Patent US6669687B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6669687B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and methods for treating tissue
Assignee: Auris Health Inc
•
Filing: 2000-06-23
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Granted: 2003-12-30
•
Expires: 2020-06-23
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and methods are provided for thermally or mechanically treating tissue, such as valvular structures, to reconfigure or shrink the tissue in a controlled manner, thereby improving or restoring tissue function. The apparatus comprises a catheter in communication with an end effector. The end effector induces a temperature rise in an annulus of tissue surrounding the leaflets of a valve sufficient to cause shrinkage of the tissue, thereby reducing a diameter of the annulus and causing the valves to close more tightly. Alternatively, the end effector selectively induces a temperature rise in the chordae tendineae sufficient to cause a controlled degree of shortening of the chordae tendineae, thereby enabling the valve leaflets to be properly aligned. In another alternative, the end effector is configured to mechanically shorten the effective length of the chordae tendineae by forcing the tendineae through a tortuous path, again properly aligning the valve leaflets.
Inventors
- 👤 Vahid Saadat
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 07:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/1442; A61B18/1477; A61B18/1492; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B18/24; A61B17/00; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/2926; A61B2017/2945; A61B2018/00005; A61B2018/00011; A61B2018/00023; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00059; A61B2018/00071; A61B2018/00083; A61B2018/00214; A61B2018/0022; A61B2018/00232; A61B2018/00273; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00345; A61B2018/00351; A61B2018/00369; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00773; A61B2018/00791; A61B2018/00797; A61B18/1206; A61B2018/1246; A61B2018/1253; A61B2018/126; A61B2018/1405; A61B2018/1425; A61B2018/1432; A61B2018/1435; A61B90/00; A61B90/39; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2442; A61N; A61N7/00; A61N7/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
Apparatus for treating tissue at a target site to modify flow through a valve, the apparatus comprising: a catheter having a distal end region, the catheter configured for transluminal delivery of the end region to the target site; and an end effector in communication with the distal end region, the end effector configured to approximate the shape of the tissue while transferring energy to the tissue at the target site to induce thermal shrinkage of collagen in the tissue, thereby modifying flow through the valve by reducing a circumference of the valve.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
Apparatus for treating tissue at a target site to modify flow through a valve, the apparatus comprising: a catheter having a distal end region, the catheter configured for transluminal delivery of the end region to the target site; and an end effector in communication with the distal end region, the end effector configured to approximate the shape of the tissue while transferring energy to the tissue at the target site to induce thermal shrinkage of collagen in the tissue, thereby modifying flow through the valve by reducing a circumference of the valve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tissue at the target site comprises an annulus of tissue surrounding a cardiac valve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein modifying flow through the valve comprises reducing a circumference of the cardiac valve.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tissue at the target site comprises a support structure of a cardiac valve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the support structure is chosen from the group consisting of a chordae tendineae and a papillary muscle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein modifying flow through the valve comprises shortening the chordae tendineae to properly align leaflets of the valve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tissue at the target site comprises a leaflet of a cardiac valve.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the end effector comprises a temperature sensor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to penetrate tissue.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a tissue heating element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the tissue heating element is chosen from the group consisting of a monopolar electrode, a pair of bipolar electrodes, an acoustic transducer, a laser fiber coupled to a laser source, and a radiation source.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the monopolar electrode is coupled to an RF source and a reference electrode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein an RF source is coupled between the pair of bipolar electrodes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector has a collapsed delivery configuration within a lumen of the catheter, and an expanded deployed configuration extending out of the lumen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the end effector is configured to penetrate tissue at the target site in the deployed configuration.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the end effector further comprises an electrically insulating coating everywhere except at its distal end.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the end effector is configured to approximate the shape of an annulus in the deployed configuration.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises coolant to minimize surface tissue damage at the target site.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a saline flush.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the catheter further comprises a stabilizer configured to stabilize the catheter within a body lumen.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector is configured to engage tissue.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises an expandable balloon.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a wrapped sheet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises an atraumatic tipped leg.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a mechanical reconfigurer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises barbs.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises an adjustable, heatable loop.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises jaws.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises arms.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a flow-indicating system in communication with the end effector.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the flow-indicating system is chosen from the group consisting of a color Doppler flow echocardiography system, an MRI flow imaging system, and a laser Doppler flow meter.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an ECG gating system in communication with the end effector.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
94 words
A method for altering flow through a valve, the method comprising: providing apparatus comprising a catheter having a distal end region, and an end effector in communication with the end region; transluminally positioning the end effector in communication with tissue at a treatment site in the vicinity of the valve such that the end effector approximates a shape of the tissue; and transferring energy from the end effector to the tissue at the treatment site to shrink collagen in the tissue, thereby altering flow through the valve by reducing a circumference of the valve.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
94 words
A method for altering flow through a valve, the method comprising: providing apparatus comprising a catheter having a distal end region, and an end effector in communication with the end region; transluminally positioning the end effector in communication with tissue at a treatment site in the vicinity of the valve such that the end effector approximates a shape of the tissue; and transferring energy from the end effector to the tissue at the treatment site to shrink collagen in the tissue, thereby altering flow through the valve by reducing a circumference of the valve.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein the treatment site is chosen from the group consisting of an annulus of tissue surrounding a cardiac valve, a support structure of a cardiac valve, a leaflet of a cardiac valve, a chordae tendineae of a cardiac valve, a papillary muscle, a urinary sphincter, a digestive system valve, and a leg vein valve.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein transferring energy from the end effector to the tissue comprises transferring radiofrequency energy to the tissue.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein transferring energy from the end effector to the tissue comprises transferring acoustic energy to the tissue.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein transferring energy from the end effector to the tissue comprises transferring laser energy to the tissue.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 37 , wherein the laser energy has a wavelength in a range of 400 nanometers to 10.6 micrometers.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 38 , wherein the laser energy is provided by a continuous wave Holmium:YAG laser.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein transferring energy from the end effector to the tissue comprises transferring radioactive energy to the tissue.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein transferring energy from the end effector to the tissue comprises transferring chemical energy to the tissue.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein transferring energy from the end effector to the tissue comprises transferring mechanical energy to the tissue.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein transferring energy from the end effector to the tissue comprises elevating a temperature of the tissue to a temperature within a range of 45° C.-75° C.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein transluminally positioning the end effector comprises percutaneously advancing the apparatus through a patient's venous vasculature.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein transluminally positioning the end effector comprises percutaneously advancing the apparatus through a patient's arterial vasculature.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein transluminally positioning the end effector comprises performing a septostomy.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 33 , further comprising synchronizing energy transfer with a repetitive point in a patient's cardiac cycle.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 33 , further comprising monitoring flow through the valve during energy transfer.
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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) | 2006-12-29 | 2007-06-30 | 2007-12-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-12-29 | 2011-06-30 | 2011-12-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-12-29 | 2015-06-30 | 2015-12-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |