Methods and devices for heart valve treatments

Abstract

An implant is sized and configured to be positioned in a left atrium above the plane of a native mitral heart valve annulus having leaflets. The implant, when deployed, engages a wall of the left atrium above the plane of the native mitral valve annulus to interact with movement of the leaflets of the mitral heart valve to affect mitral heart valve function. The implant is deployed into the left atrium through an intravascular access path that extends from a right atrium through a septum and into a left atrium.

1 . A heart implant comprising
 an implant structure sized and configured to be positioned in a left atrium above the plane of a native mitral heart valve annulus having leaflets, the implant structure including a portion sized and configured for engagement with a wall of the left atrium above the plane of the native mitral valve annulus to interact with movement of the leaflets of the mitral heart valve to affect mitral heart valve function.   
     
     
         2 . A heart implant according to  claim 1   wherein the implant structure is sized and configured so that, in use, the portion spans the left atrium.   
     
     
         3 . A heart implant according to  claim 1   wherein the implant structure is sized and configured so that, in use, the portion changes the shape of the native mitral heart valve annulus.   
     
     
         4 . A heart implant according to  claim 1   wherein the implant structure comprises, at least in part, nitinol, dacron, polytetrafluoroethylene, silicon, polyurethane, human pericardium, or animal pericardium.   
     
     
         5 . A heart implant according to  claim 1   wherein the implant structure comprises, at least in part, a super elastic material.   
     
     
         6 . A system comprising
 an implant structure sized and configured to be positioned in a left atrium above the plane of a native mitral heart valve annulus having leaflets, the implant structure including a portion sized and configured for engagement with a wall of the left atrium above the plane of the native mitral valve annulus to interact with movement of the leaflets of the mitral heart valve to affect mitral heart valve function,   an access tool sized and configured to establish an intravascular access path that extends from a right atrium through a septum and into a left atrium, and   a deployment tool sized and configured to deploy the implant structure through the intravascular path into the left atrium and position the implant structure in the left atrium with the portion engaging a wall of the left atrium above the plane of the native mitral valve annulus such that the portion interacts with movement of the leaflets of the mitral heart valve to affect mitral heart valve function.   
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 6   wherein the implant structure is sized and configured so that, in use, the portion spans the left atrium.   
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 6   wherein the implant structure is sized and configured so that, in use, the portion changes the shape of the native mitral heart valve annulus.   
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 6   wherein the implant structure comprises, at least in part, nitinol, dacron, polytetrafluoroethylene, silicon, polyurethane, human pericardium, or animal pericardium.   
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 6   wherein the implant structure comprises, at least in part, a super elastic material.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising
 deploying a guide wire through an vasculature path into a right atrium,   introducing the guide wire through a septum from the right atrium into a left atrium,   advancing a catheter over the guide wire, releasing from the catheter a heart implant sized and configured to be positioned in the left atrium above the plane of a native mitral heart valve annulus having leaflets, the implant including a portion sized and configured for engagement with a wall of the left atrium above the plane of the native mitral valve annulus to interact with movement of the leaflets of the mitral heart valve to affect mitral heart valve function, and   positioning the implant in the left atrium with the portion engaging a wall of the left atrium above the plane of the native mitral valve annulus such that the portion interacts with movement of the leaflets of the mitral heart valve to affect mitral heart valve function.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11   wherein the implant is positioned so that the portion spans the left atrium.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11   wherein the implant is positioned so that the portion changes the shape of the native mitral heart valve annulus.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11   wherein the heart implant comprises, at least in part, nitinol, dacron, polytetrafluoroethylene, silicon, polyurethane, human pericardium, or animal pericardium.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 11   wherein the heart implant comprises, at least in part, a super elastic material.   
     
     
         16 . A system comprising
 a guide wire sized and configured to be deployed through an vasculature path into a right atrium and through a septum from the right atrium into a left atrium,   a catheter sized and configured to be introduced into the left atrium along the guide wire, and   an implant structure carried within the catheter, the implant structure being sized and configured to be positioned in a left atrium above the plane of a native mitral heart valve annulus having leaflets, the implant structure including a portion sized and configured for engagement with a wall of the left atrium above the plane of the native mitral valve annulus to interact with movement of the leaflets of the mitral heart valve to affect mitral heart valve function.   
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 16   further including a grasping instrument sized and configure to be introduced through the catheter to position the implant structure within the left atrium.   
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 16   further including a grasping instrument sized and configure to be introduced through the catheter to reposition the implant structure within the left atrium.   
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 16   wherein the implant is positioned so that the portion spans the left atrium.   
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 16   wherein the implant is positioned so that the portion changes the shape of the native mitral heart valve annulus.   
     
     
         21 . A system according to  claim 16   wherein the heart implant comprises, at least in part, nitinol, dacron, polytetrafluoroethylene, silicon, polyurethane, human pericardium, or animal pericardium.   
     
     
         22 . A system according to  claim 16   wherein the heart implant comprises, at least in part, a super elastic material.   
     
     
         23 . A method comprising
 deploying a catheter through an vasculature path into a right atrium, through a septum and into a left atrium,   releasing from the catheter a heart implant sized and configured to be positioned in the left atrium above the plane of a native mitral heart valve annulus having leaflets, the implant including a portion sized and configured for engagement with a wall of the left atrium above the plane of the native mitral valve annulus to interact with movement of the leaflets of the mitral heart valve to affect mitral heart valve function, and   positioning the implant in the left atrium with the portion engaging a wall of the left atrium above the plane of the native mitral valve annulus such that the portion interacts with movement of the leaflets of the mitral heart valve to affect mitral heart valve function.   
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23   further including deploying a grasping instrument through the catheter to reposition the implant structure within the left atrium.