Method and device for percutaneous left ventricular reconstruction

Inventors

Chin, Sing-Fatt • Bertolero, Arthur • Annest, Lon S.

Assignees

Bioventrix Inc

Abstract

A method for reducing left ventricular volume, which comprises identifying infracted tissue during open chest surgery; reducing left ventricle volume while preserving the ventricular apex; and realigning the ventricular apex, such that the realigning step comprises closing the lower or apical portion of said ventricle to achieve appropriate functional contractile geometry of said ventricle in a dyskinetic ventricle of a heart.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a system for reducing a chamber volume in a heart by applying suction to an epicardium. A suction device applies suction so that opposing walls of the chamber are brought into contact with one another, and the epicardium is drawn into the suction device, thereby reducing a size of the chamber.

The system further includes a needle configured to penetrate across a first wall and a second wall of the chamber. In the penetrating arrangement, the first wall contacts the second wall during or as the needle penetrates across the first and second walls, and the combination of suction-based approximation and needle penetration supports chamber volume reduction while bringing the opposing walls together.

In embodiments for left ventricular reconstruction in congestive heart failure, infracted tissue in the interventricular septum and left ventricular wall is identified using a sensing element and/or sensing modalities such as pacing, angiography, echocardiography, and tissue Doppler. A catheter-perforating member is advanced through infarcted septum tissue into the left ventricle, and fixation/tension members or proximal and distal fixation/retention elements are deployed and pulled to bring the infarcted septum and left ventricular wall together.

An epicardial thoracoscopic embodiment applies suction to approximate or clamp ventricular walls, optionally using patch material such as woven Dacron or extracellular matrix, and closure stitches. The disclosure also includes visualization approaches using endoscopy, echocardiography, and camera, as well as multiple fixation and suturing approaches to hold ventricular structures in the approximated configuration.

Claims Coverage

The partial content includes one independent claim directed to a suction-and-needle system for reducing a heart chamber volume. Dependent claims refine the independent claim by adding visualization, sensing of infarcted tissue, securing and clamping approaches, patch material options, and minimally invasive delivery constraints.

Across the independent and dependent claims identified in the partial content, the inventive coverage centers on suction applied to the epicardium to draw it into a suction device and bring opposing chamber walls into contact, combined with a needle that penetrates across the opposing walls with contact maintained. The claim set further covers visualization during reduction, sensing of infarcted tissue using specified modalities, clamping and securing the approximated walls, patch material options, and minimally invasive delivery.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications