Devices and methods for assisting natural heart function
OwnerDavid B. Melvin, Jeffrey Radziunas +3inventors
InventorsDavid B. Melvin, Jeffrey Radziunas, Francisco M. Llort, William Santamore, Scott J. Wolf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Devices and methods for treating a diseased heart including devices and methods for remodeling or reconfiguring a shape of a diseased heart, assisting in function of a diseased heart, and stabilizing such devices on a diseased heart. In some embodiments, the devices and methods include one or more segments for changing a shape of the heart or a portion thereof, and methods for using such devices and methods.
Claims78
A device for treating a diseased heart, said device comprising:
- one or more members configured to surround a selected portion of the heart, including a first member configured to be positioned adjacent an exterior surface of one chamber of the heart and to selectively deform the chamber by pressing inwardly thereon, and
- a second member coupled to said first member, and configured (a) to lie adjacent an external surface of the heart in a path forming an angle with said first member and (b) to stabilize said first member on the heart.
A device for treating a diseased heart, said device comprising:
- one or more members configured to surround the heart, including
- a first member configured to be positioned adjacent an exterior surface of one chamber of the heart and configured to selectively deform the chamber by pressing inwardly thereon, and
- a second member configured to stabilize the first member of the device in a preselected position on the heart, said second member comprising a facing material on at least part of one side of at least one of said first and second members, and facing the exterior surface of the heart,
- said facing material being configured to facilitate epithelial growth into said facing material.
A device for treating a diseased heart, said device comprising:
- one or more members configured to surround a selected portion of the heart, including a first member configured to be positioned adjacent an exterior surface of one chamber of the heart and to selectively deform the chamber by pressing inwardly thereon, and
- a second member coupled to said first member, and configured (a) to lie adjacent an external surface of the heart in a path with said first member and (b) to stabilize said first member on the heart.
A device for treating a diseased heart, said device comprising:
- one or more members configured to surround the heart, including a first member configured to be positioned adjacent an exterior surface of one chamber of the heart and to selectively deform the chamber by pressing inwardly thereon, and
- a second member configured to stabilize said first member of said device in a preselected position on the heart,
- said second member comprising a first adherent surface on at least part of an inner side of said first member, facing the exterior surface of the heart.
A device for treating a diseased heart, said device comprising:
- one or more members configured to surround the heart, including a first member configured to be positioned adjacent an exterior surface of one chamber of the heart and to selectively deform the chamber by pressing inwardly thereon, and
- a second member configured to stabilize the first member of said device in a preselected position on the heart,
- said second member including one or more elements configured to penetrate an exterior surface of the heart.
A device for treating a diseased heart, said device comprising:
- one or more members configured to surround the heart, including a first member configured to be positioned adjacent an exterior surface of one chamber of the heart and to selectively deform the chamber by pressing inwardly thereon, and
- a second member configured to stabilize the first member of said device in a preselected position on the heart, said second member including one or more elements attached to said second member at spaced locations and configured to pass through the exterior surface of the heart.
A device for treating a diseased heart, said device comprising:
- a first member configured to contact a surface of a chamber of the heart and to continually bias a wall of the heart, and
- a second member connected to said first member and configured to stabilize said first member in a preselected location in contact with the surface of the chamber.
A method for placing on a diseased heart a device including a tether having two ends, said method comprising the steps:
- passing the tether along a predetermined line of approximate placement position on the heart of the device,
- attaching a first portion of the device to one end of the tether,
- pulling a first portion of the device into approximate placement position with the tether,
- attaching a second portion of the device to the second end of the tether,
- sliding the second portion along the tether and placing the second portion of the device into approximate placement position abutting said first portion, and
- connecting the two portions to one another.
A method for placing on a diseased heart a device including a tether having two ends, said method comprising the steps:
- passing a tether having two ends along a predetermined line of approximate placement on the heart of the device,
- sliding a sheath over the tether,
- attaching one end of the sheath and one end of the tether to a first portion of the device,
- pulling the first portion of the device into approximate placement position on the heart,
- disconnecting the sheath and sliding the sheath off the tether,
- attaching a second portion of the device to the tether,
- sliding the second portion along the tether and placing the second portion of the device into approximate placement position, and
- connecting the two portions to one another.
A method for placing a device in a diseased heart, the device including a first automatically reversibly collapsible anchor and a first tether attached thereto, and a second automatically reversibly collapsible anchor and a second tether attached thereto, said method comprising the steps:
- passing a sheath through a lumen into an interior portion of a chamber of the heart,
- sliding the first collapsible portion in a collapsed position through the sheath and through a first predetermined portion of a wall of the chamber and causing the first collapsible anchor to expand,
- sliding the second collapsible portion in a collapsed position through the sheath and through a second predetermined portion of a wall of the chamber and causing the second collapsible anchor to expand, and
- connecting a free end of the first tether to a free end of the second tether.
A method for placing on a heart a device for encircling the heart and for pressing inwardly thereon, the device included a plurality of elongate elements adapted to be joined successively with one another and, when joined, to surround the heart, said method comprising the steps:
- placing a guide member in a path around the heart, the path corresponding generally to a pre-selected location surrounding the heart in which the joined elongate elements are intended to be located,
- guiding one or more of the elongate members along the guide member to the preselected locations of each of the elongate elements on the heart, and
- after two of the elongate members are in their respective pre-selected positions, joining the two elongate members together.
A method for introducing a transventricular tension member between substantially opposing walls of a heart chamber and anchor members on each end thereof, the anchor members being expandable from a compressed configuration in which the anchor is confined to a relatively small diameter to an expanded configuration in which one end of the anchor is expanded to a relatively larger diameter including a relatively planar surface, and the anchor member is attachable to a tension member extending away therefrom, said method comprising the steps:
- endoluminally introducing a first anchor into an interior of the chamber in the compressed configuration and causing the first anchor to pass through a wall of the chamber to the exterior thereof,
- causing the first anchor to expand to its expanded configuration with the planar surface resting against an exterior surface of the chamber wall,
- endoluminally introducing a second anchor into an interior of the chamber in a compressed configuration and causing the second anchor to pass through a wall of the chamber to the exterior thereof,
- causing the second anchor to expand to its expanded configuration with the planar surface resting against an exterior surface of the chamber wall, and connecting the first and second anchors to a tension member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.