Multi-window guide tunnel

• US 10,542,987 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ancora Heart, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ancora Heart, Inc.
• Inventors: Nguyen, Huu, Nguyen, Son, Serina, Eugene, Tam, Tammy Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyson, Melanie R
• Application Number:
  US15/652,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20180153553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0684 having a forming anvil staying above the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00783 Valvuloplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2451 Inserts in the coronary sinus for correcting the valve shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2466 Delivery devices therefor

Abstract

Described herein are devices and methods for delivering implants that include multiple coupled anchors. The anchors are secured to tissue using a multi-opening guide tunnel that is configured to releasably retain one or more portions of the implant located between two of the anchors. The releasable retention of one or more intervening portions of the implant maintains the position of the implant and the guide tunnel until the implant is secured to the tissue. The multi-opening guide tunnel permits securement of the multiple anchors without requiring repositioning of the guide tunnel for each anchor.

Claims

1. A method for performing a procedure inside a heart comprising:

positioning a multi-aperture catheter adjacent to heart tissue along a longitudinal axis from a valve to an apical region of a heart chamber, the multi-aperture catheter comprising a lumen at least partially therethrough and a plurality of apertures along a distal portion of the catheter;

advancing a device comprising at least one anchor coupled to a tether at least partially through the lumen;

temporarily securing the distal portion of the multi-aperture catheter to the apical region of the heart chamber using the device, wherein the tether is retained within the lumen;

releasing the multi-aperture catheter from the heart tissue by releasing the tether from the lumen, wherein the at least one anchor and the tether remain secured to the heart tissue along the longitudinal axis; and

removing the multi-aperture catheter from the heart.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures are defined by a plurality of releasable retaining structures and the multi-aperture catheter further comprises a locking element configured to lock the plurality of releasable retaining structures.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein releasing the multi-aperture catheter from the heart tissue comprises withdrawing the locking element to release the tether from the lumen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a plurality of anchors coupled to the tether.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-aperture catheter is positioned adjacent to the heart tissue using an intravascular approach.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-aperture catheter is positioned adjacent to the heart tissue using a surgical technique.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-aperture catheter is positioned adjacent to the heart tissue using port access to the heart.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the valve is an inlet valve and the longitudinal axis is from the inlet valve orifice to the apical region of the heart chamber.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the valve is a tricuspid valve.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the valve is an outlet valve, and the longitudinal axis is from the outlet valve orifice to the apical region of the heart chamber.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the valve is mitral valve.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis is from a leaflet of the valve to the apical region of the heart chamber.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein temporarily securing the distal portion comprises securing one or more additional anchors coupled to the tether through the plurality of apertures to heart tissue along the longitudinal axis.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-aperture catheter comprises at least a first aperture and a second aperture, both apertures positioned along a length of the distal portion of the multi-aperture catheter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the device comprises at least a first anchor and a second anchor, at least one of the first or second anchors is fixedly coupled to the tether.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first anchor is deployed through the first aperture and the second anchor is deployed through the second aperture.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first or second anchors is slidably coupled to the tether.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising tensioning the tether.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising securing the tether in its tensioned state.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising cutting the tether.