Fixation of a medical implant to the exterior of a body organ

Abstract

In general, invention is directed to devices for use in surgical procedures in which a medical implant is affixed to or implanted within an exterior surface of a body organ. A system, for example, is described that includes a cannula and a delivery instrument disposed within the cannula to fix a medical implant to an exterior surface of an organ. The delivery instrument has a distal end including a cavity and a vacuum port to draw a portion of the exterior surface of the organ into the cavity. The medical implant is affixed to the portion of the exterior surface drawn into the cavity of the delivery instrument.

1 . A system comprising:
 an electrode comprising:   a conductive material defining a cavity; and
 a vacuum inlet that receives vacuum pressure from a delivery instrument and applies the vacuum pressure to the cavity to draw tissue from an exterior surface of an organ of a patient into the cavity. 
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode further comprises an insulative backing coupled to the conductive material. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a wireless transceiver that communicates with an external device. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pulse generator that delivers electrical stimulation to the conductive material. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a lead electrically coupled to the conductive material. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the delivery instrument, wherein the delivery instrument defines a chamber sized to hold the electrode, wherein when the electrode is held in the chamber, the cavity defined by the conductive material is exposed. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pin that extends through the conductive material and the cavity to fix the electrode to the tissue drawn into the cavity. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode further comprises an eyelet that receives a securing structure to secure the electrode to the tissue. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cannula capable of being introduced into an abdomen of the patient via an incision in the abdomen; and   wherein the delivery instrument is disposed within the cannula, the delivery instrument comprising a vacuum outlet through which the vacuum pressure is applied to the vacuum inlet of the electrode to draw a portion of the exterior surface of the organ into the cavity defined by the conductive material.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a source of vacuum pressure coupled to the delivery instrument; and   a conduit through the delivery instrument to apply the vacuum pressure from the source to the exterior surface of the organ.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a trocar disposed within the cannula, wherein the delivery instrument is disposed within the trocar. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 means for introducing a delivery instrument into the patient via an incision in an abdomen of the patient; and   means for applying vacuum pressure to an exterior surface of an organ to draw at least a portion of the exterior surface into the cavity defined by the conductive material.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising means for affixing the electrode to the portion of the exterior surface drawn into the cavity. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , further wherein the means for affixing the electrode comprises means for anchoring the electrode to the portion of the exterior surface drawn into the cavity defined by the conductive material.