US6503274B1 — Method of implanting a flexible annuloplasty syst…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 142 words

A method of implanting an annuloplasty system in a patient's heart comprising the steps of: providing an annuloplasty band having at least one fiber along its length and a needle attached to one end of said band; inserting said needle adjacent to a first trigone of a valve annulus; maneuvering said needle and said band through tissue of an arterioventricular groove of said annulus; directing said needle and said band to exit said tissue at a first point located in a region near a midpoint area of said arterioventricular groove and reinserting said needle and said band into said tissue at a second point located near said first point of said arterioventricular groove; directing said needle to again exit said tissue at a second trigone of said valve annulus; and securing said band to said valve annulus using a surgical attachment device.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 142 words

A method of implanting an annuloplasty system in a patient's heart comprising the steps of: providing an annuloplasty band having at least one fiber along its length and a needle attached to one end of said band; inserting said needle adjacent to a first trigone of a valve annulus; maneuvering said needle and said band through tissue of an arterioventricular groove of said annulus; directing said needle and said band to exit said tissue at a first point located in a region near a midpoint area of said arterioventricular groove and reinserting said needle and said band into said tissue at a second point located near said first point of said arterioventricular groove; directing said needle to again exit said tissue at a second trigone of said valve annulus; and securing said band to said valve annulus using a surgical attachment device.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said surgical attachment device is a suture.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 2 , wherein said suture penetrates through said band.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of sizing said annuloplasty system using a fit adjuster.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 4 , wherein said sizing step further includes inserting said needle and a portion of said band into a through-hole of said fit adjuster.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 5 , wherein said sizing step further includes using said fit adjuster to position and size said band in said arterioventricular groove until said valve annulus is reconfigured to an optimal shape.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 4 , wherein a retaining suture is affixed to said fit adjuster to minimize the risk of said fit adjuster falling into a ventricle of said heart.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of removing an exposed portion of said annuloplasty system to minimize material exposure to blood flow.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one fiber of said band includes a plurality of fibers interlaced along a length of said band.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 9 , wherein said step of securing said band includes penetrating said suture into said plurality of fibers interlaced along a length of said band.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 9 , wherein said plurality of fibers interlaced along a length of said band are sized to ensure that said suture will catch on said fibers and prevent said suture from tearing out of said band during installation.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 9 , wherein said plurality of fibers is a tubular textile.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 12 , wherein said securing step includes using a suture that penetrates through a tubular textile of said band.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of reinserting is performed so as to minimize distance between said first point and said second point.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of suturing a portion of endocardium to close all entrance and exit sites to minimize blood exposure.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of reinserting is performed so that said needle passes through the same perforation point of the endocardium.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one fiber of said band is a reinforcing filament located in a region near a central core of said band.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 17 , wherein said band has four fibers.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one fiber is non-distensible.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said band is secured to said tissue so that said valve annulus will retain its shape.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 166 words

A method of implanting an annuloplasty system in a patient's heart comprising the steps of: providing an annuloplasty band having a central core and at least one fiber located in a region near the central core and extending linearly along its length and a needle attached to one end of said band; inserting said needle adjacent to a first trigone of a valve annulus; maneuvering said needle and said band through tissue of an arterioventricular groove of said annulus; directing said needle to exit said tissue at a second trigone of said valve annulus; and securing said band to said valve annulus using a surgical attachment device, wherein said central core of said band is formed of a generally cylindrical silicone element, and furthers including a plurality of fibers interlaced around the exterior of the central core, wherein the surgical attachment device is a suture and the method includes threading the suture through the annuloplasty band so that said suture will catch on said interlaced fibers.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 166 words

A method of implanting an annuloplasty system in a patient's heart comprising the steps of: providing an annuloplasty band having a central core and at least one fiber located in a region near the central core and extending linearly along its length and a needle attached to one end of said band; inserting said needle adjacent to a first trigone of a valve annulus; maneuvering said needle and said band through tissue of an arterioventricular groove of said annulus; directing said needle to exit said tissue at a second trigone of said valve annulus; and securing said band to said valve annulus using a surgical attachment device, wherein said central core of said band is formed of a generally cylindrical silicone element, and furthers including a plurality of fibers interlaced around the exterior of the central core, wherein the surgical attachment device is a suture and the method includes threading the suture through the annuloplasty band so that said suture will catch on said interlaced fibers.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 21 , wherein said at least one fiber is a suture.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 21 , wherein said at least one fiber of said band includes a plurality of fibers extending linearly along a length of said band.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 21 , further including facilitating passage of the band through the tissue of the arterioventricular groove by providing an overcoat layer of a lubricious material surrounding the plurality of fibers around the exterior of the central core.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 120 words

A method of implanting an annuloplasty system in a patient's heart comprising the steps of: providing an elongate annuloplasty band having a first end a second end with a needle attached to the second end; inserting said needle adjacent to a first trigone of a valve annulus; maneuvering said needle and said band through tissue of an arterioventricular groove of said annulus; directing said needle to exit said tissue at a second trigone of said valve annulus such that the first and second ends of the band are exposed; securing said fist and second ends of the band to the respective first and second trigones; and removing the exposed portion of said annuloplasty band between the first and second trigones.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 120 words

A method of implanting an annuloplasty system in a patient's heart comprising the steps of: providing an elongate annuloplasty band having a first end a second end with a needle attached to the second end; inserting said needle adjacent to a first trigone of a valve annulus; maneuvering said needle and said band through tissue of an arterioventricular groove of said annulus; directing said needle to exit said tissue at a second trigone of said valve annulus such that the first and second ends of the band are exposed; securing said fist and second ends of the band to the respective first and second trigones; and removing the exposed portion of said annuloplasty band between the first and second trigones.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 57 words

The method of claim 25 , further comprising: directing said needle and said band to exit said tissue at a first point located in a region near a midpoint area of said arterioventricular groove and reinserting said needle and said band into said tissue at a second point located near said first point of said artenoventricular groove.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 26 , wherein said step of reinserting is performed so that said needle passes through a same perforation point of the tissue.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 27 , further comprising the step of suturing the tissue at all insertion and exit sites to minimize blood exposure.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 25 , further comprising the step of suturing the tissue both at the insertion and exit sites to minimize blood exposure.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 25 , further comprising the step of sizing said annuloplasty system using a fit adjuster, the method including engaging the fit adjuster with both the first and second ends of the band.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 30 , wherein a retaining suture is affixed to said fit adjuster to minimize the risk of said fit adjuster falling into a ventricle of said heart in the step of removing the exposed potion of said annuloplasty-band.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2006-01-06	2006-07-08	2007-01-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2010-01-06	2010-07-08	2011-01-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2014-01-06	2014-07-08	2015-01-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of implanting a flexible annuloplasty system

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