Tissue shaping device with integral connector and crimp

• US 20050137451A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Mathis, Mark L., Aronson, Nathan, Gordon, Lucas
• Granted Patent: US 7,794,496 B2
• 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: Y10T 29/49609 Spring making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

A tissue shaping device adapted to be deployed in a vessel to reshape tissue adjacent to the vessel. In some embodiments the device includes first and second anchors and a connector disposed between the first and second anchors, with the connector being integral with at least a portion of the first anchor. The invention is also a method of making a tissue shaping device including the steps of removing material from a blank to form a connector and an integral anchor portion; and attaching a non-integral anchor portion to the integral anchor portion.

Claims

1. A tissue shaping device adapted to be deployed in a vessel to reshape tissue adjacent to the vessel, the device comprising first and second anchors and a connector disposed between the first and second anchors, the connector being integral with at least a portion of the first anchor.

2. The tissue shaping device of claim 1 wherein the first anchor comprises a flexible wire and a crimp holding a portion of the flexible wire.

3. The tissue shaping device of claim 2 wherein the crimp is integral with the connector.

4. The tissue shaping device of claim 2 wherein the connector has a semicircular cross-section.

5. The tissue shaping device of claim 4 wherein the connector has a radius substantially equal to a crimp radius.

6. The tissue shaping device of claim 1 wherein the first and second anchors each comprise a flexible wire and a crimp holding a portion of the flexible wire.

7. The tissue shaping device of claim 6 wherein the first anchor crimp and the second anchor crimp are integral with the connector.

8. The tissue shaping device of claim 6 wherein the connector has a semicircular cross-section.

9. The tissue shaping device of claim 8 wherein the connector has a radius substantially equal to a radius of the first anchor crimp.

10. A method of making a tissue shaping device comprising:

removing material from a blank to form a connector and an integral anchor portion; and

attaching a non-integral anchor portion to the integral anchor portion.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the integral anchor portion comprises a crimp tube and the non-integral portion comprises a flexible wire, the method further comprising disposing a portion of the flexible wire in the crimp tube.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the blank has a substantially cylindrical cross-section, the removing step comprising removing a portion of the cylinder to leave a connector having a substantially semi-circular cross-section.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the integral anchor portion is a first integral anchor portion, the removing step further comprising removing material from the blank to form a second integral anchor portion, the connector being disposed between the first integral anchor portion and the second integral anchor portion.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first and second anchor portions each comprises a crimp tube and the non-integral anchor portion comprises a flexible wire, the method further comprising disposing a portion of the flexible wire in the first anchor crimp tube.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the non-integral anchor portion is a first non-integral anchor portion, the method further comprising attaching a second non-integral anchor portion to the second integral anchor portion.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first and second integral anchor portions each comprises a crimp tube and the first and second non-integral anchor portions each comprises a flexible wire, the method further comprising disposing a portion of the first anchor flexible wire in the first anchor crimp tube and disposing a portion of the second anchor flexible wire in the second anchor crimp tube.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the blank has a substantially cylindrical cross-section, the removing step comprising removing a portion of the cylinder to leave a connector having a substantially semi-circular cross-section.