Loop structures for positioning a diagnostic or therapeutic element on the epicardium or other organ surface

1. A surgical device, comprising:

a relatively short outer member defining an interior bore, a proximal portion, a distal portion and a distal opening;

a relatively short shaft defining a main body portion and a distal portion, located at least partially within the interior bore of the relatively short outer member and slidable relative to the relatively short outer member;

a control element defining a distal portion connected to the distal portion of the relatively short shaft and a proximal portion extending to the proximal portion of the relatively short outer member; and

an operative element on the distal portion of the relatively short shaft.

2. A surgical device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control element comprises a pull wire.

3. A surgical device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the operative element comprises a plurality of spaced electrodes.

4. A surgical device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a mask element associated with the operative element.

5. A surgical device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control element extends along the exterior of the relatively short shaft within the relatively short outer member.

6. A surgical device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the relatively short outer member comprises a tubular member.

7. A surgical device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the relatively short outer member is relatively stiff.

8. A surgical device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the main body portion of the relatively short shaft is relatively stiff.

9. A surgical device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the distal portion of the relatively short shaft is flexible.

10. A surgical device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the distal portion of the relatively short shaft includes a flexible region and a malleable region.

11. A surgical device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the distal portion of the relatively short shaft includes longitudinally spaced shaft indicia and the relatively short outer member includes outer member indicia that interrelates with the shaft indicia in such a manner that the shaft indicia that is visible when a region of the distal portion of the relatively short shaft extends outwardly from the distal opening and the outer member indicia together indicate how much of the distal portion of the relatively short shaft remains within the relatively short outer member.

12. A surgical device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the operative element comprises a plurality of electrodes, the shaft indicia comprises first shaft indicia associated with a first electrode, and the outer member indicia comprises first outer member indicia corresponding to the first shaft indicia.

13. A surgical device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the shaft indicia further comprises second shaft indicia associated with a second electrode and the outer member indicia comprises second outer member indicia corresponding to the second shaft indicia.

14. A surgical device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein a third electrode is located distal of the first and second electrodes.

15. A surgical device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the shaft indicia comprises at least one colored ring and the outer member indicia comprises a least one colored ring.

16. A surgical device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the relatively short outer member defines a first relatively short outer member, the surgical device further comprising:

a second relatively short outer member defining an interior bore, a proximal portion, a distal portion and a distal opening, and being arranged relative to the first relatively short outer member such that the distal portion of the relatively short shaft may be advanced outwardly from the distal opening of the first relatively short outer member into the distal opening of the second relatively short outer member to define a loop.

17. A surgical device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first and second relatively short outer members are secured to one another.

18. A surgical device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the distal openings of the first and second relatively short outer members face in different directions.

19. A surgical device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first relatively short outer member defines a substantially linear longitudinal axis and the second relatively short outer member defines a curved longitudinal axis.

20. A surgical device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the second relatively short outer member includes a slot.

21. A surgical device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the distal opening of at least one of the first and second relatively short outer members is outwardly flared.

22. A surgical device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first relatively short outer member includes a lock adapted to fix the position of the relatively short shaft relative to the relatively short outer member.

23. A surgical device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first relatively short outer member includes a tie post.

24. A surgical device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first relatively short outer member is relatively stiff.

25. A surgical device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the operative element comprises a plurality of spaced electrodes.

26. A surgical device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the operative element comprises a tip electrode having a pair of exterior openings.

27. A surgical device as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the exterior openings are connected by a through hole extending through the tip electrode.