US6663558B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Expandable cardiac harness for treating congestive heart failure
Assignee: Paracor Medical Inc
•
Filing: 2001-09-10
•
Granted: 2003-12-16
•
Expires: 2021-09-10
Abstract
Abstract A cardiac harness for treating congestive heart failure is disclosed. The harness applies elastic, compressive reinforcement on the left ventricle to reduce deleterious wall tension and to resist shape change of the ventricle during the mechanical cardiac cycle. Rather than imposing a dimension beyond which the heart cannot expand, the harness provides no hard limit over the range of diastolic expansion of the ventricle. Instead, the harness follows the contour of the heart throughout diastole and continuously exerts gentle resistance to stretch. Also disclosed is a method of delivering the cardiac harness to the heart minimally invasively.
Inventors
- 👤 Lilip Lau
- 👤 Bill Hartigan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 22:56
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2478; A61F2/2481; A61M; A61M60/00; A61M60/10; A61M60/122; A61M60/126; A61M60/148; A61M60/165; A61M60/191; A61M60/40; A61M60/424; A61M60/438; A61M60/80; A61M60/855; A61M60/871; A61M60/873; A61M60/882; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/05; A61N1/0587; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/36; A61N1/362; A61N1/3627; A61F2/0063; A61F2002/0072; A61F2002/2484; A61M2205/00; A61M2205/02; A61M2205/0266; A61M2205/33; A61M2205/3303; A61M2205/35; A61M2205/3507; A61M2205/3523; A61M2205/82; A61M2205/8206; A61M2205/8237; A61M2205/8243; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49995
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus, comprising: a cardiac harness having first and second transversely extending series of spring elements, said first and second series of spring elements mechanically longitudinally coupled to each other by a longitudinally expandable member, said harness adapted to be placed about at least a cardiac base region defined generally adjacent and below an atrioventricular groove of a heart; wherein said spring elements are configured to interact such that said harness expands and contracts in a substantially transverse dimension of said harness in the region of the cardiac base in response to the mechanical cardiac cycle, wherein any longitudinal foreshortening of said harness in the region of the cardiac base is substantially decoupled from expansion of the harness in the transverse dimension.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus, comprising: a cardiac harness having first and second transversely extending series of spring elements, said first and second series of spring elements mechanically longitudinally coupled to each other by a longitudinally expandable member, said harness adapted to be placed about at least a cardiac base region defined generally adjacent and below an atrioventricular groove of a heart; wherein said spring elements are configured to interact such that said harness expands and contracts in a substantially transverse dimension of said harness in the region of the cardiac base in response to the mechanical cardiac cycle, wherein any longitudinal foreshortening of said harness in the region of the cardiac base is substantially decoupled from expansion of the harness in the transverse dimension.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said spring elements comprise Nitinol.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cardiac harness comprises a strip comprising a plurality of spring elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the strip is sized and configured to fit circumferentially around the base portion of the heart.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the harness comprises a plurality of strips, each strip comprising a plurality of spring elements, and the strips are arranged substantially adjacent to one another.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interconnecting element is substantially elastic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the interconnecting element comprises a spring element.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
118 words
An apparatus, comprising: a cardiac harness having first and second longitudinally extending series of spring elements, said first and second series of spring elements mechanically transversely coupled to each other by a transversely expandable member, said harness adapted to be placed on or adjacent an epicardium of a heart at a region adjacent at least a cardiac apex; wherein said spring elements interact such that said harness expands and contracts in a substantially longitudinal dimension of said harness in the region of the cardiac apex in response to the mechanical cardiac cycle, wherein any transverse foreshortening of said harness in the region of the cardiac apex is substantially decoupled from expansion of the harness in the longitudinal dimension.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
118 words
An apparatus, comprising: a cardiac harness having first and second longitudinally extending series of spring elements, said first and second series of spring elements mechanically transversely coupled to each other by a transversely expandable member, said harness adapted to be placed on or adjacent an epicardium of a heart at a region adjacent at least a cardiac apex; wherein said spring elements interact such that said harness expands and contracts in a substantially longitudinal dimension of said harness in the region of the cardiac apex in response to the mechanical cardiac cycle, wherein any transverse foreshortening of said harness in the region of the cardiac apex is substantially decoupled from expansion of the harness in the longitudinal dimension.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said spring elements comprise Nitinol.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the spring elements comprises a pair of arm members connected at a center portion, the spring elements configured so that moving the arms relative to each other creates a bending moment in the center portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the spring elements comprise metal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of spring elements are connected to one another, and wherein the spring elements are unitarily formed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 10 , comprising a plurality of elongate strips disposed in the apex region and extending generally longitudinally, each of the strips comprising at least one spring element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the strips are connected to one another.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
75 words
An apparatus, comprising: plural elongate strips sized to fit around at least a base of a ventricle of a head, such that said strips extend substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the heart, said strips longitudinally mechanically coupled to each other by a longitudinally expandable member and comprising respective spring elements, said spring elements elongating in the transverse direction in response to expansion of the ventricle without applying substantial longitudinal forces between adjacent strips.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
75 words
An apparatus, comprising: plural elongate strips sized to fit around at least a base of a ventricle of a head, such that said strips extend substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the heart, said strips longitudinally mechanically coupled to each other by a longitudinally expandable member and comprising respective spring elements, said spring elements elongating in the transverse direction in response to expansion of the ventricle without applying substantial longitudinal forces between adjacent strips.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein at least one of said strips surrounds the heart.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said strips surround the left ventricle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said strips surround the right ventricle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said strips comprise at least one undulating strand.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said at least one spring element comprises a central portion and two arm portions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said at least one spring element comprises Nitinol.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus for treating or preventing congestive heart failure, comprising: a cardiac harness comprising a plurality of interconnected spring elements, the harness having a base portion and an apex portion, the base and apex portions being sized and configured to be fitted to a base region and an apex region, respectively, of a patient's heart; an array of spring elements in the base portion, the array comprising at least one strip comprising a plurality of spring elements configured to elastically extend in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the heart; and an array of spring elements in the apex portion, the array comprising at least one strip comprising a plurality of spring elements configured to elastically extend in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus for treating or preventing congestive heart failure, comprising: a cardiac harness comprising a plurality of interconnected spring elements, the harness having a base portion and an apex portion, the base and apex portions being sized and configured to be fitted to a base region and an apex region, respectively, of a patient's heart; an array of spring elements in the base portion, the array comprising at least one strip comprising a plurality of spring elements configured to elastically extend in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the heart; and an array of spring elements in the apex portion, the array comprising at least one strip comprising a plurality of spring elements configured to elastically extend in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the base portion comprises a plurality of strips, each of the strips comprising a plurality of spring elements.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the base portion strips are movable relative to one another.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 24 , additionally comprising interconnecting elements extending between adjacent strips, wherein the interconnecting elements are substantially elastic.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the apex portion comprises a plurality of strips, each of the strips comprising a plurality of spring elements.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the apex portion strips are movable relative to one another.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 27 additionally comprising interconnecting elements extending between adjacent strips, wherein the interconnecting elements are substantially elastic.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the harness is substantially unitarily formed.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the spring elements in the harness do not overlap each other.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2826193A
Cited
US3513836A
Cited
US3464322A
Cited
US3587567A
Cited
US3613672A
Cited
US3983863A
Cited
US4048990A
Cited
US4192293A
Cited
US4261342A
Cited
US4372293A
Cited
GB2115287B
Cited
SU1009457A1
Cited
US4428375A
Cited
US4536893A
Cited
US4403604A
Cited
FR2527435B1
Cited
US4630597A
Cited
US4628937A
Cited
US4690134A
Cited
US4957477A
Cited
US4840626A
Cited
US4878890A
Cited
US4936857A
Cited
EP0280564B1
Cited
US4827932A
Cited
US4821723A
Cited
EP0583012B1
Cited
US5098369A
Cited
US4834707A
Cited
DE3831540C2
Cited
GB2209678B
Cited
US4960424A
Cited
US4976730A
Cited
EP0370931A1
Cited
FR2645739A1
Cited
US5057117A
Cited
US4973300A
Cited
US5189711A
Cited
SU1734767A1
Cited
US5087243A
Cited
US5131905A
Cited
US5429584A
Cited
US5119804A
Cited
US5169381A
Cited
US5197978A
Cited
US5197978B1
Cited
US5584803A
Cited
US5150706A
Cited
US5984857A
Cited
US5290217A
Cited
US5524633A
Cited
US5192314A
Cited
US5593441A
Cited
US5352184A
Cited
US5695525A
Cited
US5647372A
Cited
US5383840A
Cited
US5558617A
Cited
US5256132A
Cited
US5279539A
Cited
US5336254A
Cited
US5356432B1
Cited
US5356432A
Cited
US5571215A
Cited
US6125852A
Cited
US5848962A
Cited
US5533958A
Cited
US5800334A
Cited
US5385528A
Cited
US5385156A
Cited
US5910124A
Cited
US5507779A
Cited
US5509428A
Cited
US5582616A
Cited
US5593424A
Cited
US5433727A
Cited
US5749839A
Cited
US5545210A
Cited
US5534024A
Cited
US5603337A
Cited
US5990378A
Cited
US5647380A
Cited
US5849005A
Cited
US5865791A
Cited
US5713954A
Cited
US5800528A
Cited
US6224540B1
Cited
US5957977A
Cited
US6221103B1
Cited
US20020022880A1
Cited
US20020007216A1
Cited
US5782746A
Cited
US5853422A
Cited
US5979456A
Cited
US5976069A
Cited
US6126590A
Cited
US5702343A
Cited
US6165121A
Cited
US6077218A
Cited
US6165122A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-12-15 | 2007-06-16 | 2007-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-12-15 | 2011-06-16 | 2011-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-12-15 | 2015-06-16 | 2015-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |