Left ventricular conduits and methods for delivery

• US 6,964,652 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2003
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Horizon Technology Funding Co. LLC (Horizon Technology Finance Management LLC)
• Original Assignee: Percardia, Inc.
• Inventors: Melsky, Gerald, Guiles, Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US10/617,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20040106931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 604/117
• US Class Current: 604/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00252 for by-pass connections, i.e. connections from heart chamber to blood vessel or from blood vessel to blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2493 Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/94 Stents retaining their form, i.e. not being deformable, after placement in the predetermined place
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section

Abstract

Conduits are provided to direct blood flow from the left ventricle to a coronary artery at a location distal to a blockage in the coronary artery. Threaded and nonthreaded conduits are delivered using a guidewire delivered through the posterior and anterior walls of a coronary artery and into the heart wall. A dilator may be provided over the guidewire into the heart wall, and the conduit delivered over the dilator. An introducer sleeve may be provided over the dilator into the heart wall, the dilator removed, and the conduit delivered through the introducer sleeve. A hollow needle also may be inserted into the posterior and anterior walls of the coronary artery prior to inserting the guidewire. A depth measuring tool may determine the appropriate length of the conduit prior to delivery. The depth measuring tool can include the hollow needle with an access port on a proximal end of the needle and an opening on the distal end of the needle in flow communication with the access port so that when the needle is inserted through the heart wall and into the heart chamber, blood flow through the opening.

Claims

1. A device for measuring a depth of insertion into a heart, comprising:

an elongate tubular body having a proximal end configured for insertion into the heart, a distal end, a first lumen extending at least partially therethrough, and a second lumen adjacent the first lumen, the second lumen being configured to receive a conduit to be placed between a heart chamber and a coronary vessel;

an access port near the proximal end of the elongate tubular body;

an opening near the distal end in flow communication with the access port; and

at least one depth indication mechanism visible from the outside of the tubular body for indicating a depth of insertion of the device,

at least one depth indication mechanism visible from the outside of the tubular body for indicating a depth of insertion of the device,

wherein the device is configured so that when the device is inserted into the heart and reaches a blood-containing portion of the heart, blood flows through the access port and the opening and the depth indication mechanism indicates the depth of insertion of the device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to permit advancement of a conduit to be placed between a heart chamber and a coronary artery.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first lumen extending at least partially through the elongate tubular body is a side lumen.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first lumen and the second lumen are side-by-side.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication mechanism includes markers.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the markers are configured so as to determine a size of a conduit configured to be implanted in the heart.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the coronary vessel is a coronary artery.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the blood-containing portion is the heart chamber.

9. A device for delivering a conduit to a heart wall, the device comprising:

an elongate tubular body having a proximal end configured for insertion into the heart wall, a distal end, and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough;

an access port near the proximal end of the elongate tubular body;

a portion of the elongate tubular body near the distal end in flow communication with the access port, the portion permitting observation of blood flow; and

at least one depth indication mechanism visible from the outside of the tubular body for indicating a depth of insertion of the device,

wherein the device is configured so that when the device is inserted into the heart and reaches a blood-containing portion of the heart, blood flows through the access port and to the portion, and the depth indication mechanism indicates the depth of insertion of the device, and

wherein the device is further configured to permit advancement of the conduit to the heart wall while the device is inserted in the heart.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the device is configured to permit advancement of the conduit to a heart wall between a heart chamber and a coronary vessel.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the coronary vessel is a coronary artery.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the lumen extending at least partially through the elongate tubular body includes a side lumen.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the portion of the elongate tubular body includes a window.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the portion of the elongate tubular body includes an opening.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the device is further configured to permit advancement of the conduit along the device.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the device is further configured to permit advancement of the conduit over the device.

17. The device of claim 9, wherein the device is further configured to permit advancement of the conduit through the device.

18. The device of claim 9, wherein the distal end of the elongate tubular body is configured to be inserted through a coronary vessel.

19. The device of claim 9, wherein the device is configured to permit advancement of the conduit through a coronary vessel.

20. A device for delivering a conduit to a heart wall, the device comprising:

an elongate tubular body having a proximal end configured for insertion into the heart wall, a distal end, and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough;

an access port near the proximal end of the elongate tubular body;

a portion of the elongate tubular body near the distal end in flow communication with the access port, the portion permitting observation of blood flow;

at least one depth indication mechanism visible from the outside of the tubular body for indicating a depth of insertion of the device; and

a second lumen located adjacent the lumen extending at least partially through the elongate body, the second lumen being configured to receive the conduit to be placed in the heart wall between a heart chamber and a coronary artery

wherein the device is configured so that when the device is inserted into the heart and reaches a blood-containing portion of the heart, blood flows through the access port and to the portion, and the depth indication mechanism indicates the depth of insertion of the device, and

wherein the device is further configured to permit advancement of the conduit to the heart wall.