Anterior segment coronary restoration apparatus and method

A method for restoring the architecture of a human heart having a ventricle defined by a ventricular wall having a kinetic segment and an akinetic segment, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a patch adapted for disposition within the ventricle;
• palpating the ventricular wall to determine a zone of separation between the kinetic segment and the akinetic segment;
• and
• attaching the patch to the ventricular wall generally along the zone of separation.

A method for restoring the ventricular architecture of human heart having a ventricle defined by a ventricular wall with a kinetic segment and an akinetic segment, the method comprising the steps of:

• incising the ventricular wall;
• palpating the ventricular wall to determine the location of a zone of separation between the kinetic segment and the akinetic segment;
• and
• placing a patch within the ventricle to vary the shape of the ventricle.

A method for restoring the architecture of a human heart having a ventricle defined by a ventricle wall, the ventricle wall having normal appearing tissue and scar tissue separated at a normal appearing tissue and scar tissue interface, comprising the steps of:

• providing a ventricular patch;
• creating an incision to divide the ventricular wall into to first portion and a second portion;
• sewing the patch to the normal appearing tissue of the ventricular wall interiorly of the ventricle at a location other than the normal appearing tissue and scar tissue interface;
• folding the second portion of the ventricle wall over the first portion of the ventricular wall;
• and
• after the folding step, sewing the second portion of the ventricular wall to the first portion of the ventricular wall to close the incision.

The method recited in 14, wherein:

• the providing step includes the step of forming the patch with a central area and a circumferential area;
• and
• the first sewing step includes the steps of:
• sewing the central area to the ventricular wall;
• and
• sewing the circumferential area to the ventricular wall on the side of the patch facing the first portion and the second portion of the ventricular wall.

A method for restoring a dilated, generally spherical configuration heart to its normal, generally apical configuration, the heart having a ventricle defined by a ventricle wall, the ventricle wall having normal appearing tissue and scar tissue separated at a normal appearing tissue and scar tissue interface, comprising the steps of:

• incising the distended heart to access the interior region of the heart;
• inserting into the heart a patch having a predetermined configuration;
• and
• sewing the patch to the normal appearing tissue of the ventricular wall of the heart at a location other than the normal appearing tissue and scar tissue interface to hold the ventricular wall of the heart substantially in the normal apical configuration.

A method for restoring the compressive motion of a distended heart to a twisting motion of a normal heart, the heart having a ventricle defined by a ventricle wall, the ventricle wall having normal appearing tissue and scar tissue separated at a normal appearing tissue and scar tissue interface, comprising the steps of:

• incising the heart with the compressing motion to access the interior regions of the heart;
• inserting into the interior regions of the heart a patch having a predetermined configuration;
• and
• sewing the patch to the normal appearing tissue of the ventricular wall of the heart at a location other than the normal appearing tissue and scar tissue interface to restore the compressive motion of the heart to the more normal twisting motion of the heart.