System and method to effect the mitral valve annulus of a heart

• US 20060020335A1
• Filed: 09/23/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Kowalsky, Leonard, Mathis, Mark L., Braxtan, Ryan H., Nieminen, Gregory D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,503,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.360
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2451 Inserts in the coronary sinus for correcting the valve shape

Abstract

An assembly for effecting the condition of a mitral valve annulus includes a mitral valve therapy device, a coupling structure carried by the device, a catheter, a second coupling structure, and a locking member. To implant the device, the device is first releasably locked to a pushing member by the coupling structures and the locking member. When the device is positioned within the coronary sinus adjacent the mitral valve annulus and deployed, the coupling structures may be released from each other by the release of the locking member.

Claims

1. A method of reshaping a mitral valve annulus of a heart comprising:

feeding a guide member into a coronary sinus of the heart;

directing a mitral valve therapy device along the guide member into the coronary sinus with a deployment member to which the mitral valve therapy device is attached;

positioning the mitral valve therapy device in the coronary sinus with the deployment member;

releasing the deployment member from the mitral valve therapy device; and

removing the deployment member and the guide member from the coronary sinus.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

evaluating a condition of the heart;

based upon results of the evaluation, removing the device from the coronary sinus.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of removing the device comprises capturing the device with a retractor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the releasing step comprises releasing deployment member attachment structure from mitral valve therapy device attachment structure.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the guide member is a catheter, the directing step comprising directing the mitral valve therapy device through a lumen of the catheter into the coronary sinus with the deployment member.