Valve annulus constriction apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus is described for supporting and/or constricting a surface of a valve annulus. The apparatus includes a tubular member of dimensions suitable for insertion into a body vessel. The tubular member includes at least two first segments attachable to an interior wall of the body vessel. The tubular member further includes at least one second segment which is capable of decreasing its axial length to draw one of the first segments towards the other first segment.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a tubular member of dimensions suitable for insertion into a body vessel, the tubular member having at least two first segments attachable to an interior wall of the body vessel, and at least one second segment disposed between the first segments,    wherein said at least one second segment is capable of decreasing its axial length to draw one of the first segments towards the other first segment, wherein the tubular member is capable of reducing a longitudinal length of a portion of the body vessel by drawing one of the first segments attached to a first portion of the body vessel towards the other first segment attached to a second portion of the body vessel.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member serves to inhibit a portion of the body vessel from lengthening.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment decreases its axial length as the second segment is expanded in a radial direction.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first segments is configured to maintain its axial length substantially constant as the corresponding first segment is expanded in a radial direction.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment is configured such that an amount of reduction in the axial length of the second segment is greater than an amount of increase in the diameter of the second segment.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first segments comprises a plurality of radially expandable cells, each of said radially expandable cells configured such that, as the respective cell is expanded in a radial direction, its axial length remains substantially constant.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment comprises a plurality of radially expandable cells, each of said radially expandable cells configured such that, as the respective cell is expanded in a radial direction, its axial length decreases.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment comprises a plurality of radially expandable cells, each of said radially expandable cells comprises a plurality of slanted struts configured such that, as each cell is expanded in a radial direction, a bias angle between the slanted struts and a longitudinal axis increases to cause a longitudinal length of each cell to decrease.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the longitudinal length of the second segment is selectively adjustable over a range of longitudinal length by controlling the amount of expansion in the radial direction.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment is capable of shrinking greater than 10% in the longitudinal direction.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment is capable of shrinking greater than 25% in the longitudinal direction.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment is capable of shrinking greater than 2 mm in the longitudinal direction.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment is configured to provide radial support so as to prevent the tubular member from buckling inward.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said first segments includes a plurality of hooks capable of attaching to the interior wall of the body vessel as the corresponding first segment is expanded in a radial direction.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each segment of the tubular member is expandable independent of other segments.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is coated with a drug to treat valve regurgitation.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is provided with a medicinal coating to increase compatibility with a blood vessel.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is of dimensions suitable to be inserted into at least one of coronary arteries and coronary veins.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the tubular member is of dimensions suitable to be inserted into to one of a coronary sinus, a right coronary artery and circumflex coronary arteries.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is a stent.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is self-expanding.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member comprises one of a shaped-memory alloy, nickel titanium, stainless steel alloys, cobalt chrome alloys, nickel alloys and platinum alloys.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member is provided with visualization markers.  
     
     
         24 . A catheter balloon comprising: 
 a plurality of inflatable segments, wherein a set of inflatable segments is capable of being inflated independent of other set of inflatable segments.    
     
     
         25 . The catheter balloon of  claim 24 , further comprising a plurality of lumens, each lumen configured to inflate one or more inflatable segments.  
     
     
         26 . The catheter balloon of  claim 24 , further comprising at least one segment capable of being partially inflated to varying degrees, wherein when the segment is partially inflated, the segment exerts a force on a corresponding stent segment to cause the corresponding stent segment to partially expand.  
     
     
         27 . A method comprising: 
 inserting a tubular member into a body vessel, said tubular member having at least two attachable portions; and    attaching the attachable portions of the tubular member to an interior wall of the body vessel.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the tubular member attached to the body vessel prevents a portion of the body vessel from increasing in length.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising drawing one of the attachable portions towards the other attachable portions to reduce the length of a portion of the body vessel.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising coating the tubular member with a drug to treat valve regurgitation.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the tubular member is placed in a coronary sinus.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the tubular member is placed in a circumflex artery.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the tubular member is placed in a right coronary artery.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising tightening an annulus surrounding a mitral heart valve by reducing a longitudinal length of the attached tubular member.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising tightening an annulus surrounding a tricuspid heart valve by reducing a longitudinal length of the attached tubular member.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the tubular member comprises at least two traction segments having a plurality of hooks, said traction segments expandable to seat the plurality of hooks in the body vessel.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the tubular member further comprises at least one shrink segment coupled between the traction segments, said at least one shrink segment capable of decreasing in longitudinal length to draw one of the traction segments towards the other traction segment.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the drawing one of the traction segment towards the other traction segment comprises expanding the shrink segment in a radial direction.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the tubular member comprises a plurality of expandable segments.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising selectively expanding at least one segment of the tubular member without expanding other segments of the tubular member.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising adjusting a longitudinal length of the tubular member by selectively expanding the shrink segment in a radial direction