Device, system, and method for contracting tissue in a mammalian body

• US 20070093869A1
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Douk, Nareak, Rafiee, Nasser, Bloom, Eliot
• Application Number:
  US10/560,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20070093869A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/219
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/081 Tissue approximator A61B2017/1103, A61B17/8866 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus

Abstract

A device, a system and a method for contracting tissue in a mammalian body. The contracting device comprises a body and a plurality of legs radially splayed there from. Each leg includes a snap-acting spring tip. When a force is applied to the device, the tips operate to transform the device from a deployment state into a treatment state. Each leg may also be bent at one or more deformation elements in response to the application of force. The system comprises a contracting device slidably received within a delivery catheter. The method of contracting tissue in a mammalian body comprises delivering a contracting device in a lumen of a catheter proximate a treatment area, releasing the contracting device from the catheter, positioning legs of the contracting device on tissue to be contracted, exerting a force on the contracting device, transforming the device into a treatment state, and reducing a compass of the tissue in response to the attainment of the treatment state.

Claims

1. A device for contracting tissue in a mammalian body, comprising:

a body having a longitudinal axis; and

a plurality of legs arranged about the body, each leg having one end coupled to the body, the plurality of legs being radially splayed about the axis, each leg including a snap-acting spring tip engageable with the tissue, each leg being capable of transformation between a deployment state and a treatment state.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the spring tips are closer to the longitudinal axis when the legs are in the treatment state than the tips are when the legs are in the deployment state.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein each snap-acting spring tip comprises two tip segments affixed one to another.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a spicule attached to each spring tip.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein each leg further includes at least one deformation element capable of forming a localized bend in response to an axial force applied to the leg.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one deformation element is selected from a group consisting of a notch, a perforation, a corrugation, and a combination thereof.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein each leg further includes at least one barb directed towards the body.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein at least the legs comprise a material selected from a group consisting of a nickel-titanium alloy, a nickel-cobalt alloy, a cobalt alloy, a thermoset plastic, stainless steel, a stainless steel alloy, a biocompatible shape-memory material, a biocompatible superelastic material, and a combination thereof.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the device includes a therapeutic agent selected from a group consisting of an antithrombotic, an anticoagulant, an antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory, and a combination thereof.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the device is radiopaque.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one radial dimension of a mitral valve annulus is shortened when the legs are in the treatment state.

12. A system for contracting tissue in a mammalian body including the contracting device of claim 1 and further comprising:

a delivery catheter, wherein the contracting device is slidably received within a lumen of the delivery catheter.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a guidewire slidably received within a lumen of the delivery catheter.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a magnetic guidewire for positioning within a coronary sinus.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the delivery catheter comprises a compression device.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the delivery catheter comprises a positioning device.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the delivery catheter comprises a guiding sheath, a holding tube slidably received within a lumen of the guiding sheath, a push tube slidably received within a lumen of the holding tube, and a balloon catheter including at least one balloon and being slidably received within a lumen of the push tube.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the push tube acts as a compression device.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the at least one balloon acts as a positioning device.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the at least one balloon acts as a compression device.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the legs are in a radially compressed configuration while the contracting device is within a lumen of the delivery catheter and wherein the legs self-expand when the contracting device is released from the delivery catheter.

22. A method of contracting tissue in a mammalian body, comprising:

delivering a contracting device in a lumen of a catheter proximate a treatment area;

releasing the contracting device from the catheter;

positioning legs of the contracting device on tissue to be contracted;

exerting a force on the contracting device;

transforming the device into a treatment state; and

reducing a compass of the tissue in response to the treatment state.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

bending the legs in response to the force.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein reducing a compass of the tissue in response to the treatment state comprises reducing a diameter of a mitral valve annulus to effect a mitral valve repair in response to the treatment state.