Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080262609 | SEGMENTED RING PLACEMENT - Apparatus is provided for repairing a valve of a patient, the valve including an annulus and at least first and second leaflets. The apparatus includes at least a first discrete segment and a second discrete segment of an annuloplasty structure, each segment being shaped to provide a respective lateral wall, each lateral wall being shaped to define at least one lumen of the respective segment. The apparatus further includes at least a first and a second control wire, each control wire configured for sliding advancement through both the first and second segments. The first control wire is configured to control a relative disposition of a first end of the first segment and a first end of the second segment. The second control wire is configured to control a relative disposition of a second end of the first segment and a second end of the second segment. Other embodiments are also described. | 10-23-2008 |
20090259307 | SEGMENTED RING PLACEMENT - Apparatus is provided for repairing a valve of a heart of a patient which includes an annulus and at least first and second leaflets. The apparatus includes an annuloplasty structure, a plurality of tissue anchors, and a plurality of flexible longitudinal guide members removably coupled to the structure. Each of the guide members is configured to facilitate anchoring of the annuloplasty structure to the annulus of the patient by a respective one of the anchors. The guide members are configured to be advanced toward the annulus simultaneously with the annuloplasty structure. Other embodiments are also described. | 10-15-2009 |
20100211166 | ACTIVELY-ENGAGEABLE MOVEMENT-RESTRICTION MECHANISM FOR USE WITH AN ANNULOPLASTY STRUCTURE - Apparatus is provided, including a locking mechanism, an implant, and a flexible strip within the implant having a plurality of recesses. A perimeter of the strip shortens and expands when the first end of the strip is advanced bidirectionally with respect to a second end of the strip. The locking mechanism includes a moveable recess-engaging portion, a mechanical support removably coupled to the recess-engaging portion, and a force applicator which maintains the recess-engaging portion in a position in which the recess-engaging portion is not disposed in any of the recesses. Upon decoupling of the mechanical support from the recess-engaging portion, the force applicator restricts motion of the plurality of recesses of the strip with respect to the second end of the strip, by facilitating positioning of the recess-engaging portion in one of the plurality of recesses. Other embodiments are also described. | 08-19-2010 |
20100280604 | OVER-WIRE ROTATION TOOL - Apparatus is provided that includes an implant structure, which includes a contracting mechanism, which includes a rotatable structure, arranged such that rotation of the rotatable structure contracts the implant structure. A longitudinal member is coupled to the contracting mechanism. A tool for rotating the rotatable structure is configured to be guided along the longitudinal member, to engage the rotatable structure, and to rotate the rotatable structure in response to a rotational force applied to the tool. Other embodiments are also described. | 11-04-2010 |
20100280605 | DEPLOYMENT TECHNIQUES FOR ANNULOPLASTY RING - An anchor driver is provided that includes a driver head having a flexible ring. An anchor is provided that includes a coupling head, which is shaped so as to define: (a) one or more mating elements that engage mechanical coupling elements of the driver head such that rotation of the mechanical coupling elements rotates the mating elements, which in turn rotate the coupling head, and (b) an outer coupling surface, sized to be inserted into and engage the flexible ring. The anchor also includes a tissue coupling element fixed to the coupling head. The rotation of the mechanical coupling elements causes the tissue coupling element of the anchor to screw itself into tissue, thereby causing separation of: (a) the outer coupling surface of the coupling head from the flexible ring, and (b) the mating elements of the coupling head from the corresponding mechanical coupling elements. Other embodiments are also described. | 11-04-2010 |
20110166649 | ANNULOPLASTY DEVICES AND METHODS OF DELIVER THEREFOR - Apparatus is provided, including a tube ( | 07-07-2011 |
20120022557 | MULTIPLE ANCHOR DELIVERY TOOL - An anchor deployment tool includes a flexible outer tube, within which is positioned a flexible inner shaft, and a rotating deployment element coupled to a distal end of the shaft. The tool is configured to provide an anchor storage area, which initially stores a plurality of tissue anchors, such that the inner shaft passes through channels of the anchors along entire longitudinal lengths of the anchors, and the anchors are within the outer tube. The rotating deployment element is configured to directly engage the anchors in the anchor storage area one at a time, advance each of the anchors while engaged in a distal direction, and deploy each of the anchors through the distal tube end and into tissue of a subject. Other embodiments are also described. | 01-26-2012 |
20120136436 | ADJUSTABLE ANNULOPLASTY DEVICES AND ADJUSTMENT MECHANISMS THEREFOR - Apparatus is provided including an implant structure ( | 05-31-2012 |
20120330411 | CLOSED BAND FOR PERCUTANEOUS ANNULOPLASTY - An implantable structure includes a flexible sleeve, having first and second sleeve ends, and a contracting assembly, which is configured to longitudinally contract the sleeve, and includes a contracting mechanism, which is disposed longitudinally at a first site of the sleeve, and a longitudinal contracting member, having (a) a first member end, (b) a second member end, which is coupled to the sleeve longitudinally at a second site longitudinally between the first site and the second sleeve end, exclusive, and (c) a first member end portion, which is coupled to the contracting mechanism. The sleeve is arranged in a closed loop, such that first and second portions of the sleeve together define a longitudinally overlapping portion of the sleeve. The implantable structure is configured such that the contracting assembly longitudinally applies a longitudinal contracting force only between the first and the second sites, and not along the overlapping portion. | 12-27-2012 |
20140018914 | OVER-WIRE IMPLANT CONTRACTION METHODS - Apparatus is provided that includes an implant structure, which includes a contracting mechanism, which includes a rotatable structure, arranged such that rotation of the rotatable structure contracts the implant structure. A longitudinal member is coupled to the contracting mechanism. A tool for rotating the rotatable structure is configured to be guided along the longitudinal member, to engage the rotatable structure, and to rotate the rotatable structure in response to a rotational force applied to the tool. Other embodiments are also described. | 01-16-2014 |
20140094903 | IMPLANTATION OF REPAIR CHORDS IN THE HEART - Apparatus is provided, including first and second longitudinal members coupled at respective first portions thereof to tissue surrounding the ventricle. The first portion of at least the first longitudinal member is coupled to a tissue anchor, and respective second portions of the first and second longitudinal members are coupled to respective first and second leaflets of a cardiac valve. The longitudinal members are arranged with respect to the tissue anchor and the portion of tissue surrounding the ventricle in a manner which facilitates adjustment of a degree of tension of the first and second longitudinal members to draw the first and second leaflets together. A longitudinal-member-coupling device is coupled to the first and second longitudinal members, and is advanceable toward a ventricular surface of the first and second leaflets, and responsively to draw together the first and second longitudinal members. Other applications are also described. | 04-03-2014 |
20140148898 | MITRAL VALVE TREATMENT TECHNIQUES - A method is provided for treating mitral valve regurgitation, including inserting a band around between 90 and 270 degrees of a mitral valve of a heart, including around at least a portion of a posterior cusp of the valve, in a space defined by (a) a ventricular wall, (b) a ventricular surface of the posterior cusp in a vicinity of an annulus of the valve, and (c) a plurality of chordae tendineae of one or more types of chordae tendineae selected from the group consisting of: second-order chordae tendineae and third-order chordae tendineae. The method also includes applying pressure to the posterior cusp by inflating the band. | 05-29-2014 |