Methods for treating cardiac valves using magnetic fields

• US 20050288783A1
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MiCardia Corporation
• Original Assignee: MiCardia Corporation
• Inventors: Shaolian, Samuel M., Moaddeb, Shahram, Shaoulian, Emanuel
• Application Number:
  US11/124,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288783A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.37
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2448 D-shaped rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0023 operated at different temperatures whilst inside or touching the human body, heated or cooled by external energy source or cold supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0004 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0082 specially designed for children, e.g. having means for adjusting to their growth

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for support of a body structure. The devices can be adjusted within the body of a patient in a minimally invasive or non-invasive manner such as by applying energy percutaneously or external to the patient'"'"'s body. The energy may include, for example, acoustic energy, radio frequency energy, light energy and magnetic energy. Thus, as the body structure changes size and/or shape, the size and/or shape of the annuloplasty rings can be adjusted to provide continued reinforcement. In certain embodiments, a method for treating a cardiac valve includes providing an annuloplasty ring having a first size of a dimension in a first configuration and a second size of the dimension in a second configuration. In the first configuration, the method includes attaching the annuloplasty ring to or near a valve annulus in a heart. The method also includes applying energy from a magnetic resonance imaging device to the annuloplasty ring which responds to the energy by transforming from the first configuration to the second configuration.

Claims

1. A method for treating a cardiac valve, said method comprising:

providing an annuloplasty ring having a first size of a dimension in a first configuration and a second size of said dimension in a second configuration;

in said first configuration, attaching said annuloplasty ring to or near a valve annulus in a heart; and

applying energy from a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device to said annuloplasty ring, wherein said annuloplasty ring responds to said energy by transforming from said first configuration to said second configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring an image of said annuloplasty ring using said MRI device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second size is less than said first size.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising transforming said annuloplasty ring to a third size of said dimension in a third configuration.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said third size is greater than said second size.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said third size is less than said second size.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising using said MRI device to transform said annuloplasty ring to said third size.