Apparatuses and methods for at least partially supporting a valve leaflet of a regurgitant heart valve

An apparatus for at least partially supporting a leaflet of a regurgitant heart valve, the apparatus comprising at least one subvalvular device defining a longitudinal axis and including:

• a subvalvular supporting portion, the subvalvular portion being a balloon, including a leaflet-contacting upper supporter surface longitudinally spaced from an oppositely facing lower supporter surface, a supporter perimeter wall extending longitudinally between, and integrally and contiguously formed with both of, the upper and lower supporter surfaces, at least a portion of the supporter perimeter wall contacting a subvalvular cardiac wall adjacent to the heart valve;
• an anchor portion, the anchor portion being a balloon, adjacent to, and longitudinally spaced from, the upper supporter surface, the anchor portion including a leaflet-contacting lower anchor surface longitudinally spaced from an oppositely facing upper anchor surface, an anchor perimeter wall extending longitudinally between, and integrally and contiguously formed with both of, the upper and lower anchor surfaces;
• and
• a connector neck interposed longitudinally between, and directly attached to both of, the upper supporter surface and the lower anchor surface, the connector neck penetrating longitudinally through at least one of a base of the leaflet and an annulus of the heart valve at a manufactured puncture site.

An apparatus for at least partially supporting a leaflet of a regurgitant heart valve, the apparatus comprising at least one subvalvular device defining a longitudinal axis and including:

• a subvalvular supporting portion including a leaflet-contacting upper supporter surface longitudinally spaced from an oppositely facing lower supporter surface, a supporter perimeter wall extending longitudinally between, and integrally and contiguously formed with both of, the upper and lower supporter surfaces, at least a portion of the supporter perimeter wall contacting a subvalvular cardiac wall adjacent to the heart valve;
• an anchor portion adjacent to, and longitudinally spaced from, the upper supporter surface, the anchor portion including a leaflet-contacting lower anchor surface longitudinally spaced from an oppositely facing upper anchor surface, an anchor perimeter wall extending longitudinally between, and integrally and contiguously formed with both of, the upper and lower anchor surfaces;
• and
• a connector neck interposed longitudinally between, and directly attached to both of, the upper supporter surface and the lower anchor surface, the subvalvular device including at least one of a top cap and a bottom cap, the top and bottom caps protruding away from the connector neck in the longitudinal direction from the upper anchor surface and lower supporter surface, respectively, the connector neck penetrating longitudinally through at least one of a base of the leaflet and an annulus of the heart valve at a manufactured puncture site.

An apparatus for at least partially supporting a leaflet of a regurgitant heart valve, the apparatus comprising at least one subvalvular device defining a longitudinal axis and including:

• a subvalvular supporting portion including a leaflet-contacting upper supporter surface longitudinally spaced from an oppositely facing lower supporter surface, a supporter perimeter wall extending longitudinally between, and integrally and contiguously formed with both of, the upper and lower supporter surfaces, at least a portion of the supporter perimeter wall contacting a subvalvular cardiac wall adjacent to the heart valve;
• an anchor portion adjacent to, and longitudinally spaced from, the upper supporter surface, the anchor portion including a leaflet-contacting lower anchor surface longitudinally spaced from an oppositely facing upper anchor surface, an anchor perimeter wall extending longitudinally between, and integrally and contiguously formed with both of, the upper and lower anchor surfaces;
• and
• a connector neck interposed longitudinally between, and directly attached to both of, the upper supporter surface and the lower anchor surface, the connector neck penetrating longitudinally through at least one of a base of the leaflet and an annulus of the heart valve at a manufactured puncture site;
• wherein one of the subvalvular supporting portion and the anchor portion is substantially formed of braided mesh strands and the other of the subvalvular supporting portion and the anchor portion is a balloon.

An apparatus for at least partially supporting a leaflet of a regurgitant heart valve, the apparatus comprising at least one subvalvular device defining a longitudinal axis and including:

• a subvalvular supporting portion including a leaflet-contacting upper supporter surface longitudinally spaced from an oppositely facing lower supporter surface, a supporter perimeter wall extending longitudinally between, and integrally and contiguously formed with both of, the upper and lower supporter surfaces, at least a portion of the supporter perimeter wall contacting a subvalvular cardiac wall adjacent to the heart valve;
• an anchor portion adjacent to, and longitudinally spaced from, the upper supporter surface, the anchor portion including a leaflet-contacting lower anchor surface longitudinally spaced from an oppositely facing upper anchor surface, an anchor perimeter wall extending longitudinally between, and integrally and contiguously formed with both of, the upper and lower anchor surfaces;
• and
• a connector neck interposed longitudinally between, and directly attached to both of, the upper supporter surface and the lower anchor surface, the connector neck penetrating longitudinally through at least one of a base of the leaflet and an annulus of the heart valve at a manufactured puncture site;
• wherein both of the upper and lower supporter surfaces include a longitudinally varying contour along a radial dimension thereof, the contours of the upper and lower supporter surfaces being substantially mirrored with respect to each other about a radially-oriented plane, and the upper and lower supporter surfaces and supporter perimeter wall collectively define a substantially torus-shaped subvalvular supporting portion.

An apparatus for at least partially supporting a leaflet of a regurgitant heart valve, the apparatus comprising at least one subvalvular device defining a longitudinal axis and including:

• a subvalvular supporting portion including a leaflet-contacting upper supporter surface longitudinally spaced from an oppositely facing lower supporter surface, a supporter perimeter wall extending longitudinally between, and integrally and contiguously formed with both of, the upper and lower supporter surfaces, at least a portion of the supporter perimeter wall contacting a subvalvular cardiac wall adjacent to the heart valve;
• an anchor portion adjacent to, and longitudinally spaced from, the upper supporter surface, the anchor portion including a leaflet-contacting lower anchor surface longitudinally spaced from an oppositely facing upper anchor surface, an anchor perimeter wall extending longitudinally between, and integrally and contiguously formed with both of, the upper and lower anchor surfaces;
• and
• a connector neck interposed longitudinally between, and directly attached to both of, the upper supporter surface and the lower anchor surface, the connector neck penetrating longitudinally through at least one of a base of the leaflet and an annulus of the heart valve at a manufactured puncture site
• wherein at least one of the subvalvular supporting portion and the anchor portion is a balloon, and wherein the subvalvular device includes a separately provided covering material attached to a majority of an outer surface of the subvalvular device.