Method and apparatus for improving mitral valve function
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for reducing mitral regurgitation, the apparatus comprising:
- an elongated bar adapted for insertion into a coronary sinus in the vicinity of the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve, said bar having a straight configuration in an unstressed state, said bar comprising five segments disposed end-to-end, said segments comprising;
a central segment provided with a selected first degree of flexibility which provides rigidity sufficient to reconfigure the mitral annulus;
a pair of intermediate segments, one disposed at each end of said central segment, said intermediate segments each being provided with a selected second degree of flexibility which provides more rigidity to said intermediate segments than the rigidity of said central segment; and
a pair of outer segments, each disposed at the end of an intermediate segment remote from said central segment, said outer segments each being provided with a third degree of flexibility exceeding the flexibility of said central segment and said intermediate segments;
whereby upon the insertion of said bar into the coronary sinus, said central segment serves to reconfigure the mitral annulus, said intermediate segments serve to transfer the load of reconfiguring the mitral annulus to said outer segments, and said outer segments serve to dissipate the load to side walls of the coronary sinus.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for reducing mitral regurgitation. The apparatus is inserted into the coronary sinus of a patient in the vicinity of the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve, the apparatus being adapted to straighten the natural curvature of at least a portion of the coronary sinus in the vicinity of the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve, whereby to move the posterior annulus anteriorly and thereby improve leaflet coaptation and reduce mitral regurgitation.
146 Citations
28 Claims
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1. Apparatus for reducing mitral regurgitation, the apparatus comprising:
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an elongated bar adapted for insertion into a coronary sinus in the vicinity of the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve, said bar having a straight configuration in an unstressed state, said bar comprising five segments disposed end-to-end, said segments comprising; a central segment provided with a selected first degree of flexibility which provides rigidity sufficient to reconfigure the mitral annulus; a pair of intermediate segments, one disposed at each end of said central segment, said intermediate segments each being provided with a selected second degree of flexibility which provides more rigidity to said intermediate segments than the rigidity of said central segment; and a pair of outer segments, each disposed at the end of an intermediate segment remote from said central segment, said outer segments each being provided with a third degree of flexibility exceeding the flexibility of said central segment and said intermediate segments; whereby upon the insertion of said bar into the coronary sinus, said central segment serves to reconfigure the mitral annulus, said intermediate segments serve to transfer the load of reconfiguring the mitral annulus to said outer segments, and said outer segments serve to dissipate the load to side walls of the coronary sinus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for reducing mitral regurgitation, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a bar having a substantially straight configuration in an unstressed state, the bar comprising five segments disposed end-to-end, the segments comprising; a central segment provided with a selected first degree of flexibility which provides rigidity sufficient to reconfigure the mitral annulus; a pair of intermediate segments, one disposed at each end of the central segment, the intermediate segments being provided with a selected second degree of flexibility which provides more rigidity to the intermediate segments than the rigidity of the central segment; and a pair of outer segments, each disposed at the end of an intermediate segment remote from the central segment, the outer segments being provided with a third degree of flexibility exceeding the flexibility of the central segment and the intermediate segments; and inserting the bar into the coronary sinus of a patient in the vicinity of the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve, whereby upon the insertion of the bar into the coronary sinus, the central segment serves to reconfigure the mitral annulus, the intermediate segments serve to transfer the load of reconfiguring the mitral annulus to the outer segments, and the outer segments serve to dissipate the load to side walls of the coronary sinus, thereby to reduce mitral regurgitation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification