Heart support to prevent ventricular remodeling

Abstract

This is a support device that prevents, reduces, and delays remodeling of diseased cardiac tissue, and also decreases the impact of such remodeling on collateral tissue is disclosed. The invention further reinforces abnormal tissue regions to prevent over-expansion of the tissue due to increased afterload and excessive wall tension. As a result, the support device prevents phenomenon such as systolic stretch from occurring and propagating. The support structure maintains and restores diastolic compliance, wall motion, and ejection fraction to preserve heart functionality. As such, the support device prevents and treats cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60 / 231,075, filed Sep. 8, 2000, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention is directed towards the transfer of energy from viable tissue regions to less viable or non-viable regions, thereby preventing, compensating for, or treating tissue responses to ischemia, infarction, or other abnormalities. In particular, this invention is directed towards the prevention, reduction, and delay of the remodeling of diseased cardiac tissue and the prevention and treatment of cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Ischemic injury causes tissue remodeling over time. This produces dyssynchronous, hypokinetic, dyskinetic or akinetic tissue function. One mechanism that perpetuates tissue remodeling (termed systolic stretch) occurs when viable ventricular tissue contracts, prod...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] The present invention addresses deficiencies associated with prior approaches of purely reducing the end-diastolic diameter of the heart or preventing over-stressing of cardiac tissue. The approach described by this invention uses a heart support structure to transfer energy, in the form of contraction and expansion, from viable heart tissue to less viable or non-viable heart tissue. This structure prevents, compensates for, or treats tissue responses to ischemia, infarction, or other abnormalities.

[0007] The embodiments of the invention maintain diastolic compliance of the cardiac tissue and synchronize the expansion and contraction of the diseased tissue to that of viable tissue in order to restore systolic ejection and diastolic filling. This improves wall motion and better restores normal functionality of the heart. As a result, the embodiments of the invention prevent, reduce, and / or delay remodeling of the diseased tissue, decrease the impact of such remodeling on collateral tissue, and preserve all phases of the cardiac cycle.

[0008] The embodiments of the invention are also useful in reinforcing abnormal tissue regions to prevent over-expansion of the tissue due to increased afterload and excessive wall tension. As a result, the dyssynchrony, hypokinesis, dyskinesis or akinesis, which occurs when tissue remodels over time, is inhibited. As such, the embodiments of the invention prevent progressive cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

[0010] The present invention also provides enhancements to the overall system to continue to make positioning and securing the heart support structure amenable to less invasive procedures, such an endoscopic, port access approaches. In addition, the present invention enables catheterization approaches to position and secure the heart support structure.

Problems solved by technology

Ischemic injury causes tissue remodeling over time.

This bulging of the less viable or non-viable tissue dissipates the pumping force of the heart and adversely impacts cardiac output.

However, the degree of systolic stretch progressively increases over time, continuing to reduce cardiac output, enlarge the volume of remodeled tissue, and exacerbate the potential for rupture of the affected tissue.

In reducing the volume of the left ventricle, investigators have observed a decrease in mitral regurgitation but a concomitant decrease in diastolic compliance.

This decreases diastolic filling, which adversely impacts the complete cardiac cycle.

The tethers and bands only limit local wall tension and maximal end-diastolic diameter; they do not directly assist in systolic ejection or diastolic filling of the heart.

Nor do they distribute loading over a large region of heart tissue.

Images