Thermal conductor for adjustable cardiac valve implant

• US 20050288777A1
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MiCardia Corporation
• Original Assignee: MiCardia Corporation
• Inventors: Shaolian, Samuel M., Moaddeb, Shahram, Shaoulian, Emanuel, Rhee, Richard S.
• Application Number:
  US11/123,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288777A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.37
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2448 D-shaped rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0023 operated at different temperatures whilst inside or touching the human body, heated or cooled by external energy source or cold supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0004 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0082 specially designed for children, e.g. having means for adjusting to their growth

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for support of a body structure. The devices can be adjusted within the body of a patient in a minimally invasive or non-invasive manner such as by applying energy percutaneously or external to the patient'"'"'s body. The energy may include, for example, acoustic energy, radio frequency energy, light energy and magnetic energy. Thus, as the body structure changes size and/or shape, the size and/or shape of the annuloplasty rings can be adjusted to provide continued reinforcement. In certain embodiments, the devices include a body member including a shape memory material. The shape memory material is configured to transform from a first shape to a second shape in response to being heated. The devices also include a thermally insulative material at least partially covering the body member and a thermally conductive material extending into the thermally insulative material. The thermally conductive material is configured to communicate thermal energy to the body member.

Claims

1. An adjustable annuloplasty device comprising:

a body member configured to conform at least partially to a cardiac valve annulus, wherein said body member comprises a shape memory material configured to transform from a first shape to a second shape in response to being heated;

a thermally insulative material at least partially covering said body member; and

a thermally conductive material extending into said thermally insulative material, said thermally conductive material configured to communicate thermal energy to said body member.

2. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 1, wherein said thermally conductive material is further configured as an imaging marker.

3. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 2, wherein said thermally conductive material comprises a radiopaque material.

4. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 2, further comprising a suturable material at least partially covering said thermally insulative material.

5. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 4, wherein said thermally conductive material is disposed at least partially over said suturable material.

6. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 5, wherein said thermally conductive material provides indicia of one or more valve commissure locations after said adjustable annuloplasty device is implanted on or near a heart valve annulus.

7. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 1, wherein said thermally conductive material comprises at least one of a metallic wire or a metallic ribbon.

8. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 1, wherein said body member is ring shaped.

9. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 1, wherein said body member is C-shaped.

10. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 1, wherein said body member is D-shaped.

11. An adjustable annuloplasty device comprising:

a body member configured to conform at least partially to a cardiac valve annulus, wherein said body member comprises a shape memory material configured to transform from a first shape to a second shape in response to being heated;

a thermally conductive member adjacent said body member, said thermally conductive material configured to communicate thermal energy to said body member.

12. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 11, wherein said thermally conductive member is further configured as an imaging marker.

13. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 12, wherein said thermally conductive member comprises a radiopaque material.

14. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 12, further comprising a suturable material at least partially covering said body member.

15. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 14, wherein said thermally conductive member is disposed at least partially over said suturable material.

16. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 15, wherein said thermally conductive member provides indicia of one or more valve commissure locations after said adjustable annuloplasty device is implanted on or near a heart valve annulus.

17. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 11, wherein said thermally conductive member comprises at least one of a metallic wire or a metallic ribbon.

18. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 11, wherein said body member is ring shaped.

19. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 11, wherein said body member is C-shaped.

20. The adjustable annuloplasty device of claim 11, wherein said body member is D-shaped.

21. An adjustable cardiac annuloplasty device comprising:

means for supporting a cardiac valve annulus, wherein said means changes from a first configuration to a second configuration when heated;

means for thermally insulating said supporting means; and

means for conducting heat through said insulating means to said supporting means to transform said supporting means from said first configuration to said second configuration.

22. The annuloplasty device of claim 21, wherein said supporting means exerts a force on the cardiac valve annulus when in the second configuration.