Delayed memory device

Abstract

A delivery system for delivering a prosthetic heart valve to a native valve site within the human vasculature. The prosthetic valve is disposed on a balloon at the end of a balloon catheter. The balloon catheter passes through a delivery sleeve assembly and handle. A pull wire travels from the handle to a distal end of the delivery sleeve assembly. Actuation of the handle pulls on the pull wire, which causes openings in a slotted tube of the delivery sleeve assembly to close, thus causing the delivery sleeve assembly to bend. A stretchable cover is placed over the slotted tube for biasing the steerable catheter toward a straight position. Once advanced to the native valve site, the prosthetic valve is deployed by inflating the balloon.

1 . A method of reshaping a blood vessel in a patient, comprising: 
 providing a shape-changing member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;    maintaining the shape-changing member in a first configuration using a resorbable material;    inserting the shape-changing member into the blood vessel; and    fixing the proximal and distal end portions of the shape-changing member to an inner wall of the blood vessel;    wherein the resorbable material is resorbed in the patient's body, thereby causing the shape-changing member to adjust from the first configuration to a second configuration for reshaping the blood vessel.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein fixing the proximal and distal ends of the shape-changing member to the inner wall of the blood vessel comprises allowing tissue to grow into the proximal and distal end portions.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shape-changing member is formed at least in part of a shape memory material for causing the shape-changing member to adjust from the first configuration to the second configuration during absorption of the resorbable material.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first configuration is an elongated configuration and the second configuration is a shortened configuration.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the blood vessel is a coronary sinus and wherein the shape-changing member presses the coronary sinus against a mitral valve annulus for treating mitral valve dilatation.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the shape-changing member is inserted into the coronary sinus in the vicinity of a posterior leaflet of the mitral valve.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the shape-changing member bends during adjustment from the first configuration to the second configuration for reducing the curvature of the coronary sinus and thereby reducing the radius of circumference of the mitral valve annulus.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a proximal stent is provided along the proximal end portion and a distal stent is provided along the distal end portion.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the proximal and distal stents are self-expandable.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the self-expandable proximal and distal stents grow into the wall of the coronary sinus to fix the proximal and distal end portions of the shape-changing member to the coronary sinus.  
     
     
         11 . A method of reshaping a mitral valve annulus in a body, comprising: 
 providing a device having a shape-changing member and first and second self-expandable stents located at opposite ends of the shape-changing member, the shape-changing member having a first set of forces working towards shortening the shape-changing member along a longitudinal axis;    maintaining the shape-changing member in an elongated shape by applying a second set of forces for counteracting the first set of forces, wherein the second set of forces is configured to decrease after the device has been implanted in the body; and    inserting the device at least partially into a coronary sinus such that the first and second self-expandable stents engage an inner wall of the coronary sinus and wherein the shape-changing member shortens over time to draw the first and second self-expandable stents toward each other.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein drawing the first and second self-expandable stents toward each other causes a reduction in a circumference of the mitral valve annulus.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second set of forces is provided by a resorbable material.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the resorbable material is formed as a tube configured to surround at least a portion of the shape-changing member.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the resorbable material is a restraining thread.  
     
     
         16 . A method of reshaping a mitral valve annulus in a body, comprising: 
 providing an elongate device having proximal and distal stents;    creating an incision in the body;    advancing an introduction sheath into a venous system;    advancing a guidewire through the introduction sheath and into a coronary sinus;    advancing the elongate device over the guidewire and through the introduction sheath to the coronary sinus;    expanding the proximal and distal stents to contact an inner wall of the coronary sinus;    removing the introduction sheath and the guidewire;    closing the incision in the body; and    transforming the elongate device into a shorter shape after closing the incision.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein transforming the elongate device into a shorter shape is performed by dissolving a resorbable material, the resorbable material being coupled to the elongate device for maintaining the elongate device in a stretched shape.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein transforming the elongate device into a shorter shape causes the elongate device to bend.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein transforming the elongate device into a shorter shape is performed after the proximal and distal stents have substantially grown into the coronary sinus.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the proximal and distal stents self-expand to contact an inner wall of the coronary sinus.