Compliant cardiac support device

Abstract

A jacket of biological compatible material has an internal volume dimensioned for an apex of the heart to be inserted into the volume and for the jacket to be slipped over the heart. The jacket has a longitudinal dimension between upper and lower ends sufficient for the jacket to surround a lower portion of the heart with the jacket surrounding a valvular annulus of the heart and further surrounding the lower portion to cover at least the ventricular lower extremities of the heart. The jacket is adapted to be secured to the heart with the jacket surrounding at least the valvular annulus and the ventricular lower extremities. The jacket is adjustable on the heart to snugly conform to an external geometry of the heart and assume a maximum adjusted volume for the jacket to constrain circumferential expansion of the heart beyond the maximum adjusted volume during diastole and to permit unimpeded contraction of the heart during systole.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention pertains to a device and method for treating heart disease. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a method and device for treating congestive heart disease and related valvular dysfunction. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Congestive heart disease is a progressive and debilitating illness. The disease is characterized by a progressive enlargement of the heart. [0003] As the heart enlarges, the heart is performing an increasing amount of work in order to pump blood each heart beat. In time, the heart becomes so enlarged the heart cannot adequately supply blood. An afflicted patient is fatigued, unable to perform even simple exerting tasks and experiences pain and discomfort. Further, as the heart enlarges, the internal heart valves cannot adequately close. This impairs the function of the valves and further reduces the heart's ability to supply blood. [0004] Causes of congestive heart disease are not fully known....

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In time, the heart becomes so enlarged the heart cannot adequately supply blood.

An afflicted patient is fatigued, unable to perform even simple exerting tasks and experiences pain and discomfort.

Further, as the heart enlarges, the internal heart valves cannot adequately close.

This impairs the function of the valves and further reduces the heart's ability to supply blood.

In such cases, the heart may enlarge to such an extent that the adverse consequences of heart enlargement continue after the viral infection has passed and the disease continues its progressively debilitating course.

Drug therapy treats the symptoms of the disease and may slow the progression of the disease.

Importantly, there is no cure for congestive heart disease.

Further, the drugs may have adverse side effects.

Such patients are extremely sick individuals.

Due to the absence of effective intermediate treatment between drug therapy and heart transplant, Class III and IV patients will have suffered terribly before qualifying for heart transplant.

Further, after such suffering, the available treatment is unsatisfactory.

Heart transplant procedures are very risky, extremely invasive and expensive and only shortly extend a patient's life.

Unfortunately, not enough hearts are available for transplant to meet the needs of congestive heart disease patients.

While the availability of donor hearts has historically increased, the rate of increase is slowing dramatically.

Even if the risks and expense of heart transplant could be tolerated, this treatment option is becoming increasingly unavailable.

Further, many patients do not qualify for heart transplant for failure to meet any one of a number of qualifying criteria.

This is a radical, new and experimental procedure subject to substantial controversy.

Furthermore, the procedure is highly invasive, risky and expensive and commonly includes other expensive procedures (such as a concurrent heart valve replacement).

Also, the treatment is limited to Class IV patients and, accordingly, provides no hope to patients facing ineffective drug treatment prior to Class IV.

Unfortunately, currently developed options are experimental, costly and problematic.

While cardiomyoplasty has resulted in symptomatic improvement, the nature of the improvement is not understood.

Even though cardiomyoplasty has demonstrated symptomatic improvement, studies suggest the procedure only minimally improves cardiac performance.

The procedure is highly invasive requiring harvesting a patient's muscle and an open chest approach (i.e., stemotomy) to access the heart.

Furthermore, the procedure is expensive—especially those using a paced muscle.

Such procedures require costly pacemakers.

The cardiomyoplasty procedure is complicated.

For example, it is difficult to adequately wrap the muscle around the heart with a satisfactory fit.

Also, if adequate blood flow is not maintained to the wrapped muscle, the muscle may necrose.

Finally, the muscle may fibrose and adhere to the heart causing undesirable constraint on the contraction of the heart during systole.

The sudden deployment may adversely affect the heart.

While such a force may help eject blood during systole, such a force could interfere with ventricle filling during diastole.

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