Method of using ventricular restoration patch

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates generally to surgical methods and apparatus for addressing ischemic cardiomyopathy, and more specifically to methods and apparatus for restoring the architecture and normal function of a mammalian heart.

#2. Discussion of the Prior Art

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the abdominal cavity of a human body showing the heart in cross section;

#FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the heart showing coronary arteries which feed the septum, apex and lateral wall of the myocardium;

#FIG. 3 is a axial cross section view of the ventricular portions of the heart illustrating a dilated, generally spherical left ventricle;

#Abdominal portions of the human body are illustrated in FIG. 1 and designated by the reference numeral 10. The body 10 is merely representative of any mammalian body having a heart 12 which pumps blood containing nutrients and oxygen, to vitalize tissue in all areas of the body 10. Other organs of particular importance to this blood circulation process include the lungs 14 and 16, and the vasculature of the body 10 including arteries which carry blood away from the heart 12 and veins which return blood to the heart 12.

#The heart 12 typically includes four chambers, a right auricle 18, a right ventricle 21, a left auricle 23 and a left ventricle 25. In general, the auricles 18 and 23 are receiving chambers and the ventricles 21 and 25 are pumping chambers. Each of these chambers 18-25 is associated with a respective function of the heart 12. For example, it is the purpose of the right auricle 18 to receive the deoxygenated blood returning in the veins of the body 10, such as the femoral vein 27. From the right auricle 18, the deoxygenated blood passes into the right ventricle 21 from which it is pumped through a pulmonary artery 30 to the lungs 14 and 16.

#Within the lungs 14 and 16, the deoxygenated blood is reoxygenated and returned to the left auricle 23 of the heart 12 through a pulmonary vein 32. From this chamber, the oxygenated blood passes through a mitral valve 34 into the left ventricle 25. With each beat of the heart 12, the left ventricle 25 contracts pumping the oxygenated blood into the arteries of the body, such as the femoral artery 36.