Mitral valve therapy device, system and method

• US 6,800,090 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2001
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Alferness, Clifton A., Adams, John M., Power, John Melmoth
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHATTOPADHYAY, URMI
• Application Number:
  US09/855,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.1, 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.16, 623/2.1, 623/2.11, 623/2.36, 623/2.37, 623/11.11, 623/66.1, 623/902, 623/900, 623/912, 623/1.18, 623/1.2, 606/108, 606/151, 606/153, 606/198, 606/191-192, 606/194-195, 600/481, 600/483, 600/485, 600/37, 128/898
• US Class Current: 623/2.36
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2451 Inserts in the coronary sinus for correcting the valve shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/904 Heart

Abstract

An assembly and method for effecting the condition of a mitral valve annulus of a heart includes a guide wire configured to be fed into the coronary sinus of the heart, and a mitral valve annulus therapy device configured to be slidingly received on the guide wire and advanced into the coronary sinus of the heart on the guide wire. A guide tube may further be employed for guiding the device into the coronary sinus. An introducer which may be employed for pushing the device into or pulling device out of the heart has a mechanism for releasably locking to the device. This enables substitution of the device if needed. Also, the crossover point of the circumflex artery and coronary sinus may be determined and avoided when the device is deployed.

Claims

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

a guide wire configured to be fed into the coronary sinus of the heart; and

a resilient mitral valve annulus device configured to be deformed and slidingly received on the guide wire and advanced into the coronary sinus of the heart on the guide wire and that reshapes the mitral valve annulus when in the coronary sinus of the heart, wherein the mitral valve annulus device has opposed ends and includes a guide wire engaging structure at at least one of the opposed ends, and wherein the mitral valve annulus device is further configured to change from a deformed shape toward an unstressed shape having an arched configuration to reshape the mitral valve annulus when in the coronary sinus of the heart, and wherein the mitral valve annulus has a radius, the unstressed shape having a radius smaller than the radius of the mitral valve annulus.

2. A mitral valve annulus therapy device comprising a generally C-shaped member formed of resilient material for exerting a substantially radially inward force on the mitral valve annulus when placed in the coronary sinus of a heart about and adjacent to the mitral valve, the device having a guide wire receiving structure that slidingly mounts the device on a guide wire,

wherein the C-shaped member is configured to change from a deformed shape toward an unstressed shape to reshape the mitral valve annulus when in the coronary sinus of the heart, and

wherein the mitral valve annulus has a radius, the unstressed shape having a radius smaller than the radius of the mitral valve annulus.

3. A mitral valve annulus constricting device for reshaping and effecting the condition of a mitral valve annulus of a heart comprising a resilient member having a cross sectional dimension for being received within the coronary sinus of a heart and having a longitudinal dimension having an arched configuration for partially encircling the mitral valve and exerting an inward pressure on the mitral valve when within the coronary sinus adjacent the mitral valve for constricting the mitral valve annulus, the device having a distal end, a proximal end, a bore through at least one of the ends, and a channel extending between the ends, the channel and bore permitting the device to be slidingly received on a guide wire,

wherein the device is further configured to change from a deformed shape toward an unstressed shape to reshape the mitral valve annulus when in the coronary sinus of the heart, the unstressed shape being said arched configuration, and

wherein the mitral valve annulus has a radius, the unstressed shape having a radius smaller than the radius of the mitral valve annulus.