In a method for improving cardiac performance, a compressive cardiac implant is passed through an anterior intraventricular vein of a patient’s heart to a position proximate an apex or lower end of a left ventricle of the patient’s heart. The operator repairs a failing facility and manually discharges a length of an elongate film which may possibly be defective. A variably controlled fan draws exterior air into upper channel. Magnetic force of the stator magnet is transmitted to the yoke via the magnetic path body. When the position count has reached a target count, it is determined that the rotor has reached a target position, whereupon the open-loop control is finished. In preferred embodiments, the invention provides greater stabilization of vertebral bodies through methods including combinations of bilateral external fixation systems and intervertebral implants to provide greater fusion stability, greater motion segment stability, faster fusion, reduced pain, reduced chance of migration, reduced chance of subsidence, etc.