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Expandable cardiac harness for treating congestive heart failure

  • US 6,663,558 B2
  • Filed: 09/10/2001
  • Issued: 12/16/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:

  • a cardiac harness having first and second transversely extending series of spring elements, said first and second series of spring elements mechanically longitudinally coupled to each other by a longitudinally expandable member, said harness adapted to be placed about at least a cardiac base region defined generally adjacent and below an atrioventricular groove of a heart;

    wherein said spring elements are configured to interact such that said harness expands and contracts in a substantially transverse dimension of said harness in the region of the cardiac base in response to the mechanical cardiac cycle, wherein any longitudinal foreshortening of said harness in the region of the cardiac base is substantially decoupled from expansion of the harness in the transverse dimension.

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