Method and system for myocardial infarction repair

Abstract

An implantable system is provided that includes: a cell repopulation source comprising genetic material, undifferentiated and/or differentiated contractile cells, or a combination thereof capable of forming new contractile tissue in and/or near an infarct zone of a patient's myocardium; and an electrical stimulation device for electrically stimulating the new contractile tissue in and/or near the infarct zone of the patient's myocardium or otherwise damaged or diseased myocardial tissue.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . An implantable system comprising: 
 (a) a cell repopulation source capable of forming new contractile tissue in and/or near damaged or diseased myocardial tissue; and    (b) an electrical stimulation device for electrically stimulating the new contractile tissue in and/or near the damaged or diseased or myocardial tissue.    
     
     
         2 . The implantable system of  claim 1  wherein the cell repopulation source comprises undifferentiated contractile cells.  
     
     
         3 . The implantable system of  claim 2  wherein the undifferentiated contractile cells comprise skeletal muscle satellite cells.  
     
     
         4 . The implantable system of  claim 2  wherein the undifferentiated contractile cells comprise autologous cells.  
     
     
         5 . The implantable system of  claim 1  wherein the cell repopulation source comprises genetic material.  
     
     
         6 . The implantable system of  claim 5  wherein the genetic material comprises a delivery vehicle comprising a nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         7 . The implantable system of  claim 6  wherein the nucleic acid molecule encodes a myogenic determination gene.  
     
     
         8 . The implantable system of  claim 6  wherein the delivery vehicle comprises a viral expression vector.  
     
     
         9 . The implantable system of  claim 6  wherein the delivery vehicle comprises liposomes.  
     
     
         10 . The implantable system of  claim 5  wherein the genetic material comprises plasmid DNA.  
     
     
         11 . The implantable system of  claim 1  wherein the cell repopulation source further comprises a polymeric matrix.  
     
     
         12 . The implantable system of  claim 1  wherein the cell repopulation source is associated with a carrier.  
     
     
         13 . The implantable system of  claim 12  wherein the cell repopulation source is coated on a carrier.  
     
     
         14 . The implantable system of  claim 1  wherein the electrical stimulation device comprises a muscle stimulator having two electrodes connected thereto.  
     
     
         15 . The implantable system of  claim 14  wherein the muscle stimulator is implantable and is in the form of a capsule having electrodes incorporated therein.  
     
     
         16 . The implantable system of  claim 15  wherein the muscle stimulator is a carrier for the cell repopulation source.  
     
     
         17 . The implantable system of  claim 1  wherein the electrical stimulation device provides burst stimulation.  
     
     
         18 . The implantable system of  claim 1  wherein the electrical stimulation device provides pulse stimulation.  
     
     
         19 . An implantable system comprising: 
 (a) a cell repopulation source for a patient's myocardium; and    (b) an electrical stimulation device for electrically stimulating the new contractile tissue in and/or near the infarct zone of the patient's myocardium, wherein the electrical stimulation device provides burst stimulation.    
     
     
         20 . A method of repairing the myocardium of a patient, the method comprising: 
 (a) providing an implantable system comprising: 
 (i) a cell repopulation source comprising genetic material, undifferentiated contractile cells, or a combination thereof, capable of forming new contractile tissue in and/or near an infarct zone of a patient's myocardium; and  
 (ii) an electrical stimulation device for electrically stimulating the new contractile tissue in and/or near the infarct zone of the patient's myocardium;  
   (b) implanting the cell repopulation source into and/or near the infarct zone of the myocardium of a patient;    (c) allowing sufficient time for new contractile tissue to form from the cell repopulation source; and    (d) electrically stimulating the new contractile tissue.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the electrical stimulation device comprises a muscle stimulator and electrodes; wherein the electrodes are implanted into and/or near the infarct zone of the myocardium.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the muscle stimulator is implantable and is in the form of a capsule having electrodes incorporated therein.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the muscle stimulator is a carrier for the cell repopulation source.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the muscle stimulator and cell repopulation source are delivered to the infarct zone through a catheter.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the undifferentiated contractile cells comprise autologous cells.