Deployment techniques for annuloplasty ring
First Claim
1. Apparatus for use with tissue of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
- an anchor driver, which comprises a driver head, which is shaped so as to define one or more mechanical coupling elements, and which comprises a flexible ring; and
an anchor, which comprises;
a coupling head, which is shaped so as to define;
(a) one or more mating elements corresponding to the mechanical coupling elements, and configured to engage the mechanical coupling elements such that rotation of the mechanical coupling elements rotates the mating elements, which in turn rotate the coupling head, and (b) an outer coupling surface, sized and shaped to be inserted into and to be mechanically interlocked with the flexible ring; and
a tissue coupling element, which is fixed to the coupling head,wherein the rotation of the mechanical coupling elements causes the tissue coupling element of the anchor to screw itself into the tissue, thereby causing separation of;
(a) the outer coupling surface of the coupling head from the flexible ring, and (b) the mating elements of the coupling head from the corresponding mechanical coupling elements, andwherein the outer coupling surface of the coupling head is shaped so as to define a screw thread, such that rotation of the mechanical coupling elements causes the outer coupling surface to unscrew from the flexible ring.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An anchor driver is provided that includes a driver head having a flexible ring. An anchor is provided that includes a coupling head, which is shaped so as to define: (a) one or more mating elements that engage mechanical coupling elements of the driver head such that rotation of the mechanical coupling elements rotates the mating elements, which in turn rotate the coupling head, and (b) an outer coupling surface, sized to be inserted into and engage the flexible ring. The anchor also includes a tissue coupling element fixed to the coupling head. The rotation of the mechanical coupling elements causes the tissue coupling element of the anchor to screw itself into tissue, thereby causing separation of: (a) the outer coupling surface of the coupling head from the flexible ring, and (b) the mating elements of the coupling head from the corresponding mechanical coupling elements. Other embodiments are also described.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. Apparatus for use with tissue of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
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an anchor driver, which comprises a driver head, which is shaped so as to define one or more mechanical coupling elements, and which comprises a flexible ring; and an anchor, which comprises; a coupling head, which is shaped so as to define;
(a) one or more mating elements corresponding to the mechanical coupling elements, and configured to engage the mechanical coupling elements such that rotation of the mechanical coupling elements rotates the mating elements, which in turn rotate the coupling head, and (b) an outer coupling surface, sized and shaped to be inserted into and to be mechanically interlocked with the flexible ring; anda tissue coupling element, which is fixed to the coupling head, wherein the rotation of the mechanical coupling elements causes the tissue coupling element of the anchor to screw itself into the tissue, thereby causing separation of;
(a) the outer coupling surface of the coupling head from the flexible ring, and (b) the mating elements of the coupling head from the corresponding mechanical coupling elements, andwherein the outer coupling surface of the coupling head is shaped so as to define a screw thread, such that rotation of the mechanical coupling elements causes the outer coupling surface to unscrew from the flexible ring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus comprising:
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an annuloplasty ring, which comprises a sleeve having a lumen, the annuloplasty ring selected from the group consisting of;
a full annuloplasty ring and a partial annuloplasty ring;an anchor deployment manipulator, which comprises; (a) a deployment manipulator tube, which is removably positioned partially within the lumen of the sleeve, such that the deployment manipulator tube extends out of a proximal-most end of the sleeve; and (b) an anchor driver, which is configured to be at least partially positioned within the deployment manipulator tube; a pusher-tube unit, which comprises a pusher tube, which surrounds a portion of the deployment manipulator tube, such that (a) a distal-most end of the pusher tube is proximal to the proximal-most end of the sleeve, and (b) the pusher-tube unit removably contacts a proximal portion of the sleeve, such that distal movement of the pusher tube with respect to the deployment manipulator tube causes distal movement of the sleeve with respect to the deployment manipulator tube; and at least one tissue anchor, wherein the distal-most end of the pusher tube is removably coupled to the proximal-most end of the sleeve, wherein the pusher-tube unit further comprises one or more coupling elements, which removably couple the pusher tube to the sleeve, wherein the pusher-tube unit removably contacts the proximal portion of the sleeve by the one or more coupling elements removably contacting the proximal portion of the sleeve, wherein the apparatus is configured such that; when the deployment manipulator tube is positioned within the lumen of the sleeve, the deployment manipulator tube causes the coupling elements to engage the sleeve, thereby removably coupling the distal-most end of the pusher tube to the proximal-most end of the sleeve, and when the deployment manipulator tube is withdrawn from the sleeve, the coupling elements disengage from the sleeve, thereby decoupling the distal-most end of the pusher tube from the proximal-most end of the sleeve, wherein the coupling elements are configured to have a natural tendency to flex inwards toward a central longitudinal axis of the sleeve that passes through the proximal-most end of the sleeve, and wherein the deployment manipulator tube, when positioned within the lumen of the sleeve, pushes the coupling elements outwards away from the central longitudinal axis, thereby causing the coupling elements to engage the sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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advancing, into a body of a subject, (a) an anchor driver, which includes a driver head, which is shaped so as to define one or more mechanical coupling elements, and which comprises a flexible ring, and (b) an anchor, which includes (i) a coupling head, which is shaped so as to define;
(A) one or more mating elements corresponding to the mechanical coupling elements, and configured to engage the mechanical coupling elements such that rotation of the mechanical coupling elements rotates the mating elements, which in turn rotate the coupling head, and (B) an outer coupling surface, which is (1) sized and shaped to be inserted into and to be mechanically interlocked with the flexible ring, and (2) shaped so as to define a screw thread, and (ii) a tissue coupling element, which is fixed to the coupling head; androtating the mechanical coupling elements to cause (i) the tissue coupling element of the anchor to screw itself into tissue of the body, thereby causing separation of;
(a) the outer coupling surface of the coupling head from the flexible ring, and (b) the mating elements of the coupling head from the corresponding mechanical coupling elements, and (ii) the outer coupling surface to unscrew from the flexible ring. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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removably positioning a deployment manipulator tube partially within a lumen of a sleeve of an annuloplasty ring, such that the deployment manipulator tube extends out of a proximal-most end of the sleeve, the annuloplasty ring selected from the group consisting of;
a full annuloplasty ring and a partial annuloplasty ring;providing (a) an anchor driver, which is configured to be at least partially positioned within the deployment manipulator tube, and (b) at least one tissue anchor; and placing a pusher tube of a pusher-tube unit over the deployment manipulator tube such that (a) a distal-most end of the pusher tube is proximal to the proximal-most end of the sleeve, and (b) the pusher-tube unit removably contacts a proximal portion of the sleeve, such that distal movement of the pusher tube with respect to the deployment manipulator tube causes distal movement of the sleeve with respect to the deployment manipulator tube, wherein the distal-most end of the pusher tube is removably coupled to the proximal-most end of the sleeve, wherein the pusher-tube unit further includes one or more coupling elements that removably couple the pusher tube to the sleeve, and wherein the pusher-tube unit removably contacts the proximal portion of the sleeve by the one or more coupling elements removably contacting the proximal portion of the sleeve, wherein, when the deployment manipulator tube is positioned within the lumen of the sleeve, the deployment manipulator tube causes the coupling elements to engage the sleeve, thereby removably coupling the distal-most end of the pusher tube to the proximal-most end of the sleeve, wherein, when the deployment manipulator tube is withdrawn from the sleeve, the coupling elements disengage from the sleeve, thereby decoupling the distal-most end of the pusher tube from the proximal-most end of the sleeve, wherein the coupling elements are configured to have a natural tendency to flex inwards toward a central longitudinal axis of the sleeve that passes through the proximal-most end of the sleeve, and wherein the deployment manipulator tube, when positioned within the lumen of the sleeve, pushes the coupling elements outwards away from the central longitudinal axis, thereby causing the coupling elements to engage the sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method comprising:
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advancing, into a body of a subject, (1) an annuloplasty ring selected from the group consisting of;
a full annuloplasty ring and a partial annuloplasty ring, the selected annuloplasty ring comprising a sleeve having a lumen, (2) a deployment manipulator tube of an anchor deployment manipulator, which deployment manipulator tube is removably positioned within the lumen of the sleeve such that the deployment manipulator tube extends out of a proximal-most end of the sleeve, and (3) a pusher tube of a pusher-tube unit, which pusher tube surrounds a portion of the deployment manipulator tube such that (a) a distal-most end of the pusher tube is proximal to the proximal-most end of the sleeve, and (b) the pusher-tube unit removably contacts a proximal portion of the sleeve, wherein the distal-most end of the pusher tube is removably coupled to the proximal-most end of the sleeve, wherein the pusher-tube unit further includes one or more coupling elements that removably couple the pusher tube to the sleeve, and wherein the pusher-tube unit removably contacts the proximal portion of the sleeve by the one or more coupling elements removably contacting the proximal portion of the sleeve;removing at least part of the deployment manipulator tube from the lumen of the sleeve by pushing the pusher tube in a distal direction with respect to the deployment manipulator tube, so as to cause distal movement of the sleeve with respect to the deployment manipulator tube; and driving at least one tissue anchor through a wall of the sleeve using an anchor driver of the anchor deployment manipulator, which anchor driver is at least partially positioned within the deployment manipulator tube, wherein the presence of the anchor deployment manipulator within the sleeve maintains engagement of the coupling elements and the sleeve, wherein the method further comprises decoupling the distal-most end of the pusher tube from the proximal-most end of the sleeve by withdrawing the deployment manipulator tube from the sleeve such that the coupling elements disengage from the sleeve, wherein the coupling elements are configured to have a natural tendency to flex inwards toward a central longitudinal axis of the sleeve that passes through the proximal-most end of the sleeve, and wherein withdrawing the deployment manipulator tube from the sleeve such that the coupling elements disengage from the sleeve comprises withdrawing the anchor deployment manipulator such that the coupling elements flex inwards toward the central longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. Apparatus for use with tissue of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
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an anchor driver, which comprises a driver head, which is shaped so as to define one or more mechanical coupling elements, and which comprises a flexible ring, which comprises a material selected from the group consisting of;
rubber and silicone; andan anchor, which comprises; a coupling head, which is shaped so as to define;
(a) one or more mating elements corresponding to the mechanical coupling elements, and configured to engage the mechanical coupling elements such that rotation of the mechanical coupling elements rotates the mating elements, which in turn rotate the coupling head, and (b) an outer coupling surface, sized to be inserted into and engage the flexible ring; anda tissue coupling element, which is fixed to the coupling head, wherein the rotation of the mechanical coupling elements causes the tissue coupling element of the anchor to screw itself into the tissue, thereby causing separation of;
(a) the outer coupling surface of the coupling head from the flexible ring, and (b) the mating elements of the coupling head from the corresponding mechanical coupling elements, andwherein the outer coupling surface of the coupling head is shaped so as to define a screw thread, such that rotation of the mechanical coupling elements causes the outer coupling surface to unscrew from the flexible ring.
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25. A method comprising:
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advancing, into a body of a subject, (a) an anchor driver, which includes a driver head, which is shaped so as to define one or more mechanical coupling elements, and which comprises a flexible ring, which comprises a material selected from the group consisting of;
rubber and silicone, and (b) an anchor, which includes (i) a coupling head, which is shaped so as to define;
(A) one or more mating elements corresponding to the mechanical coupling elements, and configured to engage the mechanical coupling elements such that rotation of the mechanical coupling elements rotates the mating elements, which in turn rotate the coupling head, and (B) an outer coupling surface, which is (1) sized to be inserted into and engage the flexible ring, and(2) shaped so as to define a screw thread, and (ii) a tissue coupling element, which is fixed to the coupling head; and rotating the mechanical coupling elements to cause (i) the tissue coupling element of the anchor to screw itself into tissue of the body, thereby causing separation of;
(a) the outer coupling surface of the coupling head from the flexible ring, and (b) the mating elements of the coupling head from the corresponding mechanical coupling elements, and (ii) the outer coupling surface to unscrew from the flexible ring.
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Specification