Healthcare Professionals

Starfish

Heart Positioners

Starfish Heart Positioners

Our full suite of beating heart bypass surgery products includes Starfish® Heart Positioners for greater control.

Summary

Starfish Evo Heart Positioner – Bringing You Greater Control During Beating Heart Surgery

Medtronic has taken the proven stabilizer clamp technology from our Octopus® Evolution Tissue Stabilizer and applied it to our new and improved, next-generation Starfish® Evo Heart Positioners.

Key benefits of this new design:

  • Improved clamp design provides increased stability of the positioner on the retractor
  • Clamp can be applied to the retractor with a singlehanded technique allowing for ease of setup
  • Same clamp on the positioner and stabilizer provides a consistent system for beating heart surgery

Both positioners continue to feature increased flexibility, range of motion, and a longer reach of the articulating arm for ease in accessing vessels.

As with our previous generation Starfish 2 Heart Positioner, the unique, multi-appendage silicone suction cup provides a small profile that allows for effective positioning of the heart and enhanced visualization of the anastomotic sites.

Starfish 2 Heart Positioner – Confidence by Choice

The unique, multi-appendage silicone suction cup provides a small profile that allows for enhanced visualization of the anastomotic sites.

  • Smaller color-coded whale tail provides minimal obstruction.
  • High-flow flexible tubing allows easier positioning after attachment to the heart.
  • New swivel headlink greatly increases positioning options and maintains more natural bellows position.
  • Multi-appendage silicone suction cup’s smaller profile allows for enhanced visualization. Utilizes -400 mm Hg.
  • Innovative turret design increases effective arm reach, dramatically increasing positioning options with 360-degree movement.

The Starfish 2 Heart Positioner provides excellent access to target coronaries while minimizing hemodynamic instability:

  • Provides enhanced access to lateral wall with "off-apex" position
  • Optimizes performance of tissue stabilizer
  • Minimizes hemodynamic deterioration associated with beating heart manipulation when compared to deep periocardial sutures1
  • Offers flexible, low profile mounting options with turret design

Important Safety Information

Not all patients are candidates for beating heart procedures. Some patients would require cardiopulmonary support during surgery.

References

1

Gründeman P, et al. Ninety degrees anterior cardiac displacement in off-pump CABG: the Starfish® cardiac positioner preserves stroke volume and arterial pressure. Presented at ISMICS 2002.