Heart Valve Repair Devices for Placement in Ventricle and Delivery Systems for Implanting Heart Valve Repair Devices

Abstract

Devices and methods for the repair of the functioning of heart valves are provided. A device may comprise a ventricular winding having a generally spiral shape, wherein the device is free of any atrial stabilizing section. A method involves positioning the device such that chords associated with the heart valve are positioned within the path of the generally spiral shape of the ventricular winding and turning the ventricular winding such that the chords move closer to the center of the ventricular winding. The ventricular winding draws the chords closer together, thereby pulling the valve leaflets closer together in order to facilitate their coaptation and proper closing. A delivery system for maneuvering and releasing a heart valve repair device comprises an applicator tube and internal rod.

1 . A device for assisting the functioning of a heart valve comprising:
 a ventricular winding having a generally spiral shape adapted to be positioned on a ventricular side of the heart valve such that chords associated with the heart valve are positioned within the path of the generally spiral shape of the ventricular winding;   wherein the device is free of any atrial stabilizing section.   
     
     
         2 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the ventricular winding is substantially flat. 
     
     
         3 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the ventricular winding is substantially conical. 
     
     
         4 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the device is comprised at least in part of a metallic material. 
     
     
         8 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the device is comprised at least in part of a shape memory metal material. 
     
     
         9 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the device is comprised at least in part of nitinol. 
     
     
         10 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the device is comprised at least in part of a plastic material. 
     
     
         11 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the device is comprised at least in part of a composite material. 
     
     
         12 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the ventricular winding has an end portion that is angled downwardly. 
     
     
         15 . A method of repairing a heart valve comprising:
 delivering a heart valve repair device to the area of the heart valve, the heart valve repair device comprising a ventricular winding having a generally spiral shape; and   positioning the ventricular winding on a ventricular side of the heart valve such that chords associated with the heart valve are positioned within the path of the generally spiral shape of the ventricular winding;   wherein the heart valve repair device is free of any atrial stabilizing section.   
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the step of positioning the ventricular winding comprises turning the ventricular winding in a first direction such that the chords move closer to the center of the ventricular winding. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 16 , wherein the step of positioning the ventricular winding comprises, after turning the ventricular winding in a first direction, turning the ventricular winding in a second direction such that the chords move further from the center of the ventricular winding, to adjust the positioning of the chords in the device. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A delivery system for implanting a heart valve repair device for repairing a heart valve comprising:
 an applicator tube; and   an internal rod within the applicator tube;   wherein the internal rod is adapted to hold the heart valve repair device during maneuvering of the device; and   wherein the delivery system is adapted to release the heart valve repair device by advancement of the internal rod relative to the applicator tube after positioning the heart valve repair device in the desired location.   
     
     
         21 . A system for repairing a heart valve comprising:
 a delivery system comprising an applicator tube and an internal rod within the applicator tube to deliver a heart valve repair device to an area of the heart valve; and   a heart valve repair device comprising a ventricular winding that in an unconstrained condition has a generally spiral shape, the heart valve repair device further comprising a grasping element that is connected to the center of the ventricular winding and that extends from the center of the ventricular winding;   wherein the heart valve repair device is adapted to be advanced to the area of the heart valve with the ventricular winding held within the applicator tube of the delivery device in a constrained condition in which the ventricular winding has a relatively straightened shape;   wherein the ventricular winding is adapted to be released from the applicator tube, thereby allowing the ventricular winding to assume its unconstrained condition in which it has the generally spiral shape;   wherein the ventricular winding is further adapted to be positioned on the ventricular side of the heart valve and turned in a first direction such that the ventricular winding captures chords associated with a first leaflet of the heart valve and chords associated with a second leaflet of the heart valve within one generally spiral path defined by the generally spiral shape of the ventricular winding, wherein by turning the ventricular winding in the first direction, the captured chords of the first leaflet and the second leaflet within the generally spiral path are brought toward the center of the ventricular winding, thereby causing the first leaflet and the second leaflet of the heart valve to be drawn together;   wherein the heart valve repair device is adapted to be released from the delivery system; and   wherein the heart valve repair device is free of any atrial stabilizing section.   
     
     
         22 . The system as in  claim 21 , wherein in the unconstrained condition of the ventricular winding, the generally spiral shape moves increasingly further away from the center of the ventricular winding as it winds around the center of the ventricular winding. 
     
     
         23 . The system as in  claim 21 , wherein the generally spiral shape comprises at least a first turn and a second turn, wherein in a radial direction from a center of the ventricular winding the second turn is farther away from the center of the ventricular winding than the first turn, and wherein at least the first turn is a full turn extending 360 degrees around a center of the ventricular winding. 
     
     
         24 . The system as in  claim 21 , wherein the grasping element has an axis, and wherein the ventricular winding is adapted to be turned by using the delivery device to turn the grasping element, whereby turning the grasping element results in turning the ventricular winding generally around the axis of the grasping element. 
     
     
         25 . The system as in  claim 21 , wherein the heart valve repair device is adapted such that after release from the delivery system, the heart valve repair device does not have any part that extends into an atrial side of the valve. 
     
     
         26 . The system as in  claim 21 , wherein an overall diameter of the ventricular winding is adapted to be smaller than a diameter of an annulus of the heart valve. 
     
     
         27 . The system as in  claim 21 , wherein the ventricular winding is adapted to capture less than substantially all of the chords associated with the heart valve.