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  Method and apparatus for reducing mitral regurgitationUSPTO Application #: 20050267574Title: Method and apparatus for reducing mitral regurgitation Abstract: Apparatus for reducing mitral regurgitation, by applying a force to the wall of the coronary sinus so as to force the posterior leaflet anteriorly and thereby reduce mitral regurgitation. (end of abstract) Agent: Mark J. Pandiscio Pandiscio & Pandiscio - Waltham, MA, US Inventors: William E. Cohn, John R. Liddicoat, Richard B. Streeter, Daniel C. Taylor, Steven B. Woolfson USPTO Applicaton #: 20050267574 - Class: 623002360 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Prosthesis (i.e., Artificial Body Members), Parts Thereof, Or Aids And Accessories Therefor, Heart Valve, Annuloplasty Device The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050267574. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
REFERENCE TO PENDING PRIOR PATENT APPLICATIONS [0001] This patent application: [0002] (1) is a continuation-in-part of pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/068,264, filed Feb. 05, 2002 by Daniel C. Taylor et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING MITRAL VALVE FUNCTION (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-29); [0003] (2) is a continuation-in-part of pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/068,700, filed Feb. 05, 2002 by William E. Cohn et al. for APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING MITRAL REGURGITATION (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-16); [0004] (3) is a continuation-in-part of pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/090,968, filed Mar. 05, 2002 by William E. Cohn et al. for APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING MITRAL REGURGITATION (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-17); [0005] (4) claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/278,153, filed Mar. 23, 2001 by William E. Cohn et al. for METHOD AND APPPARATUS TO IMPROVE MITRAL VALVE FUNCTION (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-18 PROV); [0006] (5) claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/279,974, filed Mar. 29, 2001 by Daniel C. Taylor et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS TO IMPROVE MITRAL VALVE FUNCTION (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-19 PROV); [0007] (6) claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/280,038, filed Mar. 30, 2001 by William E. Cohn et al. for METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENT IN MITRAL VALVE FUNCTION (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-20 PROV); [0008] (7) claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/279,973, filed Mar. 29, 2001 by Daniel C. Taylor et al. for METHODS AND DEVICES TO IMPROVE MITRAL VALVE FUNCTION (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-21 PROV); [0009] (8) claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/283,820, filed Apr. 13, 2001 by William E. Cohn et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENT IN MITRAL VALVE FUNCTION (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-22 PROV); [0010] (9) claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/312,217, filed Aug. 14, 2001 by Daniel C. Taylor et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENT IN MITRAL VALVE FUNCTION (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-23 PROV); [0011] (10) claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/339,481, filed Oct. 26, 2001 by William E. Cohn et al. for TRANSVASCULAR APPROACH TO MITRAL VALVE PROCEDURES (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-30 PROV); and [0012] (11) claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/348,424, filed Jan. 14, 2002 by Daniel C. Taylor et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS TO IMPROVE MITRAL VALVE FUNCTION (Attorney's Docket No. VIA-31 PROV). [0013] The aforementioned eleven (11) patent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0014] This invention relates to surgical methods and apparatus in general, and more particularly to surgical methods and apparatus for improving mitral valve function. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0015] Mitral valve repair is the procedure of choice to correct mitral regurgitation of all etiologies. With the use of current surgical techniques, between 70% and 95% of regurgitant mitral valves can be repaired. The advantages of mitral valve repair over mitral valve replacement are well documented. These include better preservation of cardiac function and reduced risk of anticoagulant-related hemorrhage, thromboembolism and endocarditis. [0016] In current practice, mitral valve surgery requires an extremely invasive approach that includes a chest wall incision, cardiopulmonary bypass, cardiac and pulmonary arrest, and an incision on the heart itself to gain access to the mitral valve. Such a procedure is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Due to the risks associated with this procedure, many of the sickest patients are denied the potential benefits of surgical correction of mitral regurgitation. In addition, patients with moderate, symptomatic mitral regurgitation are denied early intervention and undergo surgical correction only after the development of cardiac dysfunction. [0017] Mitral regurgitation is a common occurrence in patients with heart failure and a source of important morbidity and mortality in these patients. Mitral regurgitation in patients with heart failure is caused by changes in the geometric configurations of the left ventricle, papillary muscles and mitral annulus. These geometric alterations result in mitral leaflet tethering and incomplete coaptation at systole. In this situation, mitral regurgitation is corrected by plicating the mitral valve annulus, either by (i) sutures alone or by (ii) sutures in combination with a support ring, so as to reduce the circumference of the distended annulus and restore the original geometry of the mitral valve annulus. [0018] More particularly, current surgical practice for mitral valve repair generally requires that the posterior mitral valve annulus be reduced in radius by surgically opening the left atrium and then fixing sutures, or sutures in combination with a support ring, to the internal surface of the annulus; this structure is used to pull the annulus back into a smaller radius, thereby reducing mitral regurgitation by improving leaflet coaptation. [0019] This method of mitral valve repair, generally termed "annuloplasty", effectively reduces mitral regurgitation in heart failure patients. This, in turn, reduces symptoms of heart failure, improves quality of life and increases longetivity. Unfortunately, however, the invasive nature of mitral valve surgery and the attendant risks render most heart failure patients poor surgical candidates. Thus, a less invasive means to increase leaflet coaptation and thereby reduce mitral regurgitation in heart failure patients would make this therapy available to a much greater percentage of patients. [0020] Mitral regurgitation also occurs in approximately 20% of patients suffering acute myocardial infarction. In addition, mitral regurgitation is the primary cause of cardiogenic shock in approximately 10% of patients who develop severe hemodynamic instability in the setting of acute myocardial infarction. Patients with mitral regurgitation and cardiogenic shock have about a 50% hospital mortality. Elimination of mitral regurgitation in these patients would be of significant benefit. Unfortunately, however, patients with acute mitral regurgitation complicating acute myocardial infarction are particularly high-risk surgical candidates, and are therefore not good candidates for a traditional annuloplasty procedure. Thus, a minimally invasive means to effect a temporary reduction or elimination of mitral regurgitation in these critically ill patients would afford them the time to recover from the myocardial infarction or other acute life-threatening events and make them better candidates for medical, interventional or surgical therapy. [0021] A less invasive means to reduce mitral regurgitation would also be an attractive alternative for patients needing to undergo any of the following procedures: (a) isolated mitral valve repair, (b) multiple valve procedures, (c) mitral repair and coronary artery bypass, (d) mitral valve repair and other surgical procedure, or (e) mitral valve repair and an interventional cardiac procedure. Continue reading... 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