Mitral valve annuloplasty ring for molding left ventricle geometry

• US 20030093148A1
• Filed: 10/09/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
• Original Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
• Inventors: Bolling, Steven F., Rhee, Richard S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,805,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.36
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2448 D-shaped rings

Abstract

An annuloplasty ring for correcting maladies of the mitral annulus that not only reshapes the annulus but also reconfigures the adjacent left ventricular muscle wall. The ring may be continuous and is made of a relatively rigid material, such as Stellite. The ring has a generally oval shape that is three-dimensional at least on the posterior side. A posterior portion of the ring rises or bows upward from adjacent sides to pull the posterior aspect of the native annulus farther up than its original, healthy shape. In doing so, the ring also pulls the ventricular wall upward which helps mitigate some of the effects of congestive heart failure. Further, one or both of the posterior and anterior portions of the ring may also bow inward.

Claims

1. An annuloplasty ring for implantation in a mitral valve annulus, said annuloplasty ring comprising:

a generally oval-shaped ring body having an anterior portion, a posterior portion opposite the anterior portion, right and left sides between the anterior and posterior portions, and transition segments between the sides and the posterior portion;

wherein the ring body is oriented about a central axis having an upward direction and a downward direction, the downward direction corresponding to the direction of blood flow through the mitral valve annulus, the ring having in plan view perpendicular to the central axis a longer dimension along a major axis than a shorter dimension along a minor axis; and

,

wherein a mid-section of the posterior portion rises upward from the adjacent transition segments to an axial position higher than the highest axial position of the anterior portion.

2. The annuloplasty ring of claim 1, wherein the posterior portion extends radially inward from the adjacent transition segments to a radial position along the minor axis that is closer to the central axis than an imaginary posterior projection in plan view of the sides toward each other.

3. The annuloplasty ring of claim 2, wherein the posterior portion extends radially inward from the adjacent transition segments to a radial position that is about 30-50% closer to the central axis than the imaginary posterior projection in plan view of the sides toward each other.

4. The annuloplasty ring of claim 1, wherein the ring is substantially saddleshaped with the sides curving upward between the anterior portion and adjacent transition segments.

5. The annuloplasty ring of claim 4, wherein the right and left sides each rise upward from the adjacent transition segments to an axial position above the highest axial position of the anterior portion.

6. The annuloplasty ring of claim 4, wherein the posterior portion rises upward from the adjacent transition segments to an axial position above the highest axial positions of either of the right or left sides.

7. The annuloplasty ring of claim 4, wherein the right and left sides each rise upward from the adjacent transition segments to an axial position above the highest axial positions of the posterior portion.

8. The annuloplasty ring of claim 1, wherein the ring is generally planar except for the posterior portion.

9. The annuloplasty ring of claim 1 wherein the sides and transition segments are generally curvilinear and the junctures between adjacent sides and transition segments are generally rounded.

10. The annuloplasty ring of claim 1, wherein the posterior portion extends radially inward from the adjacent sides to a radial position along the minor axis that is closer to the central axis than an imaginary posterior projection in plan view of the sides toward each other.

11. The annuloplasty ring of claim 10, wherein the posterior portion extends radially inward from the adjacent sides to a radial position along the minor axis that is about 30-50% closer to the central axis than the imaginary posterior projection in plan view of the sides toward each other.

12. The annuloplasty ring of claim 1, wherein the ring body is comprised of a material having a high modulus of elasticity that will substantially resist distortion when subjected to the stress imparted thereon when the ring is implanted in the mitral valve annulus of an operating human heart.

13. The annuloplasty ring of claim 12, wherein the ring is comprised of a ceramic material.

14. The annuloplasty ring of claim 13, wherein the ring is comprised of Stellite.

15. The annuloplasty ring of claim 1 further comprising a outer sewing sheath surrounding the ring body, the sewing sheath being formed of a material that will permit the passage of sutures therethrough.

16. A mitral annuloplasty ring, comprising:

a ring body made of a material having a high modulus of elasticity that will substantially resist distortion when subjected to the stress imparted thereon when the ring is implanted in the mitral valve annulus of an operating human heart, wherein the ring body is oriented about a central axis having an upward direction and a downward direction, the downward direction corresponding to the direction of blood flow through the mitral valve annulus, the ring body having a posterior bow that extends both radially inward and axially upward.

17. The mitral annuloplasty ring of claim 16, wherein the ring body has an anterior portion, a posterior portion opposite the anterior portion, right and left sides between the anterior and posterior portions, and transition segments between the sides and the posterior portion, and wherein the ring body is substantially saddle-shaped with the sides curving upward between the anterior portion and adjacent transition segments.

18. The mitral annuloplasty ring of claim 17, wherein a mid-section of the posterior portion bows upward from the adjacent transition segments to an axial position higher than the highest axial position of either of the right or left sides.

19. The mitral annuloplasty ring of claim 17, wherein the right and left sides each rise upward from the adjacent transition segments to an axial position above the highest axial position of the posterior portion.

20. The mitral annuloplasty ring of claim 16, wherein the ring body is generally planar except for the posterior bowed portion.

21. The mitral annuloplasty ring of claim 16, wherein the ring body has an anterior portion, a posterior portion opposite the anterior portion, right and left sides between the anterior and posterior portions, and transition segments between the sides and the posterior portion, and wherein the posterior portion extends radially inward from the adjacent transition segments to a radial position along the minor axis that is closer to the central axis than an imaginary posterior projection in plan view of the sides toward each other.

22. The mitral annuloplasty ring of claim 21, wherein the posterior portion extends radially inward from the adjacent transition segments to a radial position that is about 30-50% closer to the central axis than the imaginary posterior projection in plan view of the sides toward each other.

23. The mitral annuloplasty ring of claim 16, wherein the ring body has an anterior portion, a posterior portion opposite the anterior portion, right and left sides between the anterior and posterior portions, and transition segments between the sides and the posterior portion, and wherein the posterior portion extends radially inward from the adjacent sides to a radial position along the minor axis that is closer to the central axis than an imaginary posterior projection in plan view of the sides toward each other.

24. The mitral annuloplasty ring of claim 23, wherein the posterior portion extends radially inward from the adjacent sides to a radial position along the minor axis that is about 30-50% closer to the central axis than the imaginary posterior projection in plan view of the sides toward each other.

25. The mitral annuloplasty ring of claim 16, wherein the ring body is comprised of a ceramic material.

26. The mitral annuloplasty ring of claim 25, wherein the ring body is comprised of Stellite.