APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR JOINING ADJACENT TISSUE

• US 20110288577A1
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yribarren, Travis R., Newhauser, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US12/782,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20110288577A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/195
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00592 Elastic or resilient implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00783 Valvuloplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0649 Coils or spirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1072 having balloons with two or more compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1079 having radio-opaque markers in the region of the balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1002 characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for reducing the size of openings within a heart valve or other opening in the wall of a body lumen by implanting an elastically expanded member around the opening and then permitting the expandable member to contract. The expandable member may encircle a portion of an inflatable member, the distal end of which is inserted through the opening along with the expandable member. The inflatable member is inflated to expand the expandable member and then drawn proximally form the opening to drive projections formed on the expandable member into the valve or wall. The inflatable member is then withdrawn, allowing the expandable member to elastically contract. The inflatable member may have first and second stages, where the second stage is distal of the first stage and has a larger inflated diameter.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reducing a distance between adjacent tissue interfaces comprising:

an inflatable member;

an elastically expandable member encircling the inflatable member, the elastically expandable member comprising a thin circuitous member defining a base line lying in a plane and circumscribing the inflatable member, the thin circuitous member bent to define a first plurality of peaks extending a first distance measured from the base line parallel to the inflatable member and a second plurality of peaks extending a second distance measured from the base line parallel to the inflatable member, the second distance being substantially greater than the first distance.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second distance is between 1.2 and 1.6 times the first distance.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of peaks extend away from the inflatable member with distance from the base line.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second plurality of peaks extend away from the first plurality of peaks with distance from the base line.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the second plurality of peaks is sharpened.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the second plurality of peaks includes at least one beveled surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thin circuitous member comprises nitinol.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lumen extending through the inflatable member and a guide wire positioned within the lumen.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a catch secured adjacent the inflatable member and having a diameter greater than that of an adjacent portion of the elastically expandable member when the inflatable member is not inflated.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inflatable member includes a first portion and a second portion, the elastically expandable member encircling the first portion, wherein the second portion has an inflated diameter substantially greater than the first portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the inflatable member has a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end being configured to receive an inflation medium;

and wherein the first portion is positioned between the second portion and the proximal end.

12. An apparatus for reducing a distance between adjacent tissue interfaces comprising:

an inflatable member having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion having an inflated diameter substantially greater than the first portion; and

an elastically expandable member encircling the first portion of the inflatable member, the elastically expandable member defining at least one peak.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first portion is adapted to receive an inflation medium.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first portion is adapted to secure to a catheter.

15. A method for associating first and second tissue edges comprising:

inserting an inflatable member between the first and second tissue edges, the inflatable member having a distal end and a proximal end, the first and second tissue edges being located between the distal end and the proximal end, the inflatable member further having an elastically expandable member encircling the inflatable member between the distal end and the first and second tissue edges, the elastically expandable member defining a plurality of peaks;

inflating the inflatable member;

urging the distal end toward the first and second tissue edges such that at least a portion of the plurality of peaks engage tissue adjacent at least one of the first and second tissue edges; and

withdrawing the inflatable member from between the first and second tissue edges.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising deflating the inflatable member prior to withdrawing the inflatable member from between the first and second tissue edges.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the inflatable member includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion located closer to the proximal end than the first portion and the elastically expandable member encircling the first portion;

and wherein inflating the inflatable elastically expandable member comprises inflating the first and second portions such that the second portion has an inflated diameter substantially greater than the first portion.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the elastically expandable member comprises a thin circuitous member bent to define the plurality of peaks.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the thin circuitous member comprises nitinol.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second tissue edges form part of at least one of a patent foramen ovale, a septal defect, and a puncture site in a wall of a body lumen.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the first tissue edge is formed on a first leaflet of a mitral valve and the second tissue edge is formed on a second leaflet of the mitral valve.

22. An assembly for associating first and second tissue edges comprising:

a catheter defining a catheter lumen;

an inflatable member positionable within the lumen and defining a guide wire lumen, the inflatable member having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion having an inflated diameter substantially greater than the first portion;

an elastically expandable member encircling the first portion of the inflatable member, the elastically expandable member defining a plurality of peaks; and

a guide wire extending through catheter lumen and the guide wire lumen.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the plurality of peaks comprises a first plurality of peaks and a second plurality of peaks and wherein the expandable member comprises a thin circuitous member defining a base line lying entirely in a plane and circumscribing the inflatable member, the thin circuitous member being bent to define the first plurality of peaks and the second plurality of peaks, the first plurality of peaks extending a first distance measured from the base line parallel to the inflatable member and the second plurality of peaks extending a second distance measured from the base line parallel to the inflatable member, the second distance being substantially greater than the first distance.

24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the second distance is between 1.2 and 1.6 times the first distance.

25. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the second plurality of peaks extend away from the inflatable member with distance from the base line.

26. The assembly of claim 23, wherein a distal end of the second plurality of peaks includes at least one beveled surface.

27. An apparatus for reducing a distance between adjacent tissue interfaces comprising:

an elastically expandable member, the elastically expandable member comprising a thin circuitous loop defining a base line lying in a plane, the thin circuitous member being bent to define a first plurality of peaks extending a first distance measured from the base line and a second plurality of peaks extending a second distance measured from the base line, the second distance being substantially greater than the first distance.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the second distance is between 1.2 and 1.6 times the first distance.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the second plurality of peaks extend away from the first plurality of peaks with distance from the base line.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein a distal end of the second plurality of peaks is sharpened.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein a distal end of the second plurality of peaks includes at least one beveled surface.

32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the thin circuitous member comprises nitinol.