System and method to effect mitral valve annulus of a heart

• US 6,793,673 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Kowalsky, Leonard, Braxtan, Ryan H., Mathis, Mark L., Nieminen, Gregory D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US10/331,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20040127980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 623/2.11, 623/2.36, 623/2.37, 606/232
• US Class Current: 623/2.36
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2451 Inserts in the coronary sinus for correcting the valve shape

Abstract

An assembly for effecting the condition of a mitral valve annulus includes a mitral valve therapy device, a coupling structure carried by the device, a catheter, a second coupling structure, and a locking member. To implant the device, the device is first releasably locked to a pushing member by the coupling structures and the locking member. When the device is positioned within the coronary sinus adjacent the mitral valve annulus and deployed, the coupling structures may be released from each other by the release of the locking member.

Claims

1. An assembly for effecting the condition of a mitral valve annulus of a heart comprising:

a mitral valve therapy device that reshapes the mitral valve annulus of the heart when placed within the coronary sinus of the heart adjacent the mitral valve annulus, the mitral valve therapy device having a proximal end including a coupling structure;

a catheter having a lumen that directs the mitral valve therapy device into the coronary sinus of the heart;

a second coupling structure that is lockable on the device coupling structure; and

a locking member that locks the device coupling structure to the second coupling structure and that releases the device coupling structure from the second coupling structure,

wherein the device coupling structure comprises a hoop structure.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the second coupling structure comprises a hoop structure.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the locking member comprises a pin that extends through the hoop structures to lock the coupling structures together and that is retractable to release the hoop structures.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the catheter has a distal end and wherein the pin is elongated and extends through the distal end of the catheter.

5. The assembly of claim 3 further comprising a pusher member having a lumen and that pushes the device through the catheter lumen, the pusher member having a distal end that engages the device proximal end, a proximal end, and a lumen, and wherein the pin is elongated and extends through the pusher member lumen and out the pusher member proximal end.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the pusher member is an elongated coil.