Devices and methods for heart valve repair
First Claim
1. A method of constricting a valve annulus in a heart, the method comprising:
- contacting an anchor delivery device with a length of the valve annulus;
delivering a plurality of coupled anchors from the anchor delivery device to secure the anchors to the annulus; and
drawing the anchors together to circumferentially tighten the valve annulus.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods provide enhanced treatment of a cardiac valve annulus. Methods generally involve contacting an anchor delivery device with the valve annulus and releasing a plurality of coupled anchors from the anchor delivery device to secure the anchors to the annulus. Anchors, which in some embodiments are super-elastic or shape memory self-securing anchors, are then drawn together to tighten the annulus. Devices generally include an elongate catheter having a housing at or near the distal end for releasably housing a plurality of coupled anchors. The housing may be flexible, may conform to a valve annulus, and in some embodiments may be coupled with an expandable member to enhance contact of the housing with annular tissue. In one embodiment, self-securing anchors lie approximately flat within the delivery device housing, allowing anchors with relatively large deployed shapes to be housed in and deployed from a relatively narrow delivery device.
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Citations
117 Claims
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1. A method of constricting a valve annulus in a heart, the method comprising:
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contacting an anchor delivery device with a length of the valve annulus;
delivering a plurality of coupled anchors from the anchor delivery device to secure the anchors to the annulus; and
drawing the anchors together to circumferentially tighten the valve annulus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method of constricting a valve annulus in a heart, the method comprising:
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contacting an anchor delivery device having a cross-sectional diameter of about 1.67 mm or less with a length of the valve annulus;
delivering a plurality of coupled anchors from the anchor delivery device to secure the anchors to the annulus, each anchor having a deployed shape with a radius of at least about 3 mm; and
drawing the anchors together to circumferentially tighten the valve annulus. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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61. A device for applying coupled anchors to an annulus of a heart valve, the device comprising:
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an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
a housing adjacent the distal end;
a plurality of coupled anchors disposed within the housing;
at least one anchor contacting member for causing the anchors to be delivered from the housing; and
at least one actuator at or near the proximal end of the shaft for affecting the anchor contacting member to cause delivery of the anchors to the valve annulus. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109)
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110. A device for applying multiple tethered anchors to an annulus of a heart valve, the device comprising:
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a flexible elongate catheter having a distal portion for delivering the tethered anchors, the distal portion having a cross-sectional diameter of about 1.67 mm or less;
a plurality of tethered anchors disposed within the distal portion, each anchor having a radius of at least about 3 mm when deployed from the housing; and
at least one anchor delivery member coupled with the catheter for causing the anchors to be delivered from the catheter.
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- 111. A self-securing anchor for attaching to annular tissue of a heart valve, the self-securing anchor comprising a super-elastic or shape-memory material having a relatively elongate undeployed shape allowing the anchor to be disposed within a delivery catheter having a cross-sectional diameter of 1.67 mm or less, and assuming a deployed shape with a radius of at least 3 mm upon its release from the delivery device.
- 114. A self-securing anchor for attaching to annular tissue of a heart valve, the self-securing anchor comprising a super-elastic or shape-memory material having an opened arcuate undeployed shape and assuming a closed shape with overlapping ends after release from constraint.
Specification