Self-adjusting attachment structure for a cardiac support device

Abstract

A cardiac support device including a jacket and elastic attachment structure for self-securing the jacket to a heart. The attachment structures can include undulating metal and polymer elements, a silicone band and elastomeric filaments on a base end of the jacket.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to devices for providing wall tension relief for a diseased heart. In particular, this invention pertains to such a device which is self-adjusting after placement on the heart.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. As the heart enlarges, the heart is performing an increasing amount of work in order to pump blood during each heart beat. In time, the heart becomes so enlarged that it cannot adequately supply blood. An afflicted patient is fatigued, unable to perform even simple exerting tasks and experiences pain and discomfort. Furthermore, 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.[0003]Causes of congestive heart disease are not fully known. In certain instances, congestive he...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]The present invention is an improved cardiac support device. The device includes a jacket having a base region for constraining cardiac expansion. Attachment structure on a base region of the jacket se

Problems solved by technology

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

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

Furthermore, 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.

Furthermore, the drugs sometimes 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 often suffer before qualifying for heart transplant.

Furthermore, after this suffering, the available treatment is often unsatisfactory.

Heart transplant procedures are risky, invasive and relatively expensive, and often extend a patient's life by only relatively short times. For example, prior to transplant, a Class IV patient may have a life expectancy of six months to one-year.

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

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

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

This procedure is the subject of some controversy.

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

Also, the treatment is limited to Class IV patients and, accordingly, provides limited hope to patients facing ineffective drug treatment prior to Class IV.

Furthermore, the consequences of a failure of this procedure can be severe.

While cardiomyoplasty has produced symptomatic improvement, the nature of the improvement is not fully understood.

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

The procedure is also complicated.

For example, it is sometimes 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.

The muscle may stretch after wrapping, thereby reducing its constraining benefits, and is generally not susceptible to post-operative adjustment.

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

During less-invasive procedures, the surgeon may have more limited access to the heart and more limited ability to ensure placement and alignment of a jacket on the heart.

Properly placing and securing the jacket on the heart during minimally-invasive delivery procedures of these types can be more difficult than in open-chest procedures.

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