Medtronic: Octopus II Tissue Stabilizer

Sundberg-Ferar worked with Medtronic to improve and redefine an existing product that enables surgeons to perform heart bypass procedures on a beating heart. This redefined product needed to increase surgical control, and offer advanced intuitive use and manipulation. SF conducted interviews with cardiac surgeons and observed live cardiac surgery procedures to identify unique user issues. Results include: a proprietary thread design which dramatically reduces the force needed to tighten the arm; a mechanism to simultaneously spread the suction heads while locking the arm; a simplified spring-loaded mounting mechanism to accommodate various retractors; and graduated links on the articulating arm to provide strength and reduce bulk in the body cavity.