CARDIAC HARNESS ASSEMBLY FOR TREATING CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND FOR DEFIBRILLATION AND/OR PACING/SENSING
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A cardiac harness, comprising:
- a plurality of longitudinal ribs spaced apart and having a base end and an apex end;
a plurality of connectors, the connectors being configured to attach adjacent longitudinal ribs to each other, the connectors extending only between adjacent ribs; and
the longitudinal ribs having a high degree of longitudinal flexibility so that when the cardiac harness is mounted on the heart, the longitudinal ribs flex along a longitudinal axis of the ribs as the heart expands and contracts circumferentially.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cardiac harness assembly for treating congestive heart failure and for use in defibrillation and/or pacing/sensing is provided. The cardiac harness includes a number of longitudinal ribs spaced apart by connectors, the longitudinal ribs extending from the base to the apex of the heart. The longitudinal ribs have a high degree of longitudinal flexibility so that when the cardiac harness is mounted on the heart, the longitudinal ribs flex along the longitudinal axis of the ribs as the heart expands and contracts circumferentially. The cardiac harness provides a uniform and continuous compressive force on the heart throughout the cardiac cycle.
98 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A cardiac harness, comprising:
-
a plurality of longitudinal ribs spaced apart and having a base end and an apex end; a plurality of connectors, the connectors being configured to attach adjacent longitudinal ribs to each other, the connectors extending only between adjacent ribs; and the longitudinal ribs having a high degree of longitudinal flexibility so that when the cardiac harness is mounted on the heart, the longitudinal ribs flex along a longitudinal axis of the ribs as the heart expands and contracts circumferentially. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of treating the heart, comprising:
-
providing a cardiac harness having a plurality of longitudinal ribs spaced apart and a plurality of connectors attaching adjacent ribs together; the cardiac harness having an at-rest configuration and a first circumference C1, and an expanded configuration when mounted on the heart at end diastolic filling, the expanded configuration defining a second circumference C2; C1 being substantially less than C2; and the longitudinal ribs elastically deforming with a spring-like force as the cardiac harness expands from the C1 configuration to the C2 configuration. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of mounting a cardiac harness on a heart, comprising:
-
providing a cardiac harness having a plurality of flexible longitudinal ribs spaced apart and a plurality of connectors attaching adjacent ribs together; compressing the cardiac harness into a tubular housing; positioning the tubular housing through a minimally invasive access site in the patient so that the tubular housing is proximate the apex of the heart; advancing the cardiac harness out of the tubular housing and over the apex of the heart; further advancing the cardiac harness onto the heart so that the cardiac harness is mounted on the heart and covers a substantial portion of the heart; and wherein the flexible longitudinal ribs provide column strength to the cardiac harness as the harness is advanced onto the heart. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of making a cardiac harness, comprising:
-
imparting a predetermined at-rest shape to a plurality of superelastic longitudinal ribs; electropolishing the longitudinal ribs; cutting the longitudinal ribs to a predetermined length; position the plurality of longitudinal ribs in an at-rest pattern between two sheets of silicone rubber; vulcanize the two sheets of silicone rubber together thereby entrapping the ribs; removing excess silicone rubber so that a plurality of connectors are formed between adjacent longitudinal ribs. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
-
-
23. A method of making a cardiac harness, comprising
providing a mold for receiving a plurality of longitudinally spaced ribs; -
placing the ribs in the mold so that the ribs are spaced apart; the mold having a plurality of channels between the ribs, the channels at a base end of the mold having a curve with a greater overall path length, and the channels moving toward an apex portion of the mold having a curve with a progressively shorter overall path length; and injection molding an elastomer into the mold so that the longitudinal ribs are encased in the elastomer and curved connectors are formed in the curved channels thereby connecting adjacent ribs together. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification