Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for delivering a medical device into the myocardium of a patient, comprising: delivering a guidewire into the patient, the guidewire once delivered having a proximal end extending out of the patient and a distal end positioned adjacent the myocardium; inserting the distal end of the guidewire into the myocardium; creating a passage in the myocardium by expansion of an expandable member; and after creating the passage, advancing an introducer catheter carrying the medical device over the guidewire to deliver the device into the myocardium.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for delivering a medical device into the myocardium of a patient, comprising: delivering a guidewire into the patient, the guidewire once delivered having a proximal end extending out of the patient and a distal end positioned adjacent the myocardium; inserting the distal end of the guidewire into the myocardium; creating a passage in the myocardium by expansion of an expandable member; and after creating the passage, advancing an introducer catheter carrying the medical device over the guidewire to deliver the device into the myocardium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the guidewire is delivered percutaneously into the patient.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the distal end of the guidewire is advanced through a blockage in a coronary artery.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the distal end of the guidewire is advanced through a coronary vein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the distal end of the guidewire is advanced into the left ventricle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising advancing a delivery catheter into the patient prior to delivering the guidewire, the delivery catheter comprising a tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough, until the distal end of the delivery catheter is positioned adjacent the myocardium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
105 words
The method of claim 6 , further comprising turning the distal end of the guidewire toward the myocardium prior to inserting the distal end of the guidewire, by: actuating an anchoring member mounted on the distal end of the delivery catheter to secure the delivery catheter within the patient; and actuating a steering member mounted on the distal end of the tubular body at a position distal to that of the anchoring member to turn the distal end of the delivery catheter toward the myocardium; and advancing the guidewire through the lumen in the delivery catheter and out the distal end of the delivery catheter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the guidewire is a tip-deflecting wire, and further comprising turning the distal end of the guidewire toward the myocardium prior to inserting the distal end of the guidewire by actuating the tip-deflecting wire.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: providing a passageway adjacent the myocardium having a proximal opening for receiving the distal end of the guidewire and a side port exit facing the myocardium; wherein delivering the guidewire comprises advancing the distal end of the guidewire through the passageway toward the myocardium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the passageway is provided through a lumen in a delivery catheter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the passageway is provided through an anchoring member mounted to a distal end of a delivery catheter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising anchoring the guidewire to the myocardium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein anchoring the guidewire to the myocardium comprises providing at least one barb attached to the distal end of the guidewire, the barb having a shape that facilitates advancement of the guidewire distally through the myocardium but prevents retraction of the guidewire proximally.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein inserting the distal end of the guidewire into the myocardium comprises advancing the guidewire from a coronary blood vessel until the distal end extends into the left ventricle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein anchoring the guidewire further comprises expanding an anchoring member mounted on the distal end of the guidewire within the left ventricle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein the anchoring member is an inflatable balloon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein advancing the introducer catheter carrying a medical device further comprises: member into the aneurysm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of creating a passage includes advancing a second introducer catheter into the myocardium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the expandable member is inflatable.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method fo claim 19 , wherein the expandable member is a balloon.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for delivering a medical device into a body tissue of a patient comprising: inserting a guidewire having a proximal end and a distal end into the myocardium from a coronary blood vessel; anchoring the guidewire to the body tissue; pushing the medical device over the guidewire into the body tissue; and pulling on the proximal end of the guidewire while advancing the medical device through the body tissue.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for delivering a medical device into a body tissue of a patient comprising: inserting a guidewire having a proximal end and a distal end into the myocardium from a coronary blood vessel; anchoring the guidewire to the body tissue; pushing the medical device over the guidewire into the body tissue; and pulling on the proximal end of the guidewire while advancing the medical device through the body tissue.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 21 , wherein anchoring the guidewire comprises actuating an expandable member.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the expandable member is an inflatable balloon.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 21 , further comprising providing at least one barb on the distal end of the guidewire to anchor the guidewire to the myocardium.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
198 words
A method for delivering a stent into the myocardium of a patient to bypass a blockage formed in a coronary artery, comprising: advancing a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough from the proximal end to a distal opening through the coronary artery of the patient until the distal opening is past the blockage; turning the catheter so that the distal opening faces the myocardium; extending a wire having a proximal end and a distal end through the distal opening such that the distal end punctures into the myocardium; anchoring the distal end of the wire to the myocardium; delivering a dilation catheter over the wire, the catheter carrying a dilation balloon on a distal end thereof, until the balloon is within the myocardium; inflating the dilation balloon to create an opening in the myocardium; deflating the dilation balloon and removing the dilation catheter from the wire; delivering a stent introducer catheter over the wire, the stent introducer catheter carrying a stent on a distal end thereof, until the stent is located within the opening in the myocardium, and deploying the stent within the opening in the myocardium.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
198 words
A method for delivering a stent into the myocardium of a patient to bypass a blockage formed in a coronary artery, comprising: advancing a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough from the proximal end to a distal opening through the coronary artery of the patient until the distal opening is past the blockage; turning the catheter so that the distal opening faces the myocardium; extending a wire having a proximal end and a distal end through the distal opening such that the distal end punctures into the myocardium; anchoring the distal end of the wire to the myocardium; delivering a dilation catheter over the wire, the catheter carrying a dilation balloon on a distal end thereof, until the balloon is within the myocardium; inflating the dilation balloon to create an opening in the myocardium; deflating the dilation balloon and removing the dilation catheter from the wire; delivering a stent introducer catheter over the wire, the stent introducer catheter carrying a stent on a distal end thereof, until the stent is located within the opening in the myocardium, and deploying the stent within the opening in the myocardium.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
87 words
A method for creating a passage defined by a heart wall, comprising: inserting a guidewire through the heart wall such that a portion of the guidewire rests in the heart wall; positioning an expandable member over the portion of the guidewire in the heart wall; expanding the expandable member within the heart wall to form the passage in the heart wall; removing the expandable member from the heart wall; and after removal of the expandable member, delivering a stent to the passage formed in the heart wall.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
87 words
A method for creating a passage defined by a heart wall, comprising: inserting a guidewire through the heart wall such that a portion of the guidewire rests in the heart wall; positioning an expandable member over the portion of the guidewire in the heart wall; expanding the expandable member within the heart wall to form the passage in the heart wall; removing the expandable member from the heart wall; and after removal of the expandable member, delivering a stent to the passage formed in the heart wall.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein positioning the expandable member includes disposing the expandable member on a catheter and advancing the catheter over the guidewire until the expandable member is over the portion of the guidewire in the heart wall.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein prior to inserting the guidewire through the heart wall, a distal end of the guidewire penetrates a wall of a coronary vessel.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 28 , wherein the coronary vessel is a coronary artery and the distal end of the guidewire penetrates the posterior wall of the coronary artery.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 29 , wherein the guidewire enters the coronary vessel percutaneously.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein the stent is configured to have a diameter such that the stent lies flush with the passage.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 31 , wherein delivering the expandable member includes advancing a first catheter over the guidewire, the expandable member being disposed on the first catheter, and wherein delivering the stent includes advancing a second catheter over the guidewire, the stent being disposed on the second catheter.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 31 , wherein delivering the stent includes delivering the stent in a collapsed configuration to the passage formed in the heart wall and expanding the stent in the passage so that the stent lies flush with the passage.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein expanding the stent includes providing a second expandable member which carries the stent during delivery to the passage and expanding the second expandable member in the passage to thereby expand the stent.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 34 , wherein expanding the expandable members includes inflating the expandable members.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein delivering the stent includes disposing the stent on a catheter and advancing the catheter over the guidewire and into the passage.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein the passage connects the left ventricle to the coronary artery.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein the expandable member and the stent are on separate catheters.