This invention provides a system and method for positioning, manipulating, holding, grasping, immobilizing and/or stabilizing a heart including one or more tissue-engaging devices, one or more suction sources, one or more fluid sources, one or more energy sources, one or more sensors and one or more processors. The system and method may include an indifferent electrode, a drug delivery device and an illumination device. The system's tissue-engaging device may comprise a tissue-engaging head, a support apparatus and a clamping mechanism for attaching the tissue-engaging device to a stable object. The system may be used during various medical procedures including the deployment of an anastomotic device, intermittently stopping and starting of the heart, ablation of cardiac tissues and the placement of cardiac leads.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority to co-owned U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Ser. No. 60/261,343 filed Jan. 13, 2001, Ser. No. 60/263,739 filed Jan. 24, 2001, Ser. No. 60/282,029 filed Apr. 6, 2001 and Ser. No. 60/286,952 filed Apr. 26, 2001, and is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/879,294 filed Jun 12, 2001, now U.S. Pat. 6,447,443, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
