Delivery devices and methods for heart valve repair
First Claim
1. An anchor device for use within a patient comprising:
- an elongate carrier constructed to be passable through a blood vessel and into a heart;
a series of tissue-engageable anchors releasably carried by the elongate carrier, the anchors comprising a distal anchor, a first intermediate anchor and a proximal anchor;
a tether serially coupling the anchors to one another, the tether having a distal end secured to the distal anchor or engageable with the distal anchor when the tether is pulled in a proximal direction;
at least the proximal anchor being slidably coupled to the tether; and
a separator positioned along the tether between adjacent ones of the anchors to restrict how close the adjacent ones of the anchors can come to one another when the tether is placed in tension.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices, systems and methods facilitate positioning of a cardiac valve annulus treatment device, thus enhancing treatment of the annulus. Methods generally involve advancing an anchor delivery device through vasculature of the patient to a location in the heart for treating the valve annulus, contacting the 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. Devices generally include an elongate catheter having at least one tensioning member and at least one tensioning actuator for deforming a distal portion of the catheter to help it conform to a valve annulus. The catheter device may be used to navigate a subannular space below a mitral valve to facilitate positioning of an anchor delivery device.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An anchor device for use within a patient comprising:
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an elongate carrier constructed to be passable through a blood vessel and into a heart;
a series of tissue-engageable anchors releasably carried by the elongate carrier, the anchors comprising a distal anchor, a first intermediate anchor and a proximal anchor;
a tether serially coupling the anchors to one another, the tether having a distal end secured to the distal anchor or engageable with the distal anchor when the tether is pulled in a proximal direction;
at least the proximal anchor being slidably coupled to the tether; and
a separator positioned along the tether between adjacent ones of the anchors to restrict how close the adjacent ones of the anchors can come to one another when the tether is placed in tension. - 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)
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32. An anchor device for use within a patient comprising:
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an elongate carrier, having a longitudinal axis, constructed to be passable through a blood vessel and into a heart, at least a portion of the elongate carrier being flexible;
a series of self-forming, tissue-engageable anchors releasably carried by the elongate carrier, the anchors comprising a distal anchor, a first intermediate anchor and a proximal anchor;
the anchors each having a first part and at least two second parts extending from the first part, each second part having a tissue-piercing tip;
the elongate carrier having openings sized for passage of the anchors therethrough;
the anchors placeable in a relatively straight, undeployed state generally parallel to the longitudinal axis within the elongate carrier;
the anchors naturally assuming a curved, tissue-engaging deployed state after passing through the opening in the elongate carrier;
the second parts having generally circular or semicircular shapes when in the deployed state;
the anchors being oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis when in the deployed state;
the elongate carrier having a diametrical dimension d and the anchors in the deployed state having a diametrical dimension D, the ratio of D to d being at least 3.5;
a tether serially coupling the anchors to one another, the tether having a distal end secured to the distal anchor or engageable with the distal anchor when the tether is pulled in a proximal direction;
at least the proximal anchor being slidably coupled to the tether; and
a separator positioned along the tether between adjacent ones of the anchors to restrict how close the adjacent ones of the anchors can come to one another when the tether is placed in tension.
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33. An anchor device for use within a patient comprising:
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an elongate carrier constructed to be passable through a blood vessel and into a heart;
an anchor assembly, releasably carried by the elongate carrier, comprising;
an axially shrinkable connector placeable in a second, reduced-length state from a first, extended-length state; and
tissue-engageable anchors positioned along the shrinkable connector, the anchors comprising a distal anchor, a first intermediate anchor and a proximal anchor; and
a separator positioned along the shrinkable connector between adjacent ones of the anchors to restrict how close the adjacent ones of the anchors can come to one another when the shrinkable connector is placed in the second, reduced-length state. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification