Mitral or tricuspid valve annuloplasty prosthetic device

• US 6,569,198 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel J. Wilson, Richard A. Wilson
• Original Assignee: Daniel J. Wilson, Richard A. Wilson
• Inventors: Wilson, Daniel J., Wilson, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prebilic, Paul B.
• Application Number:
  US09/823,501
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 623/2.36, 623/2.37, 623/2.38, 623/2.39, 623/2.4, 623/900, 623/904
• US Class Current: 623/2.37
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2451 Inserts in the coronary sinus for correcting the valve shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2466 Delivery devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/904 Heart

Abstract

A prosthetic device inserted into a blood vessel decreases the severity of valve regurgitation during ventricular contraction. The prosthetic device reduces the circumference of the valve annulus, causing the valve leaflets attached to the annulus to close more completely. A first preferred embodiment is an elongated member that includes distal and proximal segments separated by an intermediate segment. The prosthetic device has at least one anchor control wire to anchor the device in the blood vessel and at least one length control wire. A second preferred embodiment is an elongated member that includes distal and proximal segments that are connected by a pivot or hinge joint. A control wire is anchored on the distal segment and pivotally moves the distal and proximal segments closer together. Rotation of the length control wire of the first embodiment or the control wire of the second embodiment reduces the circumference of the valve annulus.

Claims

1. A method of decreasing the severity of valve regurgitation in a human heart having a gap between a posterior and an anterior leaflet through which blood flows backwards during ventricular contraction, the posterior and anterior leaflets connected to a valve annulus that includes an outer wall against which multiple marginal arteries lie to carry blood flow, the outer wall positioned adjacent to a blood vessel having an inner surface, the method comprising:

inserting into the blood vessel a prosthetic device having opposite terminal ends and a nonuniform thickness with a section of greater thickness, the prosthetic device comprised of multiple segments operatively connected to form a unitary structure, the segments aligned to define a curved longitudinal axis of the prosthetic device and interconnected to impart additional curvature of the longitudinal axis in response to an applied force;

positioning the prosthetic device in the blood vessel so that the section of greater thickness contacts the inner surface of the blood vessel in a region sufficiently remote from the marginal arteries such that blood flow through them is substantially unaffected in response to the application of a compression force against the outer wall of the valve annulus;

applying a force to the prosthetic device to impart the additional curvature of the longitudinal axis in a direction that brings the terminal ends toward each other and thereby applies to the outer wall of the valve annulus a compression force effective to urge the leaflets into close apposition and thereby decrease severity of valve regurgitation; and

anchoring the prosthetic device to maintain the additional curvature of its longitudinal axis and thereby keep the prosthetic device in place to maintain the effective compression force.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rotating a control wire that is connected to one of the multiple segments to accomplish the bringing of the opposite terminal ends toward each other and thereby cause the application of a compression force to the outer wall of the valve annulus.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the human heart has a mitral valve annulus and a tricuspid valve annulus, and in which the valve annulus to which the compression force is applied is the mitral valve annulus.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the human heart has a mitral valve annulus and a tricuspid valve annulus, and in which the valve annulus to which the compression force is applied is the tricuspid valve annulus.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the prosthetic device is molded from titanium.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the prosthetic device is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene material.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the multiple segments include a distal segment pivotally connected to a proximal segment, the distal segment having a distal intermediate section positioned between a distal terminal end and a distal interior section, and the proximal segment having a proximal intermediate section positioned between a proximal terminal end and the proximal interior section, the distal interior section being pivotally connected to the proximal interior section.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the distal terminal end constitutes the section of greater thickness and is thicker than the distal interior section and distal intermediate section to buttress the prosthetic device against the outer wall of the valve annulus and thereby anchor the prosthetic device in its proper position.

9. The method of claim 7, in which a control wire anchored on the distal interior section includes a threaded portion that passes through a mated opening located in the proximal interior section, and in which rotation of the control wire pivotally moves the distal and proximal segments closer to each other to apply the compression force against the outer wall of the valve annulus.