Methods for repairing mitral valve annulus percutaneously

Claim 2

1 . A method for operating a device system for repairing an annulus comprising intimately contacting said annulus by a tissue-contactor member having energy-delivering elements and delivering high frequency energy at or near said annulus through said elements, wherein the elements move in a coordinated fashion with movement of the annulus.

Claim 3

2 . The method of claim 1 for repairing an annulus, wherein the step of contacting the annulus is carried out by at least one suction port provided on said tissue-contactor member.

Claim 4

3 . The method of claim 1 for repairing an annulus, wherein the high frequency energy is focused ultrasound energy.

Claim 5

4 . The method of claim 1 for repairing an annulus, wherein the high frequency energy is radiofrequency energy.

Claim 6

5 . The method of claim 1 for repairing an annulus, wherein the high frequency energy is microwave energy.

Claim 7

6 . The method of claim 1 for repairing an annulus, wherein the step of contacting the annulus is carried out by at least one needle mounted on said tissue-contactor member for penetrating into tissue of the annulus.

Claim 8

7 . The method of claim 1 for repairing an annulus, wherein the device system is a catheter for approaching the annulus percutaneously.

Claim 9

8 . The method of claim 1 for repairing an annulus, wherein the device system is a cannula for approaching the annulus through a percutaneous intercostal penetration.

Claim 10

9 . The method of claim 1 for repairing an annulus, wherein the annulus is selected from the group consisting of a mitral valve, a tricuspid valve, a pulmonary valve, an aortic valve, a venous valve, and a sphincter annulus.

Claim 11

10 . The method of claim 1 for repairing an annulus, wherein the high frequency energy is delivered to said energy-releasing elements in a mode selected from the group consisting of individual mode, pulsed mode, programmed mode, and simultaneous mode.

Claim 12

11 . A catheter system for repairing an annular organ structure comprising: a flexible catheter shaft having a distal tip section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end; a flexible tissue-contactor member located at the distal tip section and inside the at least one lumen of said catheter shaft for contacting an inner wall of the annular organ structure, wherein said tissue-contactor member is deployable out of the at least one lumen by a tissue-contactor deployment mechanism and is expandable upon deployment configured to intimately contacting at least a portion of said inner wall of the annular organ structure, the deployed tissue-contactor member moving in a coordinated fashion with movement of the annular organ structure; a plurality of energy-delivery elements located at said tissue-contactor; a handle attached to the proximal end of the catheter shaft, wherein the handle comprises the tissue-contactor deployment mechanism; and a high frequency current generator, wherein an electrical conductor means for transmitting high frequency current to said energy-delivery elements is provided.

Claim 13

11 . A catheter system for repairing an annular organ structure comprising: a flexible catheter shaft having a distal tip section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end; a flexible tissue-contactor member located at the distal tip section and inside the at least one lumen of said catheter shaft for contacting an inner wall of the annular organ structure, wherein said tissue-contactor member is deployable out of the at least one lumen by a tissue-contactor deployment mechanism and is expandable upon deployment configured to intimately contacting at least a portion of said inner wall of the annular organ structure, the deployed tissue-contactor member moving in a coordinated fashion with movement of the annular organ structure; a plurality of energy-delivery elements located at said tissue-contactor; a handle attached to the proximal end of the catheter shaft, wherein the handle comprises the tissue-contactor deployment mechanism; and a high frequency current generator, wherein an electrical conductor means for transmitting high frequency current to said energy-delivery elements is provided.

Claim 14

12 . The catheter system of claim 11 , wherein the energy-delivery elements are strip electrodes located at an outer surface of said tissue-contactor member suitable for contacting said inner wall of the annular organ structure.

Claim 15

13 . The catheter system of claim 12 further comprising at least one temperature sensor mounted at one of the strip electrodes adapted for measuring temperature of the inner wall of the annular organ structure.

Claim 16

14 . The catheter system of claim 11 , wherein the energy-delivery elements comprise arrangement for delivering focused ultrasound energy.

Claim 17

15 . The catheter system of claim 11 , wherein the tissue-contactor member is configured C-shaped with a pulling wire that is programmed enabling to pull and push in a coordinated fashion with movement of the annular organ structure.

Claim 18

16 . The catheter system of claim 11 , wherein the annular organ structure is selected from the group consisting of a mitral valve, a tricuspid valve, a pulmonary valve, an aortic valve, a venous valve, and a sphincter annulus.

Claim 19

17 . The catheter system of claim 11 , wherein the tissue-contactor member is a biocompatible balloon whose fabricating material is selected from the group consisting of silicone, latex, polyurethane, fluoro-elastomer, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, and a combination thereof.

Claim 20

18 . The catheter system of claim 11 , wherein the tissue-contactor member further comprises at least a segment that is longitudinally expandable configured to enable the energy-releasing elements move in a coordinated fashion with the movement of the annular organ structure.

Claim 21

19 . The catheter system of claim 11 , wherein the tissue-contactor member further comprises at least a complete or partial loop made of inflatable balloon material, and wherein the loop is generally preshaped and configured to expand and contract along the annulus in a coordinated fashion with the movement of the annular organ structure.

Claim 22

20 . A cannula system for repairing an annular organ structure comprising: a cannula shaft having a distal tip section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end; a flexible tissue-contactor member located at the distal tip section and inside the at least one lumen of said cannula shaft for contacting an inner wall of the annular organ structure, wherein said tissue-contactor member is deployable out of the at least one lumen by a tissue-contactor deployment mechanism and is expandable upon deployment configured to intimately contacting at least a portion of said inner wall of the annular organ structure, the deployed tissue-contactor member moving in a coordinated fashion with movement of the annular organ structure; a plurality of energy-delivery elements located at said tissue-contactor; a handle attached to the proximal end of the cannula shaft, wherein the handle comprises the tissue-contactor deployment mechanism; and a high frequency current generator, wherein an electrical conductor means for transmitting high frequency current to said energy-delivery elements is provided.

Claim 23

20 . A cannula system for repairing an annular organ structure comprising: a cannula shaft having a distal tip section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end; a flexible tissue-contactor member located at the distal tip section and inside the at least one lumen of said cannula shaft for contacting an inner wall of the annular organ structure, wherein said tissue-contactor member is deployable out of the at least one lumen by a tissue-contactor deployment mechanism and is expandable upon deployment configured to intimately contacting at least a portion of said inner wall of the annular organ structure, the deployed tissue-contactor member moving in a coordinated fashion with movement of the annular organ structure; a plurality of energy-delivery elements located at said tissue-contactor; a handle attached to the proximal end of the cannula shaft, wherein the handle comprises the tissue-contactor deployment mechanism; and a high frequency current generator, wherein an electrical conductor means for transmitting high frequency current to said energy-delivery elements is provided.