Catheter-based annuloplasty using ventricularly positioned catheter

Abstract

The present invention relates to a minimally invasive method of performing annuloplasty. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for performing annuloplasty includes accessing a left ventricle of a heart to provide a discrete plication element to the left ventricle, and engaging the plication element to tissue near a mitral valve of the heart. Engaging the plication element includes causing the plication element to gather a portion of the tissue to create a plication. In one embodiment, accessing the left ventricle of the heart to provide the plication element includes accessing the left ventricle of the heart using a catheter arrangement.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present invention is a Continuation-in-Part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 841,968, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Catheter-Based Annuloplasty,” filed Apr. 24, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of Invention[0003]The present invention relates generally to techniques for treating mitral valve insufficiencies such as mitral valve leakage. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for treating a leaking mitral valve in a minimally invasive manner.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Congestive heart failure (CHF), which is often associated with an enlargement of the heart, is a leading cause of death. As a result, the market for the treatment of CHF is becoming increasingly prevalent. For instance, the treatment of CHF is a leading expenditure of Medicare and Medicaid dollars in the United States of America. ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a method for treating mitral valve leakage by performing an annuloplasty using a minimally invasive approach. This enables complicated surgical procedures to be avoided, making the annuloplasty more accessible to patients who may benefit from it. The method involves accessing tissue near the mitral valve and creating a first discrete plication using a plication element to reduce the arc length of the mitral valve and effectively shrink the size of the mitral valve fibrous tissue. This approach makes the procedure safer, less invasive, and more accessible to patients.

Problems solved by technology

Congestive heart failure (CHF), which is often associated with an enlargement of the heart, is a leading cause of death.

Many problems relating to mitral valve 116 may occur and these insufficiencies may cause many types of ailments.

Treatments used to correct for mitral valve leakage or, more generally, CHF, are typically highly invasive, open-heart surgical procedures.

The implantation of a ventricular assist device is often expensive, and a patient with a ventricular assist device must be placed on extended anti-coagulant therapy.

While reducing the risks of blood clots associated with the ventricular assist device is desirable, anti-coagulant therapies may increase the risk of uncontrollable bleeding in a patient, e.g., as a result of a fall, which is not desirable.

While the implantation of a bi-ventricular pacing device may be effective, not all heart patients are suitable for receiving a bi-ventricular pacing device.

Further, the implantation of a bi-ventricular pacing device is expensive.

While the use of a pig valve may relatively successfully replace a mitral valve, such valves generally wear out, thereby requiring additional open surgery at a later date.

However, when a mechanical valve is implanted, there is an increased risk of thromboembolism, and a patient is generally required to undergo extended anti-coagulant therapies.

In addition, the use of edge-to-edge stitch 404 is generally not suitable for a patient with an enlarged, dilated heart, as blood pressure causes the heart to dilate outward, and may put a relatively large amount of stress on edge-to-edge stitch 404.

That is, like other conventional procedures, a suture-based annuloplasty procedure is invasive.

While invasive surgical procedures have proven to be effective in the treatment of mitral valve leakage, invasive surgical procedures often have significant drawbacks.

Any time a patient undergoes open-heart surgery, there is a risk of infection.

Opening the sternum and using a cardiopulmonary bypass machine has also been shown to result in a significant incidence of both short and long term neurological deficits.

Further, given the complexity of open-heart surgery, and the significant associated recovery time, people who are not greatly inconvenienced by CHF symptoms, e.g., people at a Class 1 classification, may choose not to have corrective surgery.

In addition, people who most need open heart surgery, e.g., people at a Class 4 classification, may either be too frail or too weak to undergo the surgery.

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