US20020056461A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Modification of properties and geometry of heart tissue to influence heart function
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 2001-11-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2021-11-19
Abstract
Abstract Materials, devices and methods for the treatment of congestive heart failure are disclosed. In these methods, the volume of the left ventricle is reduced, thereby increasing the efficiency of the pumping action of the heart. Volume reduction is accomplished by introduction of biocompatible materials into the wall of the left ventricle, or into the ventricle itself. Suitable biocompatible materials include those that undergo a phase transition within the ventricle or within the wall of the ventricle, and are thereby converted from a substantially liquid state to a substantially solid state. Such materials also include those which increase in volume during the transition from the liquid state to the solid state. Also disclosed is a method for ventricular geometry reduction wherein flexible, elastic bands are attached to the external surface of the heart to effect a decrease in the volume of the left ventricle. Finally, disclosed are devices including catheters and elastic bands that are usable in these treatments.
Inventors
- 👤 Swaminathan Jayaraman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:58
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2478; A61F2/2481; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/00234; A61B17/12; A61B17/12022; A61B17/12099; A61B17/12122; A61B17/12131; A61B17/12168; A61B17/12172; A61B17/12181; A61B17/12186; A61B17/1219; A61L; A61L27/00; A61L27/14; A61L27/22; A61L27/222; A61L27/227; A61L27/24; A61L27/50; A61L27/52; A61L27/56; A61L31/00; A61L31/14; A61L31/16; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00039; A61B2017/00044; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61L2300/00; A61L2300/20; A61L2300/258; A61L2300/40; A61L2300/412; A61M; A61M2210/00; A61M2210/12; A61M2210/125
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
43 words
1 . A steerable catheter having at least one lumen and comprising an attachment means for reversible attachment to a surface within an animal body, the catheter having a proximal and a distal end, the proximal end being inserted into the animal body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
43 words
1 . A steerable catheter having at least one lumen and comprising an attachment means for reversible attachment to a surface within an animal body, the catheter having a proximal and a distal end, the proximal end being inserted into the animal body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
2 . The catheter of claim 1 further comprising a tissue-removal means for removing material from a body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
3 . The catheter of claim 2 wherein the tissue-removal means comprises a laser beam for removing material from a body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
4 . The catheter of claim 2 further comprising a cutting means and a retrieval means whereby material is removed from a body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
5 . The catheter of claim 1 further comprising a reversibly attached stabilizing skeleton.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
6 . The catheter of claim 5 comprising a reversible release means for holding the stabilizing skeleton within or partially extending from the catheter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
7 . The catheter of claim 5 wherein the stabilizing skeleton comprises a plurality of biocompatible, flexible filaments or a biocompatible, flexible mesh-like material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
8 . The catheter of claim 1 further comprising conversion means for converting the filler material is converted from a substantially liquid first state to a substantially non-compressible, substantially rigid second state.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
9 . A method for treating heart failure comprising placing at least one band upon the outer surface of a human heart comprising a left atrium, a right atrium, a left ventricle and a right ventricle, thereby compressing the heart and decreasing internal volume of at least one of the left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle, and right ventricle, whereby cardiac performance is improved.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
9 . A method for treating heart failure comprising placing at least one band upon the outer surface of a human heart comprising a left atrium, a right atrium, a left ventricle and a right ventricle, thereby compressing the heart and decreasing internal volume of at least one of the left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle, and right ventricle, whereby cardiac performance is improved.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
10 . The method of claim 9 , which further comprises delivering into the left ventricle at least one filler material to decrease internal volume of the left ventricle before placing the band(s) around the heart.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one filler material comprises at least one of genetically modified therapeutic agents and growth factors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the band(s) are elastic band(s) which are stretched before placement around the heart.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing cross-links between a plurality of circular elastic bands attached to the surface of the heart, wherein the circular elastic bands are substantially horizontally positioned and substantially parallel to one another, wherein the bands are of varying diameter arranged in order of descending size from the atria toward the ventricles, whereby a conical structure is formed on the outer surface of the heart.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one attached band is adjustable in diameter, and which further comprises monitoring the action of the heart and adjusting the diameter of the band(s) according to the monitored action of the heart.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one band further comprises means for conductance of electrical signals to and from cardiac tissue.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one band further comprises means for delivery of drugs to the heart.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the drugs include at least one of genetically modified therapeutic agents and growth factors.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
18 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one band is made of wire and is attached to the outer surface of the heart by an attaching means selected from the group consisting of sutures, clamps, bio-compatible adhesives, or combinations thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
19 . The method of claim 9 , which further comprises decreasing the internal volume of at least the left ventricle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
20 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the band is made of a resilient synthetic biocompatible material which overcomes the flexing movements of the heart muscles and which does not fracture upon long term flexing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
73 words
21 . A device for treatment of congestive heart failure, which comprises a band configured and dimensioned to apply force to the outer surface of a human heart comprising a left atrium, a right atrium, a left ventricle and a right ventricle, and which is made of at least one biocompatible component selected from the group consisting of metallic materials, synthetic elastomeric materials, rubber materials, biological materials, stent graft materials and combinations thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
73 words
21 . A device for treatment of congestive heart failure, which comprises a band configured and dimensioned to apply force to the outer surface of a human heart comprising a left atrium, a right atrium, a left ventricle and a right ventricle, and which is made of at least one biocompatible component selected from the group consisting of metallic materials, synthetic elastomeric materials, rubber materials, biological materials, stent graft materials and combinations thereof.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
22 . The device of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the biocompatible components of the band is electrically conductive.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
23 . The device of claim 21 , wherein the band is made of wire and is constructed in the form of a stent.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
24 . The device of claim 23 , wherein at least one surface of the stent is covered with a biocompatible elastomeric synthetic material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
25 . The device of claim 24 , wherein the at least one surface of the stent is covered with a biocompatible elastic biological tissue.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
26 . The device of claim 25 , wherein the biocompatible elastic biological tissue is muscle tissue.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
27 . The device of claim 21 , wherein the band is constructed in the form of a cup-shaped stent, which stent is adjustable in size.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
28 . The device of claim 21 , wherein the band is adjustable in diameter, is introduced in a compact state and is released in vivo for placement around at least the left ventricle of the heart.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
70 words
29 . The device of claim 21 , wherein the bands are elastic bands which are stretched before placement around the heart, and which include cross-links therebetween, wherein the elastic bands are substantially horizontally positioned and substantially parallel to one another, are of varying diameter arranged in order of descending size from the atria toward the ventricles, whereby a conical structure is formed on the outer surface of the heart.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
35 words
30 . The device of claim 21 , wherein the band is made of a resilient synthetic biocompatible material which overcomes flexing movements of heart muscles and which does not fracture upon long term flexing.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
78 words
31 . An apparatus for application around a heart with an apex, comprising: a first portion having an anchor that is configured and dimensioned to be disposed proximate the apex; and a second portion having a plurality of petals and a retaining region, the petals being resiliently biased, wherein the anchor is retained in the retaining region and at least one of the petals is biased to provide compressive force against at least a portion of the heart.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
78 words
31 . An apparatus for application around a heart with an apex, comprising: a first portion having an anchor that is configured and dimensioned to be disposed proximate the apex; and a second portion having a plurality of petals and a retaining region, the petals being resiliently biased, wherein the anchor is retained in the retaining region and at least one of the petals is biased to provide compressive force against at least a portion of the heart.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
32 . The apparatus of claim 31 , further comprising a tensioning band secured to at least one of the petals.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
33 . The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the tensioning band permits selective tightening of at least one of the petals.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
34 . The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein two or more of the first portion, the second portion, and the tensioning band are integrally formed.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
28 words
35 . The apparatus of claim 31 , further comprising a screw mechanism for increasing or decreasing the compressive force applied by at least one of the petals.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
22 words
36 . The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the first portion is disposed about at least a portion of a ventricle.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
37 . The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the anchor is retained in the retaining region at least in part by a male-female interlock.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
38 . The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the petals extend from the second portion proximate the retaining region.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
39 . The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the petals are uniformly spaced with respect to each other.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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