Mitral valve regurgitation treatment device and method

Abstract

A method of treating regurgitation of a mitral valve in a patient's heart. The method includes the steps of: delivering a tissue shaping device to the coronary sinus; and deploying the tissue shaping device to reduce mitral valve regurgitation, the deploying step comprising applying a force through the coronary sinus wall toward the mitral valve solely proximal to a crossover point where a coronary artery passes between a coronary sinus and the mitral valve. The invention is also a set of devices for use in treating mitral valve regurgitation. The set includes a plurality of tissue shaping devices having different lengths, each of the tissue shaping devices being configured to be deliverable to a coronary sinus of a patient within a catheter having an outer diameter no greater than ten french.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent appl. Ser. No. 09 / 855,945, filed May 14, 2001, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to devices and methods for shaping tissue by deploying one or more devices in body lumens adjacent to the tissue. One particular application of the invention relates to a treatment for mitral valve regurgitation through deployment of a tissue shaping device in the patient's coronary sinus or great cardiac vein. [0003] The mitral valve is a portion of the heart that is located between the chambers of the left atrium and the left ventricle. When the left ventricle contracts to pump blood throughout the body, the mitral valve closes to prevent the blood being pumped back into the left atrium. In some patients, whether due to genetic malformation, disease or injury, the mitral valve fails to close properly causing a co...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] We have invented tissue shaping devices, sets of tissue shaping devices and methods that maximize the therapeutic effect (i.e., reduction of mitral valve regurgitation) while minimizing adverse effects, such as an unacceptable constriction of the circumflex artery or other coronary arteries. The tissue shaping devices, sets of devices and methods of this invention enable the user to adapt the therapy to the patient's anatomy.

Problems solved by technology

Regurgitation is a serious, often rapidly deteriorating, condition that reduces circulatory efficiency and must be corrected.

Each of these procedures is highly invasive because access to the heart is obtained through an opening in the patient's chest.

Patients with mitral valve regurgitation are often relatively frail thereby increasing the risks associated with such an operation.

Coronary arteries such as the circumflex artery may cross between the coronary sinus and the heart, however, raising the danger that deployment of the support may limit perfusion to a portion of the heart by constricting one of those arteries.

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