Closed band for percutaneous annuloplasty
First Claim
1. A method of valve repair comprising:
- providing an implantable structure, which includes (a) a flexible sleeve, which defines a lumen and has first and second sleeve ends, and (b) a contracting assembly, which is configured to longitudinally contract the flexible sleeve, and which includes (i) a contracting mechanism, which comprises a housing, and (ii) one or more longitudinal contracting members coupled to the contracting mechanism;
placing the implantable structure in a closed loop completely around an annulus of an atrioventricular valve of a subject, such that none of the one or more longitudinal contracting members is positioned along an anterior portion of the annulus between fibrous trigones of the valve;
fastening the implantable structure to the annulus;
tightening at least a portion of a posterior portion of the annulus, while preserving a length of the anterior portion of the annulus, by tightening the implantable structure by actuating the contracting assembly to cause the one or more longitudinal contracting members to apply a longitudinal contracting force to a longitudinal portion of the flexible sleeve not positioned along the anterior portion of the annulus; and
leaving the entire implantable structure in a body of the subject after completing the valve repair.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable structure includes a flexible sleeve, having first and second sleeve ends, and a contracting assembly, which is configured to longitudinally contract the sleeve, and includes a contracting mechanism, which is disposed longitudinally at a first site of the sleeve, and a longitudinal contracting member, having (a) a first member end, (b) a second member end, which is coupled to the sleeve longitudinally at a second site longitudinally between the first site and the second sleeve end, exclusive, and (c) a first member end portion, which is coupled to the contracting mechanism. The sleeve is arranged in a closed loop, such that first and second portions of the sleeve together define a longitudinally overlapping portion of the sleeve. The implantable structure is configured such that the contracting assembly longitudinally applies a longitudinal contracting force only between the first and the second sites, and not along the overlapping portion.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of valve repair comprising:
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providing an implantable structure, which includes (a) a flexible sleeve, which defines a lumen and has first and second sleeve ends, and (b) a contracting assembly, which is configured to longitudinally contract the flexible sleeve, and which includes (i) a contracting mechanism, which comprises a housing, and (ii) one or more longitudinal contracting members coupled to the contracting mechanism; placing the implantable structure in a closed loop completely around an annulus of an atrioventricular valve of a subject, such that none of the one or more longitudinal contracting members is positioned along an anterior portion of the annulus between fibrous trigones of the valve; fastening the implantable structure to the annulus; tightening at least a portion of a posterior portion of the annulus, while preserving a length of the anterior portion of the annulus, by tightening the implantable structure by actuating the contracting assembly to cause the one or more longitudinal contracting members to apply a longitudinal contracting force to a longitudinal portion of the flexible sleeve not positioned along the anterior portion of the annulus; and leaving the entire implantable structure in a body of the subject after completing the valve repair. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of valve repair comprising:
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providing an implantable structure, which includes (a) a flexible sleeve, which defines a lumen and has first and second sleeve ends, and (b) a contracting assembly, which is configured to longitudinally contract the flexible sleeve, and which includes (i) a contracting mechanism, which is disposed longitudinally at a first site of the flexible sleeve, and (ii) a longitudinal contracting member which is positioned at least partially within the lumen, and has (x) a first member end, (y) a second member end, which is fixed to the flexible sleeve longitudinally at a second site, which is longitudinally between the first site and the second sleeve end, exclusive, and (z) a first member end portion, which (1) extends from the first member end toward the second member end along only a longitudinal portion of the longitudinal contracting member, and (2) is coupled to the contracting mechanism; placing the implantable structure at least partially around an annulus of an atrioventricular valve of a subject; using a plurality of tissue anchors, fastening the implantable structure to the annulus, including coupling one or more of the plurality of tissue anchors to the flexible sleeve and tissue of the annulus at respective third sites longitudinally between the second site and the second sleeve end, exclusive; actuating the contracting assembly to contract a longitudinal portion of the flexible sleeve; and leaving the entire implantable structure in a body of the subject after completing the valve repair. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of valve repair comprising:
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providing an implantable structure, which includes (a) a flexible sleeve, which defines a lumen and has first and second sleeve ends, and (b) a contracting assembly, which includes (i) a contracting mechanism, which is disposed longitudinally at a first site of the flexible sleeve, and (ii) a longitudinal contracting member which is positioned at least partially within the lumen, and has (x) a first member end, (y) a second member end, which is fixed to the flexible sleeve longitudinally at a second site, which is longitudinally between the first site and the second sleeve end, exclusive, and (z) a first member end portion, which (1) extends from the first member end toward the second member end along only a longitudinal portion of the longitudinal contracting member, and (2) is coupled to the contracting mechanism, wherein the contracting mechanism is configured to apply a longitudinal contracting force only between the first and the second sites; and placing the implantable structure at least partially around an annulus of an atrioventricular valve of a subject; using a plurality of tissue anchors, fastening the implantable structure to the annulus, including coupling one or more of the plurality of tissue anchors to the flexible sleeve and tissue of the annulus at respective third sites selected from the group of sites consisting of;
one or more sites longitudinally between the first site and the first sleeve end, exclusive, and one or more sites longitudinally between the second site and the second sleeve end, exclusive;actuating the contracting assembly to contract a longitudinal portion of the flexible sleeve by applying the longitudinal contracting force only between the first and the second sites; and leaving the entire implantable structure in a body of the subject after completing the valve repair. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification