US6702732B1 — Expandable cardiac harness for treating congestiv…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 120 words

A cardiac harness for placement about an outer surface of a patient's heart having a longitudinal axis, the harness comprising: a plurality of elastic bending hinges interconnected to bear load applied thereto by the heart wall, each bending hinge comprising a central portion connected on opposite sides to respective arm portions, said arm portions interacting with said central portion in response to deflection of said arm portions to create a bending moment in said hinge to store potential energy, wherein at least some of said hinges are arranged so that deflection of said arm portions in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis creates the bending moment, and wherein said applied load is carried substantially entirely by said bending hinges.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 120 words

A cardiac harness for placement about an outer surface of a patient's heart having a longitudinal axis, the harness comprising: a plurality of elastic bending hinges interconnected to bear load applied thereto by the heart wall, each bending hinge comprising a central portion connected on opposite sides to respective arm portions, said arm portions interacting with said central portion in response to deflection of said arm portions to create a bending moment in said hinge to store potential energy, wherein at least some of said hinges are arranged so that deflection of said arm portions in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis creates the bending moment, and wherein said applied load is carried substantially entirely by said bending hinges.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

The cardiac harness of claim 1 , wherein said bending hinges are substantially U-shaped.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 14 words

The cardiac harness of claim 1 , wherein said bending hinges are substantially V-shaped.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

The cardiac harness of claim 1 , wherein said bending hinges are substantially square-wave-shaped.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

The cardiac harness of claim 1 , wherein said bending hinges are substantially teardrop-shaped.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 14 words

The cardiac harness of claim 1 , wherein said bending hinges are substantially keyhole-shaped.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 31 words

The cardiac harness of claim 1 , wherein at least one of aid bending hinges from a first row is connected to another of said bending hinges from a second row.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

The cardiac harness of claim 7 , wherein the first row is movable relative to the second row.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

The cardiac harness of claim 8 , wherein the first row is connected to the second row via a spring element.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

The cardiac harness of claim 1 , wherein said bending hinges are formed from at least one strand of Nitinol.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 16 words

The cardiac harness of claim 10 , wherein said at least one strand comprises a wire.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 16 words

The cardiac harness of claim 10 , wherein said at least one strand comprises a ribbon.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 23 words

The cardiac harness of claim 1 , further comprising a power source that supplies energy to said harness, causing said harness to contract.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 35 words

The cardiac harness of claim 13 , wherein said power source delivers electrical energy to at least one of said bending hinges, causing at least one of said bending hinges to produce said bending moment.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 21 words

The cardiac harness of claim 13 , wherein said power source delivers mechanical energy to said cardiac harness through a cable.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 17 words

The cardiac harness of claim 13 , wherein said power source is programmable via transcutaneous radiofrequency signals.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 17 words

The cardiac harness of claim 13 , wherein said power source is rechargeable via transcutaneous electromagnetic coupling.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 18 words

The cardiac harness of claim 13 , wherein said power source is rechargeable via transcutaneous inductive field coupling.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 104 words

A cardiac harness comprising: a series of interconnected spring elements, each spring element comprising: a central portion; and a pair of arm portions extending along respective paths that originate at respective sides of the central portion and converge toward each other along at least a portion of said paths as said paths extend away from said central portion, wherein the series of interconnected spring elements are configured and arranged to fit about at least a portion of a patient's epicardium in a manner so that the arms deflect in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the heart when the heart expands.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 104 words

A cardiac harness comprising: a series of interconnected spring elements, each spring element comprising: a central portion; and a pair of arm portions extending along respective paths that originate at respective sides of the central portion and converge toward each other along at least a portion of said paths as said paths extend away from said central portion, wherein the series of interconnected spring elements are configured and arranged to fit about at least a portion of a patient's epicardium in a manner so that the arms deflect in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the heart when the heart expands.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 16 words

The harness of claim 19 , wherein at least one of said spring elements comprises Nitinol.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 40 words

The cardiac harness of claim 19 , wherein the series of interconnected spring elements is configured to be elastically extendable in a first direction without being substantially lengthened or shortened in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 29 words

The cardiac harness of claim 19 , wherein the arms of at least one of the spring elements are longer than the arms of another of the spring elements.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 17 words

The cardiac harness of claim 19 , wherein the series of interconnected spring elements are unitarily formed.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 19 words

The cardiac harness of claim 23 , wherein the series of interconnected spring elements is arranged in a ring.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 102 words

A cardiac harness for placement about a patient's heart, comprising: a series of interconnected spring elements arranged circumferentially around a longitudinal axis, at least some of the spring elements of the series being elastically extendable in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis, the series of interconnected spring elements configured so that when the at least some spring elements are extended in the transverse direction, the series collectively exerts a compressive force directed generally toward the longitudinal axis, said spring elements being sufficiently elastic such that said spring elements do not limit end-diastolic volume of the heart during the cardiac cycle.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 102 words

A cardiac harness for placement about a patient's heart, comprising: a series of interconnected spring elements arranged circumferentially around a longitudinal axis, at least some of the spring elements of the series being elastically extendable in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis, the series of interconnected spring elements configured so that when the at least some spring elements are extended in the transverse direction, the series collectively exerts a compressive force directed generally toward the longitudinal axis, said spring elements being sufficiently elastic such that said spring elements do not limit end-diastolic volume of the heart during the cardiac cycle.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 17 words

The cardiac harness of claim 25 , wherein the series of interconnected spring elements is unitarily formed.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 21 words

The cardiac harness of claim 26 , wherein the series of interconnected spring elements is formed from a sheet of material.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 29 words

The cardiac harness of claim 25 , comprising a second series of interconnected spring elements arranged adjacent to and generally parallel to the first series of interconnected spring elements.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 25 words

The cardiac harness of claim 28 , wherein the first series of interconnected spring elements does not overlap the second series of interconnected spring elements.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 15 words

The cardiac harness of claim 25 , wherein the cardiac harness is formed of metal.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 15 words

The cardiac harness of claim 30 , wherein the cardiac harness is formed of Nitinol.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 41 words

The cardiac harness of claim 25 , wherein the series of interconnected spring elements is sized and configured to fit circumferentially around a patient's heart, and to exert an inwardly-directed compressive force over at least a portion of the cardiac cycle.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 25 words

The cardiac harness of claim 32 , wherein the series of interconnected spring elements exerts an inwardly-directed compressive force over substantially the entire cardiac cycle.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 27 words

The cardiac harness of claim 32 , wherein the cardiac harness is configured to exert a compressive force in the range of compliance of a native pericardium.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 30 words

The cardiac harness of claim 32 , wherein the cardiac harness is configured so that the compressive pressure exerted on the heart by the harness does not exceed 10 mmHg.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 62 words

The cardiac harness of claim 25 , wherein a first spring element and a second spring element have different elasticity, and wherein the first spring element begins to deform at a first applied force threshold, and the second spring element begins to deform at a second applied force threshold, the first applied force threshold being greater than the second applied force threshold.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 28 words

The cardiac harness of claim 25 , wherein a first spring element and a second spring element are arranged and configured to be elastic in substantially different directions.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 64 words

A cardiac harness comprising a plurality of integrally connected spring elements, each of the spring elements configured to elastically deform upon application of a force in a first direction and to store potential energy when the spring element is deformed so as to urge the spring back to a relaxed condition, wherein a first spring element is more compliant than a second spring element.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 64 words

A cardiac harness comprising a plurality of integrally connected spring elements, each of the spring elements configured to elastically deform upon application of a force in a first direction and to store potential energy when the spring element is deformed so as to urge the spring back to a relaxed condition, wherein a first spring element is more compliant than a second spring element.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 42 words

The cardiac harness of claim 38 , wherein the cardiac harness is sized and configured to substantially encircle a patient's heart, and the harness is less compliant about the heart's left ventricle than in at least one other region of the heart.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 37 words

A cardiac harness 38 , wherein the first spring element begins to deform upon application of a first threshold of force, and the second spring element begins to deform upon application of a second threshold of force.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 37 words

A cardiac harness 38 , wherein the first spring element begins to deform upon application of a first threshold of force, and the second spring element begins to deform upon application of a second threshold of force.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 69 words

A cardiac harness, comprising: a plurality of interconnected elastic bending hinges, each bending hinge comprising a central portion connected on opposite sides to respective arm portions, said arm portions interacting with said central portion in response to deflection of said arm portions to create a bending moment in said hinge to store potential energy, and a power source that supplies energy to said harness, causing said harness to contract.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 69 words

A cardiac harness, comprising: a plurality of interconnected elastic bending hinges, each bending hinge comprising a central portion connected on opposite sides to respective arm portions, said arm portions interacting with said central portion in response to deflection of said arm portions to create a bending moment in said hinge to store potential energy, and a power source that supplies energy to said harness, causing said harness to contract.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 35 words

The cardiac harness of claim 41 , wherein said power source delivers electrical energy to at least one of said bending hinges, causing at least one of said bending hinges to produce said bending moment.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 21 words

The cardiac harness of claim 41 , wherein said power source delivers mechanical energy to said cardiac harness through a cable.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 17 words

The cardiac harness of claim 41 , wherein said power source is programmable via transcutaneous radiofrequency signals.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 17 words

The cardiac harness of claim 41 , wherein said power source is rechargeable via transcutaneous electromagnetic coupling.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 18 words

The cardiac harness of claim 41 , wherein said power source is rechargeable via transcutaneous inductive field coupling.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2007-03-09	2007-09-08	2008-03-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2011-03-09	2011-09-08	2012-03-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2015-03-09	2015-09-08	2016-03-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Expandable cardiac harness for treating congestive heart failure

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