Pulmonary Arterial Compliance Enhancement Device

Abstract

Devices and methods for treating heart disease by increasing the pulmonary vascular compliance and thereby decreasing the right ventricular afterload are disclosed. Devices may include a means for reducing the cross-sectional area of the pulmonary artery during diastole and allowing the cross-sectional area to increase during systole.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An implantable device for increasing pulmonary artery compliance, the device comprising:
 a stent shaped body having a radially collapsed profile for delivery, and a radially expanded profile upon deployment,   wherein the stent shaped body has a first deployed configuration where the stent shaped body has a substantially oval cross section, and a second deployed configuration where the stent shaped body deforms into a substantially circular cross section, and   wherein the stent shaped body is configured to maintain its first deployed configuration during a diastolic arterial pressure, and transition into its second deployed configuration under a systolic arterial pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The implantable device of  claim 1 , wherein in its first deployed configuration, the stent shaped body applies a pre-determined amount of ovalizing stress to a pulmonary artery walls, and thereby reduce the cross-sectional area of the pulmonary artery. 
     
     
         3 . The implant device of  claim 1  is configured to be positioned inside a pulmonary artery trunk. 
     
     
         4 . The implant device of  claim 1  is configured to be positioned inside one of the left and right branches of a pulmonary artery. 
     
     
         5 . An implantable treatment system for increasing a patient's pulmonary artery compliance, the system comprising:
 at least two stent shaped structures,   wherein each of the at least two stent shaped structures comprises a radially collapsed profile for delivery, and a radially expanded profile upon deployment,   wherein each of the at least two stent shaped structures has a first deployed configuration where the stent shaped structure has a substantially oval cross section, and a second deployed configuration where the shaped structure deforms into a substantially circular cross section,   wherein each of the at least two stent shaped structures is configured to maintain its first deployed configuration during a diastolic arterial pressure, and transition into its second deployed configuration under a systolic arterial pressure.   
     
     
         6 . The implantable treatment system of  claim 5 , wherein in its first deployed configuration, each of the at least two stent shaped structures applies a pre-determined amount of ovalizing stress to the pulmonary artery walls, and thereby reduce the cross-sectional area of the pulmonary artery. 
     
     
         7 . The implantable treatment system of  claim 5  wherein one of the at least two stent shaped structures is positioned inside a pulmonary artery trunk, and the other is positioned inside one of the left and right branches of the pulmonary artery. 
     
     
         8 . The implantable treatment system of  claim 5  comprises three stent shaped structures with one positioned inside a pulmonary artery trunk, a second one positioned inside a left branch of the pulmonary artery, and a third one positioned inside a right branch of the pulmonary artery. 
     
     
         9 . The implantable treatment system of  claim 5  comprises two stent shaped structures with a first stent shaped structure positioned inside the pulmonary artery trunk, and a second stent shaped structure positioned inside the first. 
     
     
         10 . The implantable treatment system of  claim 9 , wherein in its first deployed configuration, the first stent shaped structure applies a first pre-determined amount of ovalizing stress to the pulmonary artery walls, and the second stent shaped structure applies a second pre-determined amount of ovalizing stress to the first stent shaped structure; and wherein the second pre-determined amount of ovalizing stress is greater than the first pre-determined amount of ovalizing stress.