US20040098116A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Valve annulus constriction apparatus and method
Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc
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Filing: 2002-11-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2022-11-15
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus is described for supporting and/or constricting a surface of a valve annulus. The apparatus includes a tubular member of dimensions suitable for insertion into a body vessel. The tubular member includes at least two first segments attachable to an interior wall of the body vessel. The tubular member further includes at least one second segment which is capable of decreasing its axial length to draw one of the first segments towards the other first segment.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Callas
- 👤 Richard Saunders
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:46
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/82; A61F2/86; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2442; A61F2/2451; A61F2220/00; A61F2220/0008; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0014; A61F2250/0048
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
1 . An apparatus comprising: a tubular member of dimensions suitable for insertion into a body vessel, the tubular member having at least two first segments attachable to an interior wall of the body vessel, and at least one second segment disposed between the first segments, wherein said at least one second segment is capable of decreasing its axial length to draw one of the first segments towards the other first segment, wherein the tubular member is capable of reducing a longitudinal length of a portion of the body vessel by drawing one of the first segments attached to a first portion of the body vessel towards the other first segment attached to a second portion of the body vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
1 . An apparatus comprising: a tubular member of dimensions suitable for insertion into a body vessel, the tubular member having at least two first segments attachable to an interior wall of the body vessel, and at least one second segment disposed between the first segments, wherein said at least one second segment is capable of decreasing its axial length to draw one of the first segments towards the other first segment, wherein the tubular member is capable of reducing a longitudinal length of a portion of the body vessel by drawing one of the first segments attached to a first portion of the body vessel towards the other first segment attached to a second portion of the body vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member serves to inhibit a portion of the body vessel from lengthening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second segment decreases its axial length as the second segment is expanded in a radial direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the first segments is configured to maintain its axial length substantially constant as the corresponding first segment is expanded in a radial direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second segment is configured such that an amount of reduction in the axial length of the second segment is greater than an amount of increase in the diameter of the second segment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first segments comprises a plurality of radially expandable cells, each of said radially expandable cells configured such that, as the respective cell is expanded in a radial direction, its axial length remains substantially constant.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second segment comprises a plurality of radially expandable cells, each of said radially expandable cells configured such that, as the respective cell is expanded in a radial direction, its axial length decreases.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second segment comprises a plurality of radially expandable cells, each of said radially expandable cells comprises a plurality of slanted struts configured such that, as each cell is expanded in a radial direction, a bias angle between the slanted struts and a longitudinal axis increases to cause a longitudinal length of each cell to decrease.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
9 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the longitudinal length of the second segment is selectively adjustable over a range of longitudinal length by controlling the amount of expansion in the radial direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second segment is capable of shrinking greater than 10% in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second segment is capable of shrinking greater than 25% in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second segment is capable of shrinking greater than 2 mm in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second segment is configured to provide radial support so as to prevent the tubular member from buckling inward.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first segments includes a plurality of hooks capable of attaching to the interior wall of the body vessel as the corresponding first segment is expanded in a radial direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each segment of the tubular member is expandable independent of other segments.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is coated with a drug to treat valve regurgitation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
17 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is provided with a medicinal coating to increase compatibility with a blood vessel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
18 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is of dimensions suitable to be inserted into at least one of coronary arteries and coronary veins.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the tubular member is of dimensions suitable to be inserted into to one of a coronary sinus, a right coronary artery and circumflex coronary arteries.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
20 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is a stent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
21 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is self-expanding.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
22 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member comprises one of a shaped-memory alloy, nickel titanium, stainless steel alloys, cobalt chrome alloys, nickel alloys and platinum alloys.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
23 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is provided with visualization markers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
24 . A catheter balloon comprising: a plurality of inflatable segments, wherein a set of inflatable segments is capable of being inflated independent of other set of inflatable segments.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
24 . A catheter balloon comprising: a plurality of inflatable segments, wherein a set of inflatable segments is capable of being inflated independent of other set of inflatable segments.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
25 . The catheter balloon of claim 24 , further comprising a plurality of lumens, each lumen configured to inflate one or more inflatable segments.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
49 words
26 . The catheter balloon of claim 24 , further comprising at least one segment capable of being partially inflated to varying degrees, wherein when the segment is partially inflated, the segment exerts a force on a corresponding stent segment to cause the corresponding stent segment to partially expand.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
39 words
27 . A method comprising: inserting a tubular member into a body vessel, said tubular member having at least two attachable portions; and attaching the attachable portions of the tubular member to an interior wall of the body vessel.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
27 . A method comprising: inserting a tubular member into a body vessel, said tubular member having at least two attachable portions; and attaching the attachable portions of the tubular member to an interior wall of the body vessel.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the tubular member attached to the body vessel prevents a portion of the body vessel from increasing in length.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
29 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising drawing one of the attachable portions towards the other attachable portions to reduce the length of a portion of the body vessel.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
30 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising coating the tubular member with a drug to treat valve regurgitation.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
31 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the tubular member is placed in a coronary sinus.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
32 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the tubular member is placed in a circumflex artery.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
33 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the tubular member is placed in a right coronary artery.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
34 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising tightening an annulus surrounding a mitral heart valve by reducing a longitudinal length of the attached tubular member.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
35 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising tightening an annulus surrounding a tricuspid heart valve by reducing a longitudinal length of the attached tubular member.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
37 words
36 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the tubular member comprises at least two traction segments having a plurality of hooks, said traction segments expandable to seat the plurality of hooks in the body vessel.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
48 words
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the tubular member further comprises at least one shrink segment coupled between the traction segments, said at least one shrink segment capable of decreasing in longitudinal length to draw one of the traction segments towards the other traction segment.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
30 words
38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the drawing one of the traction segment towards the other traction segment comprises expanding the shrink segment in a radial direction.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
18 words
39 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the tubular member comprises a plurality of expandable segments.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
28 words
40 . The method of claim 39 , further comprising selectively expanding at least one segment of the tubular member without expanding other segments of the tubular member.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
28 words
41 . The method of claim 40 , further comprising adjusting a longitudinal length of the tubular member by selectively expanding the shrink segment in a radial direction
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