A new endo aortic occlusion balloon for limited access cardiac surgery: Development and clinical evaluation

In recent years, minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS), or limited acce ss cardiac surgery, has been presented as a promising operative procedure. We developed a new balloon device that is inserted directly into the ascend ing aorta to stop the heart during limited access cardiac surgery. The ball oon has a three lumen structure: balloon lumen port, cardioplegia/vent lume n port, and aortic root lumen port. This direct EAC balloon catheter, desig ned to be inserted directly into the ascending aorta, is different from the Heartport system. The Heartport EAC balloon catheter is inserted into the aorta via an artery in the lower limb, making lower limb arterial disease a key concern. Our Direct Endo Aortic Clamp (EAC) balloon overcomes this pro blem. The device was clinically used in seven cardiac cases. All patients w ere discharged within 5 postoperative days, confirming the utility of the d evice.