ENDOSCOPIC EPICARDIAL ABLATION ABOUT PULMONARY VEINS

摘要

Surgical instruments and procedures promote placement of a tissue-ablating probe surrounding the left and right pulmonary veins within the intrapericardial space of a patient's heart via access through a subxiphoid or subcostal entry incision (71). An opening is formed in the pericardium near the apex region of the heart to facilitate formation of openings through three pericardial reflections by which a tissue-sblating probe is positioned around the pulmonary veins. A kit (99) of the surgical instrument required to perform the tissue-ablating surgical procedure is assembled within an hermetically-sealed enclosure (108).