Instrument port

Abstract

Instrument port for allowing access to the interior of the heart or other organ while minimizing blood loss.

1 . A transcardiac instrument port for placement in a heart wall to allow passage into a chamber of the heart, comprising:
 a cylindrical body portion defining a lumen and having an outer surface, a heart wall portion, and distal and proximal ends;   a valve associated with the lumen that allows passage of an instrument through the lumen but minimizes flow of blood out of the heart through the lumen; and   a sealing device on the body portion outer surface that minimizes blood flow from out of the heart around the outside of the port;   wherein the sealing device includes at least one inflatable distal balloon, arranged for placement on the interior side of the heart wall;   wherein the balloon is pancake shaped.   
   
   
       2 . The port of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing device includes a second inflatable proximal balloon, arranged for placement on the outer side of the heart wall. 
   
   
       3 . The port of  claim 2 , wherein the distal and proximal balloons are separate balloons. 
   
   
       4 . The port of  claim 2 , wherein the distal and proximal balloons are portions of a single balloon, separated by a spacer. 
   
   
       5 . The port of  claim 4 , wherein the spacer has a length that approximates the width of the heart wall where the instrument port is to be inserted. 
   
   
       6 . The port of  claim 2 , further having a manifold that holds the cylindrical body portion and inflation tubes leading to the distal and proximal balloons, wherein the manifold includes markings that indicate which inflation tube inflates which balloon. 
   
   
       7 . The port of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical body portion comprises two cylindrical pieces in a slidable coaxial relationship. 
   
   
       8 . The port of  claim 1 , comprising a stop on the proximal side of the heart wall portion that stops movement of the port through the heart wall into the heart chamber.