Device, assembly and method for mitral valve repair

• US 6,797,001 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2002
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Mathis, Mark L., Nieminen, Gregory D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chattopadhyay, Urmi
• Application Number:
  US10/095,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20030171806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 623/2-6-, 623/11.11, 623/66.1, 623/904, 606/108, 606/151, 606/153, 606/155, 606/156, 606/191, 606/192, 606/194, 606/195, 606/198, 600/16, 600/17, 600/37, 128/898
• 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: Y10S 623/904 Heart

Abstract

A mitral valve therapy device effects the condition of a mitral valve annulus of a heart. The device includes an elongated member dimensioned to be placed in the coronary sinus of the heart adjacent the mitral valve annulus. The elongated member is flexible when placed in the heart in a first orientation to position the device in the coronary sinus adjacent the mitral valve annulus and relatively inflexible when rotated into a second orientation after the device is positioned in the coronary sinus adjacent to the mitral valve annulus to substantially straighten and increase the radius of curvature of the mitral valve annulus.

Claims

1. A method of effecting the condition of a mitral valve annulus of a heart, the method including the steps of:

providing a mitral valve annulus therapy device including an elongated member that is flexible when placed in the heart in a first orientation and relatively inflexible when rotated into a second orientation;

advancing the device into the coronary sinus of the heart with the device in the first orientation until the device is adjacent the mitral valve annulus within the coronary sinus; and

rotating the device into the second orientation.

2. The method of claim 1 including the further step of anchoring the device in the coronary sinus.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the anchoring step includes anchoring the device against rotational movement.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the device has a first radius of curvature conforming to the radius of curvature of the mitral valve annulus when in the first orientation and a second radius of curvature greater than the first radius of curvature when in the second orientation.

5. A device that effects the condition of a mitral valve annulus of a heart comprising:

an elongated member dimensioned to be placed in the coronary sinus of the heart adjacent the mitral valve annulus, the elongated member having a relatively low resistance to flexure in a first direction and a relatively high resistance to flexure in a second direction, wherein the elongated member includes;

a first longitudinal side facing the first direction;

a first plurality of notches formed in the first longitudinal side to provide the elongated member with the relatively low resistance to flexure in the first direction;

a second longitudinal side facing the second direction;

a second plurality of notches formed in the second longitudinal side to render the elongated member stable when flexed in the second direction; and

first and second ends; and

an anchor at each end of the device that fix the device in the coronary sinus.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein each anchor anchors the device against longitudinal movement and rotational movement.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the elongated member has a first radius of curvature when in a first orientation, a second radius of curvature when in a second orientation, and wherein the first radius of curvature is less than the second radius of curvature.