US6110100A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for stress relieving the heart muscle and for controlling heart function
Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed Inc
•
Filing: 1998-04-22
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Granted: 2000-08-29
•
Expires: 2018-04-22
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for relieving stress on a heart muscle tissue in a wall of a heart having a chamber. A plurality of biocompatible and implantable elongate strips are configured to be connected to the heart wall and disposed about the chamber such that the elongate strips are arranged in spaced relation to one another. The elongate strips are bendable and are sufficiently resistant to elongation such that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the plurality of strips.
Inventors
- 👤 Dnyanesh Talpade
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:47
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2478; A61F2/2481; A61M; A61M60/00; A61M60/10; A61M60/122; A61M60/165; A61M60/191; A61M60/20; A61M60/289; A61M60/50; A61M60/508; A61M60/515; A61M60/538; A61M2205/00; A61M2205/33; A61M2205/3303
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
An apparatus for relieving stress of heart muscle tissue in a wall of a heart having a chamber, the muscle tissue having an epicardium layer, an endocardium layer and a midwall portion between the epicardium and endocardium layers, the epicardium layer, the endocardium layer and the midwall portion extending generally longitudinally to form the wall of the heart, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of biocompatible and implantable elongate strips, elongate in a longitudinal direction, configured to be connected to the heart wall and disposed about the chamber such that the elongate strips are arranged in spaced relation to one another, the elongate strips being bendable and being sufficiently resistant to elongation that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the plurality of strips.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
127 words
An apparatus for relieving stress of heart muscle tissue in a wall of a heart having a chamber, the muscle tissue having an epicardium layer, an endocardium layer and a midwall portion between the epicardium and endocardium layers, the epicardium layer, the endocardium layer and the midwall portion extending generally longitudinally to form the wall of the heart, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of biocompatible and implantable elongate strips, elongate in a longitudinal direction, configured to be connected to the heart wall and disposed about the chamber such that the elongate strips are arranged in spaced relation to one another, the elongate strips being bendable and being sufficiently resistant to elongation that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the plurality of strips.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongate strips are resistant to elongation in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the elongate strips comprises: a longitudinal strut; and a first plurality of protrusions extending from the longitudinal strut in a first direction, the first protrusions being sufficiently resistant to elongation in the first direction such that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the first protrusions in the first direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of the elongate strips comprises: a second plurality of protrusions extending from the longitudinal strut in a second direction, generally opposite the first direction, the second protrusions being sufficiently resistant to elongation in the second direction such that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the second protrusions in the second direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the longitudinal strut and the first and second protrusions are arranged such that when the longitudinal strut is positioned longitudinally in the midwall portion, the first protrusions extend into the epicardium layer and the second protrusions extend into the endocardium layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first protrusions have a generally linear conformation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the second protrusions have a generally T-shaped conformation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the longitudinal strut and the first and second protrusions define a plurality of apertures suitable for receiving sutures.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of elongate strips are connected to the epicardium layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the plurality of strips are connected to one another, in spaced relation to one another to from a cage structure sized to be disposed about the chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the plurality of strips carry a plurality of sensors configured to sense physiological parameters in the wall of the heart and provide sensor signals indicative of the sensed parameters.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to sense stretching of the wall of the heart and provide the sensor signals indicative of the sensed stretching.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 12 and further comprising: a monitor coupled to the plurality of sensors to receive the sensor signals and provide a monitor signal based on the sensor signals; and an input/output device, coupled to the monitor, to receive the monitor signal and provide user observable indicia, indicative of the sensed stretching based on the monitor signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 13 and further comprising: a plurality of electrodes carried by the plurality of strips; and wherein the monitor includes a controller coupled to the electrodes to control application of excitation signals to the electrodes, the electrodes stimulating the heart muscle in response to the excitation signals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the controller is coupled to the sensors and is configured to apply the excitation signals based on the sensor signals.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the controller is configured to apply the excitation signals to all electrodes substantially simultaneously.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the controller is configured to apply the excitation signals to the electrodes sequentially.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the controller is configured to apply the excitation signals to sets of the electrodes sequentially.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the strips define a plurality of apertures therein sized to receive sutures.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongate strips include a drug releasably coupled thereto.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of restricting elongation of heart muscle tissue in a wall of a heart having a chamber, the muscle tissue having an epicardium layer, an endocardium layer and a midwall portion between the epicardium and endocardium layers, the epicardium layer, the endocardium layer and the midwall portion extending generally longitudinally to form the wall of the heart, the method comprising: providing a plurality of biocompatible and implantable elongate strips, elongate in a longitudinal direction, the elongate strips being bendable and being sufficiently resistant to elongation in the longitudinal direction such that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the plurality of strips; and connecting the elongate strips to the heart wall and about the chamber such that the elongate strips are arranged in spaced relation to one another.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of restricting elongation of heart muscle tissue in a wall of a heart having a chamber, the muscle tissue having an epicardium layer, an endocardium layer and a midwall portion between the epicardium and endocardium layers, the epicardium layer, the endocardium layer and the midwall portion extending generally longitudinally to form the wall of the heart, the method comprising: providing a plurality of biocompatible and implantable elongate strips, elongate in a longitudinal direction, the elongate strips being bendable and being sufficiently resistant to elongation in the longitudinal direction such that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the plurality of strips; and connecting the elongate strips to the heart wall and about the chamber such that the elongate strips are arranged in spaced relation to one another.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
126 words
The method of claim 21 wherein providing a plurality of elongate strips comprises providing the elongate strips such that each of the elongate strips comprises: a longitudinal strut; a first plurality of protrusions extending from the longitudinal strut in a first direction, the first protrusions being sufficiently resistant to elongation in the first direction such that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the first protrusions in the first direction; and a second plurality of protrusions extending from the longitudinal strut in a second direction, generally opposite the first direction, the second protrusions being sufficiently resistant to elongation in the second direction such that natural stretching of the heart wall does not cause elongation of the second protrusions in the second direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 22 wherein connecting the elongate strips to the heart comprises: implanting the longitudinal strut longitudinally in the midwall portion; arranging the strip such that the first protrusions extend into the epicardium layer and the second protrusions extend into the endocardium layer; and attaching the longitudinal strut and the first and second protrusions to surrounding tissue in the heart wall.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 23 wherein attaching comprises: attaching utilizing a method which promotes revascularization of the tissue in the heart wall.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 23 wherein the longitudinal strut and the first and second protrusions define a plurality of apertures, and wherein attaching comprises: suturing the longitudinal strut and the first and second protrusions to the surrounding tissue through the apertures.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the plurality of strips are connected to one another, in spaced relation to one another to from a cage structure, and wherein connecting comprises: attaching the cage structure to the heart wall around the chamber.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 26 wherein attaching comprises: implanting first portions of the strips in the heart wall; and connecting second portions of the strips between the between the first portions, to an exterior surface of the epicardium layer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 27 wherein implanting comprises: implanting the first portions in the epicardium layer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 26 wherein providing a plurality of strips comprises: providing a plurality of sensors carried by the elongate strips; sensing, with the sensors, stretching of the wall of the heart; and providing sensor signals indicative of the sensed stretching.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 29 and further comprising: providing user observable indicia, indicative of the sensed stretching, based on the sensor signals.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 30 wherein providing a plurality of elongate strips further comprises: providing a plurality of electrodes carried by the plurality of strips; and controlling application of excitation signals to the electrodes, the electrodes stimulating the heart muscle in response to the excitation signals.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 31 wherein controlling application of excitation signals comprises: applying the excitation signals based on the sensor signals.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 32 wherein applying the excitation signals comprises: applying the excitation signals to all electrodes substantially simultaneously.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 32 wherein applying the excitation signals comprises: applying the excitation signals to the electrodes sequentially.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 34 wherein applying the excitation signals sequentially comprises: applying the excitation signals to sets of the electrodes sequentially.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 26 wherein the strips define a plurality of apertures, and wherein attaching the cage structure comprises: suturing the strips to the heart wall through the apertures.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-29 | 2004-02-28 | 2004-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-29 | 2008-02-28 | 2008-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-29 | 2012-02-28 | 2012-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |