Device for shrinking or reinforcing the valvular orifices of the heart

Abstract

A device for shrinking and/or reinforcing the heart valve orifices includes a thick link ( 1 ) made of a bioresorbable, soft and curved material. It is secured at one of its ends to at least a thin yarn ( 3 ) whereof the end is fixed to a curved needle.

1 . Device for contracting and/or reinforcing valvular orifices of a heart, comprising:
 a thick connection ( 1 ) having two distal ends separated from each other,   the thick connection being flexible and curved between the two distal ends,   the thick connection have a longitudinal axis, a thick connection ( 1 ) being of a first resorbable material;   a thin filament ( 3 ) having a first end extending from a first of said two distal ends,   the thin filament extending out of the first distal end along a direction coaxial with the thick   connection,   the thin filament being of the first resorbable material,   the thin filament and the thick connection being realized in one piece of fabrication; and   a curved needle ( 4 ) fixed to a second end of the thin filament, wherein, the filament ( 3 ) permits exerting a longitudinal traction on the thick connection ( 1 ) in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the thick connection, the longitudinal traction is adapted to allow the thick connection to be introduced inside the tissue of a valvular orifice to be treated.   
   
   
       2 . Device according to  claim 1 , wherein,
 the curvature of the needle ( 4 ) is substantially equal to the curvature of the connection ( 1 ), and   the curvature of the needle and the curvature of the connection is substantially equal to a curvature that the valvular orifice to be treated to allow the thick connection ( 1 ) to be introduced inside the tissue of the valvular orifice to be treated.   
   
   
       3 . Device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 another thin filament ( 3 ) having a first end extending from a second of said two distal ends,   the another thin filament extending out of the first distal end along a direction coaxial with the thick connection,   the another thin filament being of the first resorbable material, and   the another thin filament and the thick connection being realized in one piece of fabrication; and   another curved needle ( 4 ) fixed to a second end of the another thin filament.   
   
   
       4 . Device according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 another thin filament ( 3 ) having a first end extending from a second of said two distal ends,   the another thin filament extending out of the first distal end along a direction coaxial with the thick connection,   the another thin filament being of the first resorbable material, and   the another thin filament and the thick connection being realized in one piece of fabrication; and   another curved needle ( 4 ) fixed to a second end of the another thin filament.   
   
   
       5 . Device according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the needle ( 4 ) is substantially equal to the length of the connection ( 1 ), corresponding substantially to the portion of the periphery of the valvular orifice into which it is to be implanted. 
   
   
       6 . Device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a securement member ( 2 ) located at a second of the two distal ends.   
   
   
       7 . Device according to  claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the connection ( 1 ) is circular or polygonal. 
   
   
       8 . Device according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection ( 1 ) comprises a core made of a polymer that can be described by the general formula -[—X—C(O)—R1-Y—R2-]—in which C(O) designates a >C═O group; X designates an oxygen atom, Y designates an oxygen atom or a chemical bond connecting R1 to R2; R1 and R2 designating linear or branched carbon chains and containing 0 to 5 carbon atoms and preferably 0 to 3 carbon atoms. 
   
   
       9 . Device according to  claim 8 , wherein the polymer used is of the polylactide or polyglycolide or polylactone or polyalkylenecarbonate type or else preferably of the polydioxanone type or any other type of polymer, provided that this latter is obtained from a cyclic compound having the general formula C 4 H 6 O 3  and having a >C═O group. 
   
   
       10 . Device according to  claim 1  wherein the connection ( 1 ) comprises a core of a slowly resorbable material and a layer of a more rapidly resorbable material. 
   
   
       11 . Device according to  claim 10 , wherein the polymer used to constitute the core of the connection ( 1 ) is a copolymer obtained by combination of different monomers leading to a polymer that can be described by the general formula -[—X—C(O)—R1-Y—R2-]- in which C(O) designates a >C═O group; X designates an oxygen atom, Y designates an oxygen atom or a chemical bond connecting R1 to R2; R1 and R2 designating linear or branched carbon chains and containing 0 to 5 carbon atoms and preferably 0 to 3 carbon atoms. 
   
   
       12 . Device according to  claim 10 , wherein the slowly resorbable material is a polymer that can be described by the general formula -[—X—C(O)—R1-Y—R2-]- in which C(O) designates a >C═O group; X designates an oxygen atom, Y designates an oxygen atom or a chemical bond connecting R1 to R2; R1 and R2 designating linear or branched carbon chains and containing 0 to 5 carbon atoms and preferably 0 to 3 carbon atoms, and that the more rapidly reabsorbable material is a polymer that can be described by the general formula -[X—C(O)—R1-Y—R2-]- in which C(O) designates a >C═O group; X designates an oxygen atom, Y designates an oxygen atom or a chemical bond connecting R1 to R2; and R1 and R2 designates linear or branched carbon chains containing 0 to 5 carbon atoms and preferably 0 to 3 carbon atoms, to which are added collagen and catgut. 
   
   
       13 . Device according to  claim 12 , wherein the slowly resorbable material is a polymer of the polydioxanone type or of any other type provided that the polymer is obtained from a cyclic compound responding to the general formula C 4 H 6 O 3  and having a >C=o group and that the more rapidly resorbable material is a polymer that can be described by the general formula -[—X—C(O)—R1-Y—R2-]-in which C(O) designates a >C═O group; X designates an oxygen atom, Y designates an oxygen atom or a chemical bond connecting R1 to R2; R1 and R2 designating linear or branched carbon chains and containing 0 to 5 carbon atoms and preferably 0 to 3 carbon atoms, to which are added collagen and catgut. 
   
   
       14 . Device according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection comprises a series of enlargements ( 5 ) and thinned portions ( 6 ). 
   
   
       15 . Device according to  claim 14 , wherein the enlargements ( 5 ) of the connection comprise the first resorbable material covered with a second resorbable material whilst the thinned regions ( 6 ) of the connection are constituted by the first resorbable material. 
   
   
       16 . Device for contracting and/or reinforcing valvular orifices of a heart, comprising:
 a thick connection ( 1 ) made of a first resorbable material;   a thin filament ( 3 ) extending from a first end of the connection along a direction coaxial with the connection,   the thin filament being of the first resorbable material,   the thin filament and the connection being made of one piece during manufacture; and   a needle ( 4 ) fixed to an end of the thin filament, the needle permitting emplanting the connection,   a curve and a length of the needle respectively corresponding to the curve of the ring of a valvular orifice to be treated and to the length of a portion of a perimeter of the valvular orifice,   the connection having a length and a curve corresponding to the length and the curve of the needle, wherein,   the filament permits exerting a longitudinal traction on the connection in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the thick connection, the longitudinal traction is adapted to allow the thick connection to be introduced inside the tissue of the valvular orifice to be treated.   
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein,
 the connection comprises a series of enlargements ( 5 ) and thinned portions ( 6 ),   the enlargements are covered with a second resorbable material,   the second resorbable material being more rapidly resorbable than the first resorbable material.   
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 another thick connection ( 1 ) made of the first resorbable material and connected to a second end of the thick connection;   another thin filament ( 3 ) having a first end extending from an end of the another thick connection,   the another thin filament extending out of the end along a direction coaxial with the another thick connection,   the another thin filament being of the first resorbable material, and   the another thin filament and the another thick connection being realized in one piece of fabrication; and   another curved needle ( 4 ) fixed to a second end of the another thin filament.   
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 another thin filament ( 3 ) having a first end extending from a second end of the thick connection,   the another thin filament extending out of the first end along a direction coaxial with the thick connection,   the another thin filament being of the first resorbable material, and   the another thin filament and the thick connection being realized in one piece of fabrication; and   another curved needle ( 4 ) fixed to a second end of the another thin filament.