Cardiac support device

A device for treating diseases of a human heart, the device comprising:

• a biocompatible material configured to correspond to an external surface of the human heart, wherein the biocompatible material has a compliance deformable under strain to a stretched state within a range of stretched states defined by the compliance of the biocompatible material, the compliance being the inverse of stiffness;
• wherein the compliance of the biocompatible material is greater than a compliance of a normal myocardium;
• wherein the biocompatible material has an elasticity that returns the biocompatible material to a rest state from the stretched state;
• wherein the elasticity and compliance are selected to store energy within the biocompatible material to assist chronic remodeling of the heart and to avoid acute resistance to diastolic filling of the heart;
• wherein the biocompatible material is configured to resist circumferential expansion of the heart but not impede systolic contraction and not over restrain the human heart;
• wherein once the device is applied to the external surface of the human heart, no additional energy is required for device functionality;
• and
• wherein the biocompatible material has a stiffness of less than about 3.8 lbs/in (0.68 kg/cm) when subjected to a uniaxial load at a strain of less than 30%.