur concurrently or almost concurrently through the tensioning of a single cable. Additional embodiments of the method, system and its components are shown.

Abstract: A telescoping dilator assembly is configured for percutaneous insertion of large diameter intravascular devices into a blood vessel while avoiding kinking of a guidewire and minimizing blood loss. The assembly includes a first smaller diameter dilator with an inner lumen that fits snugly over a guidewire. The smaller dilator may be tapered on both ends. A second larger diameter dilator is configured to slide over the first smaller dilator. A tear away sheath is configured to slide over the dilators and into a blood vessel. A tear away sheath plug is configured to form a seal at a proximal end of the sheath. When the dilators are removed from the blood vessel, an intravascular device may be passed through the sheath into the blood vessel.

Abstract: An introducer assembly for inserting a medical device into a body passage. The introducer assembly includes an elongate, tubular and retractable inner sheath formed of a deformable and flexible material. The introducer assembly further includes an inner core removably inserted through and secured to the inner sheath. A lumen within the inner core may serve as a channel for accommodating a guidewire. The introducer assembly is configured with a minimized outer diameter that avoids sheath kinking during insertion in the body passage while utilizing a thin flexible inner sheath capable of accommodating large-diameter catheters. A method for inserting a medical device through the introducer assembly is disclosed.