Silicone heart spoon

Claim 1

A tool having utility in chilling a heart when blood flow to the heart is interrupted, comprising: an elongate handle member having a proximal end and a distal end; a heart-cradling means having a proximal end connected to the distal end of said handle member; a first passageway formed within said handle member, extending from the proximal end of the handle member to the distal end thereof; a looped passageway formed in said heart-cradling means about a rim part thereof, said looped passageway being in open fluid communication with said first passageway; a plurality of perforations formed in said looped passageway so that a liquid fluid flowing through said looped passageway seeps through said perforations; a manifold member connected to a bottom side of said heart-cradling means in depending relation thereto; a second passageway formed within said handle member, extending from said proximal end of said handle member to said distal end thereof; at least one aperture formed in said manifold member, and said at least one aperture being in open fluid communication with said second passageway; whereby said first passageway is adapted to be connected to a source of chilled liquid fluid under pressure to deliver said chilled fluid in a continuous flow to said looped passageway and hence to a heart cradled by said heart-cradling means; and whereby said second passageway is adapted to be connected to a source of negative pressure for aspirating liquid fluid collected in a puddle in the vicinity of said heart-cradling means into said second passageway means through said at least one aperture.