US 20060167474A1
(i9) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication oo) Pub. No.: US 2006/0167474 Al
Bloom et al. (43) Pub. Date: Jul. 27,2006
(54) APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR
ELONGATION OF A PAPILLARY MUSCLE
(75) Inventors: Eliot Bloom, Hopkinton, NH (US);
Nasser Raflee, Andover, MA (US);
Nareak Douk, Lowell, MA (US)
Correspondence Address:
MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
IP LEGAL DEPARTMENT
3576 UNOCAL PLACE
SANTA ROSA, CA 95403 (US)
(73) Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc., Santa Rosa, CA (US)
(21) Appl. No.: 10/531,832
(22) PCT Filed: Sep. 15, 2004 (86) PCT No.: PCT/US04/30083
Related U.S. Application Data
(60) Provisional application No. 60/503,051, filed on Sep. 15, 2003.
Publication Classification
(51) Int. CI.
A61B 17/122 (2006.01)
A61B 17/128 (2006.01)
A61F 2/24 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. CI 606/142; 606/151; 623/2.1
(57) ABSTRACT
A system and method for treating a dilated heart valve by elongating a papillary muscle. The system comprises a delivery catheter 110 and a holding catheter 130. The system further comprises a muscle elongation device 200 including at least two clamping rings 210, 215 slidably connected by at least one connecting rod 220. The muscle elongation device 200 is delivered to a papillary muscle 560 associated with the dilated heart valve, where it is released from the delivery catheter 110 and the clamping rings 210, 215 wrap about and engage the papillary muscle. The muscle tissue is cut between the clamping rings 210, 215, which then move away from each other to a predetermined position, thus permitting the papillary muscle to elongate.
