Systems for heart treatment

Abstract

Described are devices and methods for treating degenerative, congestive heart disease and related valvular dysfunction. Percutaneous and minimally invasive surgical tensioning structures offer devices that mitigate changes in the ventricular structure (i.e., remodeling) and deterioration of global left ventricular performance related to tissue damage precipitating from ischemia, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or other abnormalities. These tensioning structures can be implanted within various major coronary blood-carrying conduit structures (arteries, veins and branching vessels), into or through myocardium, or into engagement with other anatomic structures that impact cardiac output to provide tensile support to the heart muscle wall which resists diastolic filling pressure while simultaneously providing a compressive force to the muscle wall to limit, compensate or provide therapeutic treatment for congestive heart failure and/or to reverse the remodeling that produces an enlarged heart.

1 - 50 . (canceled)  
   
   
       51 . An intravascular mitral valve support system comprising: 
 a proximal anchor, a distal anchor and an elongate member secured between the proximal and distal anchors,    the elongate member including a spring section,    at least the distal anchor being adapted for receipt within a coronary sinus vessel,    the system being adapted to exert force on the mitral valve when the elongate member is tensioned against the anchors.    
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the elongate member comprises a wire.  
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the wire is selected from stainless steel, NiTi and titanium alloy.  
   
   
       54 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein at least one of said anchors comprises a structure selected from a single hook, multiple hooks, a stent, a helix, a loop and a disk.  
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein at least the distal anchor is adapted to hold against the coronary sinus lumen.  
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the proximal anchor is adapted to hold against the coronary sinus lumen.  
   
   
       57 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the proximal anchor is adapted to hold at an ostium of the coronary sinus.  
   
   
       58 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the spring section includes a plurality of switchbacks.  
   
   
       59 . The system of  claim 51 , comprising a detent mechanism to selectively alter spring performance.  
   
   
       60 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the spring section is shaped in waves.  
   
   
       61 . The system of  claim 60 , comprising a ratchet member interfacing with the spring waves to alter spring performance.  
   
   
       62 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the spring section is spiral or helical shaped.  
   
   
       63 . The system of  claim 62 , further comprising a plurality of loops to engage portions of the spring section.  
   
   
       64 . The system of  claim 51 , further comprising a plurality of loops to engage portions of the spring section.  
   
   
       65 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the loop comprises suture material, ribbon or wire.  
   
   
       66 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein release of the loops relaxes the spring section.  
   
   
       67 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the system is adapted for intraoperative tension adjustment.  
   
   
       68 . The device of  claim 51 , wherein the system is adapted for postoperative tension adjustment.