Tapered connector for tissue shaping device

• US 20050137450A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Nieminen, Gregory, Mathis, Mark L., Aronson, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US10/742,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20050137450A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2451 Inserts in the coronary sinus for correcting the valve shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure

Abstract

A tissue shaping device adapted to be disposed in a vessel near a patient'"'"'s heart to reshape the patient'"'"'s heart. The tissue shaping device includes a proximal anchor, a distal anchor, and a connector disposed between the proximal anchor and the distal anchor, the connector having a moment of inertia that varies along its length, such as by varying the connector thickness as a function of distance from one of its ends, with the smallest thickness being in the central portion of the connector.

Claims

1. A tissue shaping device adapted to be disposed in a vessel near a patient'"'"'s heart to reshape the patient'"'"'s heart, the tissue shaping device comprising a proximal anchor, a distal anchor, and a connector disposed between the proximal anchor and the distal anchor, the connector having a moment of inertia that varies along its length.

2. The tissue shaping device of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a proximal anchor portion, a distal anchor portion, and a central portion disposed between the proximal anchor portion and the distal anchor portion, the moment of inertia being smallest at a point in the central portion.

3. The tissue shaping device of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a proximal anchor portion, a distal anchor portion, and a central portion disposed between the proximal anchor portion and the distal anchor portion, the proximal anchor comprising a proximal anchor fastener, the connector moment of inertia at a point just distal to the proximal anchor fastener being greater than the connector moment of inertia in the central portion.

4. The tissue shaping device of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a proximal anchor portion, a distal anchor portion, and a central portion disposed between the proximal anchor portion and the distal anchor portion, the distal anchor comprising a distal anchor fastener, the connector moment of inertia at a point just proximal to the distal anchor fastener being greater than the connector moment of inertia in the central portion.

5. The tissue shaping device of claim 1 wherein the connector has a connector length, the connector having a width that is substantially uniform, and a thickness that is not uniform, over the connector length.

6. The tissue shaping device of claim 5 wherein the connector comprises a proximal anchor portion, a distal anchor portion, and a central portion disposed between the proximal anchor portion and the distal anchor portion, the connector thickness being smallest at a point in the central portion.

7. The tissue shaping device of claim 5 wherein the connector comprises a proximal anchor portion, a distal anchor portion, and a central portion disposed between the proximal anchor portion and the distal anchor portion, the proximal anchor comprising a proximal anchor fastener, the connector thickness at a point just distal to the proximal anchor fastener being greater than the connector thickness in the central portion.

8. The tissue shaping device of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a proximal end and a distal end, the connector further comprising at least a portion having a thickness that varies as a function of distance from the proximal end or the distal end.

9. The tissue shaping device of claim 8 wherein the function is a linear function.

10. The tissue shaping device of claim 8 wherein the function is a square root function.

11. The tissue shaping device of claim 8 wherein the connector comprises a proximal anchor portion, a distal anchor portion, and a central portion disposed between the proximal anchor portion and the distal anchor portion, the portion whose thickness varies being in the central portion.

12. The tissue shaping device of claim 11 wherein the central portion further comprises a portion having a substantially uniform thickness.

13. The tissue shaping device of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises an integral proximal anchor actuation element.

14. The tissue shaping device of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises an integral deployment attachment element.

15. The tissue shaping device of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises an integral anchor position stop.