Coring tool

1. A coring tool comprising:

(a) a frame having proximal and distal directions;

(b) an operator interface mounted to the frame and movable between a rest position and an actuated position;

(c) a coring head having at least one cutting blade, the coring head being mounted to the frame for movement in the proximal and distal directions;

(d) an actuation rod coupled to the coring head, the actuation rod defining at least one protrusion extending therefrom; and

(e) an actuation system connected between the coring head and the operator interface, the actuation system including a first gear and a second gear couplable to the at least one protrusion of the actuation rod and an actuator selector coupled to one of the first gear and the second gear and having a first position and a second position, the actuation system being configured to move the actuation rod and the coring head distally responsive to movement of the operator interface from the rest position toward the actuated position when the actuator selector is in the first position, and to move the actuation rod and the coring head proximally responsive to movement of the operator interface from the same rest position toward the same actuated position when the actuator selector is in the second position.

2. A coring tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame includes a shaft having proximal and distal ends and a handle extending transverse to the shaft adjacent the proximal end of the shaft, and wherein the operator interface is mounted to the frame for movement towards and away from the handle, the operator interface being remote from the handle in the rest position and adjacent the handle in the actuated position.

3. A coring tool as claimed in claim 2 wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to maintain the position of the coring head when the operator interface is moved from the actuated position to the rest position.

4. A coring tool as claimed in claim 3 wherein the operator interface is biased toward the rest position.

5. A coring tool comprising:

a frame having proximal and distal directions;

a proximal handle including an operator interface biased in a rest position, and an actuation system including a first actuator and a second actuator and an actuator selector connected to both the first and second actuators the actuator selector selectably engages one of the first actuator and the second actuator to both the operator interface and an actuation rod;

a distal coring head including at least one cutting blade mounted to the frame, the at least one blade actuatable between a first position and a second position; and

a shaft extending between the handle and the distal coring head including the actuation rod extending from the distal coring head to the actuation system;

the first position of the distal coring head is a closed position wherein the at least one blade is positioned adjacent to a distal end of the shaft, and the second position of the distal coring head is an open position wherein the at least one blade is spaced from the distal end of the shaft, the at least one blade in the second position is configured to form a cored opening in tissue; and

the first actuator moves the actuation rod in one direction upon a force being applied to the operator interface, and the second actuator moves the actuation rod in another opposite direction upon the force being applied to the operator interface.

6. The coring tool of claim 5 , wherein the first actuator actuates the distal coring head from the first position to the second position and the second actuator actuates the distal coring head from the second position to the first position.

7. The coring tool of claim 5 , wherein the tissue is a wall of a heart of a mammalian subject.

8. The coring tool of claim 5 , wherein the first position of the distal coring head includes a hollow, substantially closed volume.

9. A coring tool comprising:

a frame having proximal and distal directions;

a proximal handle including an operator interface;

a distal coring head including at least one cutting blade mounted to the frame, the at least one blade actuatable between a distal first position and a proximal second position by an actuation system;

a shaft extending between the handle and the distal coring head including an actuation rod extending from the distal coring head to the actuation system; and

the actuation system including an abutment and a spring disposed proximate the distal coring head to bias the actuation system in the first position, mounted to the frame towards a distal end of the shaft and proximal to the distal coring head, the actuation system being actuable between the distal first position and the proximal second position, and

when the distal coring head and actuation system are in the respective first positions, the coring head and actuation system contact one another, when the distal coring head is in the first position and the actuation system is in the second position, the coring head and actuation system are spaced from one another, and when the distal coring head and actuation system are in respective second positions, the coring head and actuation system contact one another.

10. The coring tool of claim 9 , wherein the spring is compressible upon a force applied to the abutment.

11. The coring tool of claim 9 , wherein the abutment is positioned towards a distal end of the spring, adjacent the distal coring head.

12. The coring tool of claim 11 , wherein the cutting blade of the distal coring head contacts a distal surface of the actuation system, adjacent the abutment.