Devices, systems, and methods for reshaping a heart valve anulus, including the use of a bridge implant having an adjustable bridge stop
First Claim
1. A method of adjusting a length of a bridging element of an implant comprising:
- providing a bridge stop having a housing with a length and a width and an aperture extending through the length of the bridge stop housing, the aperture sized and configured to allow a bridging element to extend through at least a portion of the length of the aperture, and an adjustment mechanism coupled to the bridge stop to allow adjustment of the length of the bridging element;
operating the adjustment mechanism to lengthen or to shorten the bridging element;
repeating the operating the adjustment mechanism to lengthen or shorten the bridging element until a desired length of the bridging element is achieved; and
allowing the bridging element to settle for at least a predetermined time before repeating the operating the adjustment mechanism step.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Implants or systems of implants and methods apply a selected force vector or a selected combination of force vectors within or across the left atrium, which allow mitral valve leaflets to better coapt. The implants or systems of implants and methods make possible rapid deployment, facile endovascular delivery, and full intra-atrial adjustability and retrievability years after implant. The implants or systems of implants and methods also make use of strong fluoroscopic landmarks. The implants or systems of implants and methods make use of an adjustable implant and a fixed length implant. The implants or systems of implants and methods may also utilize an adjustable bridge stop to secure the implant, and the methods of implantation employ various tools.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of adjusting a length of a bridging element of an implant comprising:
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providing a bridge stop having a housing with a length and a width and an aperture extending through the length of the bridge stop housing, the aperture sized and configured to allow a bridging element to extend through at least a portion of the length of the aperture, and an adjustment mechanism coupled to the bridge stop to allow adjustment of the length of the bridging element; operating the adjustment mechanism to lengthen or to shorten the bridging element; repeating the operating the adjustment mechanism to lengthen or shorten the bridging element until a desired length of the bridging element is achieved; and allowing the bridging element to settle for at least a predetermined time before repeating the operating the adjustment mechanism step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of adjusting a length of a bridging element of an implant comprising:
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providing a bridge stop having a housing with a length and a width and an aperture extending through the length of the bridge stop housing, the aperture sized and configured to allow a bridging element to extend through at least a portion of the length of the aperture, and an adjustment mechanism coupled to the bridge stop to allow adjustment of the length of the bridging element; operating the adjustment mechanism to lengthen or to shorten the bridging element; and coupling a catheter to the bridge stop, the catheter being used to operate the adjustment mechanism.
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5. A method of adjusting a length of a bridging element of an implant comprising:
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providing a bridge stop having a housing with a length and a width and an aperture extending through the length of the bridge stop housing, the aperture sized and configured to allow a bridging element to extend through at least a portion of the length of the aperture, and an adjustment mechanism coupled to the bridge stop to allow adjustment of the length of the bridging element; operating the adjustment mechanism to lengthen or to shorten the bridging element; placing the bridging element across a chamber of a human heart; adjusting the bridge stop to place the bridging element in tension; allowing the heart to settle for at least a period of time after adjusting the bridge stop to place the bridging element in tension; and imaging the heart to determine heart function. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of adjusting a bridge stop in deployment of an implant in a heart of a patient, the heart having a valve annulus, the method comprising:
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placing the implant in the heart of the patient such that a bridging element spans at least a portion of a chamber of the patient'"'"'s heart between a posterior anchor and an anterior anchor, the anterior anchor having the bridge stop with an adjustment mechanism being operable between a restrained configuration that restrains movement of the bridging element through the bridge stop and an unrestrained configuration that allows movement of the bridging element through the bridge stop; adjusting a length of the bridging element between the anterior and posterior anchors while the adjustment mechanism is in the unrestrained configuration; activating the adjustment mechanism from the unrestrained configuration to the restrained configuration while the bridging element is in tension to fix the length of the bridging element at a first length; allowing passage of at least a period of time for the heart to settle after adjusting the length of the bridging element to the first length while the adjustment mechanism is in the restrained configuration; and imaging the heart after the period of time while the adjustment mechanism is in the restrained configuration at the first length of the bridging element so as to determine heart function. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of adjusting a bridge stop in deployment of an implant in a heart of a patient, the heart having a valve annulus, the method comprising:
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placing the implant in the heart of the patient such that a bridging element spans at least a portion of a chamber of the patient'"'"'s heart between a posterior anchor and an anterior anchor, the anterior anchor having the bridge stop with an adjustment mechanism being operable between a restrained configuration that restrains movement of the bridging element through the bridge stop and an unrestrained configuration that allows movement of the bridging element through the bridge stop; adjusting a length of the bridging element between the anterior and posterior anchors while the adjustment mechanism is in the unrestrained configuration; and activating the adjustment mechanism from the unrestrained configuration to the restrained configuration while the bridging element is in tension to fix the length of the bridging element at a first length, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a toothed ribbon in conjunction with a locking collar, the locking collar being adjustable between a locked position wherein the collar is locked against the teeth in the ribbon and an unlocked position wherein the ribbon is free to slide within the locking collar, wherein the locking collar is changed from the unlocked position to the locked position by means of rotating at least a portion of the locking collar.
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25. A method of adjusting a bridge stop in deployment of an implant in a heart of a patient, the heart having a valve annulus, the method comprising:
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placing the implant in the heart of the patient such that a bridging element spans at least a portion of a chamber of the patient'"'"'s heart between a posterior anchor and an anterior anchor, the anterior anchor having the bridge stop with an adjustment mechanism being operable between a restrained configuration that restrains movement of the bridging element through the bridge stop and an unrestrained configuration that allows movement of the bridging element through the bridge stop; adjusting a length of the bridging element between the anterior and posterior anchors while the adjustment mechanism is in the unrestrained configuration; and activating the adjustment mechanism from the unrestrained configuration to the restrained configuration while the bridging element is in tension to fix the length of the bridging element at a first length, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises an anterior portion of the bridging element having toothed projections and a bridge lock adjustment screw, the bridge lock adjustment screw having an interior bore with helical grooves thereon that mate with the toothed projections, wherein the step of activating the adjustment mechanism comprises rotating the bridge lock adjustment screw relative to the toothed portion of the bridging element.
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Specification