Method and devices for decreasing elevated pulmonary venous pressure

• US 6,572,652 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2001
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alexander Shaknovich
• Original Assignee: VenPro Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Shaknovich, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): DeMille, Danton D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thanh, Quang D.
• Application Number:
  US09/813,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20020026233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.24, 623/1.26, 623/1.31, 623/2.11, 623/2--, 623/902-904, 606/153, 606/157, 606/158
• US Class Current: 623/2.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/24 Heart valves ; Vascular valves, e.g. venous valves; Heart implants, e.g. passive devices for improving the function of the native valve or the heart muscle; Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices; Valves implantable in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2475 Venous valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/821 Ostial stents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/904 Heart

Abstract

The present invention relates to the implantation of one or more prosthetic valve(s) in the pulmonary vein(s) of a subject for decreasing or preventing an increase in pulmonary venous pressure. The present invention accordingly provides for novel treatment strategies for the treatment of medical disorders associated with elevated pulmonary venous pressure, including congestive heart failure, as well as for prosthetic pulmonary vein valves and their delivery systems. Expandable as well as fixed-dimension non-expandable pulmonary vein prosthetic valves for implantation by a variety of surgical and percutaneous procedures are also described.

Claims

1. A method of lowering mean pulmonary venous pressure in a subject, comprising creating an effective unidirectional partitioning between the left atrium and a pulmonary vein of the subject.

2. The method of claim 1, where unidirectional partitioning is achieved by implanting a prosthetic valve in a location selected from the group consisting of a pulmonary vein, an ostium of a pulmonary vein, and a left atrium.

3. The method of claim 1, where partitioning is achieved between the left atrium and more than one pulmonary vein.

4. The method of claim 3, where partitioning is achieved between the more than one pulmonary vein and the left atrium by implanting, as to each pulmonary vein subject to partitioning, a prosthetic valve in a location selected from the group consisting of the pulmonary vein, the ostium of the pulmonary vein, and the left atrium.

5. The method of claim 1 which is used for the treatment of congestive heart failure in the subject.

6. The method of claim 2 which is used for the treatment of congestive heart failure in the subject.

7. The method of claim 2, where the prosthetic valve is a diaphragm-type pulmonary vein prosthetic valve device.

8. The method of claim 2, where the prosthetic valve is a trapdoor-type pulmonary vein prosthetic valve device.

9. The method of claim 2, where the prosthetic valve is a stocking-type pulmonary vein prosthetic valve device.

10. The method of claim 2, where the prosthetic valve is a windsock-type pulmonary vein prosthetic valve device.

11. The method of claim 2, where the prosthetic valve is implanted by percutaneously accessing the pulmonary vein ostium.

12. The method of claim 2, where the prosthetic valve is implanted by an open-heart surgical procedure.

13. The method of claim 2, where the prosthetic valve is implanted by a method comprising:

(i) surgically accessing the pulmonary vein;

(ii) introducing the prosthetic valve first into the pulmonary vein and then advancing the prosthetic valve to the ostium; and

(iii) deploying the prosthetic valve in the desired location.