Apparatus and methods to create and maintain an intra-atrial pressure relief opening
AssigneeDC Devices, Inc.
InventorsDavid Celermajer, Edward McNamara, Michael W. Sutherland, Hiroatsu Sugimoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for treating heart failure by normalizing elevated blood pressure in the left and right atria of a heart of a mammal The present disclosure includes methods for creating and maintaining an opening in the atrial septum. Tools for making an opening and enlarging the opening are also disclosed. Use of the techniques and tools described herein prolongs the patency of an intra-atrial pressure relief opening.
Claims25
A device for treating heart failure, the device comprising:
- a catheter having an outer sheath;
- at least one lumen within the sheath;
- a penetrator for penetrating an atrial septum between a first high pressure chamber and a second low pressure chamber in a heart of a patient by creating an opening in the atrial septum;
- a dilator for enlarging the opening to a second substantially larger opening, thereby creating an intra-atrial pressure relief opening in the atrial septum;
- and
- at least one mechanism suitable for treating the atrial septum substantially surrounding the intra-atrial pressure relief opening in order to avoid natural healing of the second substantially larger opening in the septum,
- wherein the second substantially larger opening is sufficiently large to allow blood flow through the intra-atrial pressure relief opening from the first high pressure chamber to the second low pressure chamber.
A method for normalizing elevated blood pressure in a heart chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
- penetrating an atrial septum between a first high pressure chamber and a second low pressure chamber of a heart to create a first opening in the atrial septum;
- dilating the first opening to a second substantially larger opening of a desired size to create an intra-atrial pressure relief opening;
- and
- delivering at least one treatment to the atrial septum surrounding the intra-atrial pressure relief opening,
- wherein the second substantially larger opening is made large enough to allow blood flow through the intra-atrial pressure relief opening from the first high pressure chamber to the second low pressure chamber.
A method for normalizing elevated blood pressure in a heart chamber of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
- penetrating an atrial septum between a first high pressure chamber and a second low pressure chamber of a heart to create a first opening in the atrial septum;
- dilating the first opening to a second substantially larger opening of a desired size to create an intra-atrial pressure relief opening;
- extracting tissue removed from the atrial septum from the patient;
- and
- delivering at least one treatment to the atrial septum surrounding the intra-atrial pressure relief opening,
- wherein the second substantially larger opening is made large enough to allow blood flow through the intra-atrial pressure relief opening from the first high pressure chamber to the second low pressure chamber without implanting a stent or a valve in the atrial septum.
A method of applying a medication to a patient, comprising:
- preparing a balloon with a medication on an outer surface of the balloon;
- deploying the balloon within the patient using a sheath;
- and
- inflating the balloon to apply the medication to an inner surface of tissue within the patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.