Device and method for modifying the shape of a body organ

• US 7,857,846 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2003
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Kowalsky, Leonard, Mathis, Mark L., Alferness, Clifton A., Beeson, Cruz, Adams, John M., Reuter, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWEET, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US10/429,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20060142854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,797 Days
• Field of Search: 623/2.36, 623/2.37
• 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: A61F 2250/001 for adjusting a diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0059 temporary

Abstract

An intravascular support device includes a support or reshaper wire, a proximal anchor and a distal anchor. The support wire engages a vessel wall to change the shape of tissue adjacent the vessel in which the intravascular support is placed. The anchors and support wire are designed such that the vessel in which the support is placed remains open and can be accessed by other devices if necessary. The device provides a minimal metal surface area to blood flowing within the vessel to limit the creation of thrombosis. The anchors can be locked in place to secure the support within the vessel.

Claims

1. An intravascular support comprising:

a support wire having a proximal end and a distal end;

a proximal anchor that circumferentially engages a vessel wall in which the support is placed; and

a distal anchor that circumferentially engages a vessel wall in which the support is placed;

wherein the support wire extends between the proximal and distal anchors so that the support wire is urged against the vessel wall to compress tissue that is adjacent the vessel,

wherein at least one of the anchors comprises a wire having first and second terminal ends,

wherein the at least one of the anchors comprises a crimp element having first and second ends, and wherein the first and second terminal ends of the anchor wire are positioned within the crimp element, and wherein segments of the wires extending away from the terminal ends extend out of the first end of the crimp element,

wherein the support wire includes locks that secure the position of the proximal and distal anchors in an extended position.

2. The intravascular support of claim 1, wherein the first and second anchors each comprise a crimp element.

3. The intravascular support of claim 1, wherein the proximal and distal anchors are oriented at different angles with respect to each other.

4. The intravascular support of claim 1 wherein the support wire extends axially away from the anchors.

5. The intravascular support of claim 1 wherein the terminal end is a first terminal end and the wire further comprises a second terminal end.

6. An intravascular support, comprising:

a distal anchor that expands within a vessel to circumferentially engage a vessel wall and defining a lumen therethrough;

a proximal anchor that expands within a vessel to circumferentially engage the vessel wall and defining a lumen therethrough; and

a support wire secured to the proximal and distal anchors such that the support wire is offset from the lumens defined by the proximal and distal anchors and is urged against the vessel wall by the proximal and distal anchors, wherein the distal anchor has a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration and the support wire has a distal end and a distal lock whereby the distal anchor is constrained between the distal end and the distal lock in the expanded configuration and is not constrained between the distal end and the distal lock in the collapsed configuration.

7. The intravascular support of claim 6, wherein the proximal and distal anchors are secured to the support wire with crimp tubes through which the support wire passes.

8. The intravascular support of claim 7, wherein the proximal and distal anchors are each made of a wire that forms a figure eight configuration, wherein distal ends of each wire are disposed within the crimp tubes and the proximal ends of each wire form a movable eyelet that is slidable over the support wire to expand the proximal and distal anchors.

9. An intravascular support comprising:

a proximal anchor that engages a vessel wall in which the support is placed;

a distal anchor that engages a vessel wall in which the support is placed; and

a connector operably connecting the proximal anchor and the distal anchor,

wherein at least one of the anchors comprises a wire including first and second terminal ends, and wherein segments of the wire adjacent to the terminal ends extend away from the terminal ends in the same direction,

wherein the wire has a figure-8 configuration, and wherein the two segments that extends away from the terminal ends each form a first portion of a first leg and a second leg of the figure-8 configuration.

10. The support of claim 9 wherein each of the first portions of a leg is a distal portion of the legs of the figure-8 configuration.

11. The support of claim 9 wherein the at least one of the anchors comprises a crimp element having first and second ends, and wherein the terminal ends of the wire are secured within the crimp element, and wherein the segments of the wire extending away from the terminal ends exit the first end of the crimp element.

12. The support of claim 9, wherein the anchor wire forms an eyelet at a first end of the anchor which transitions the wire from the first leg of the figure-8 configuration to the second leg of the figure-8 configuration.

13. The support of claim 12 wherein the wire comprises only one eyelet.