System and method for sizing a heart for treating congestive heart failure

1. A method for use in reconstructing the left ventricle of the heart of a patient from a diseased state to an appropriate reconstructed state, the method comprising the steps of:

determining the body surface area of the patient;

determining a characteristic of the left ventricle which is the same in the diseased state as in the reconstructed state;

determining an appropriate sizer based on the determined body surface area of the patient and the characteristic of the left ventricle which is the same in the diseased state as in the reconstructed state;

identifying akinetic tissue within a heart chamber wall;

making an incision through the akinetic tissue in the chamber wall;

inserting said appropriate sizer into the chamber through the incision;

removing the sizer; and,

closing the incision.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the body surface area of the patient is determined based on the height of the patient and the weight of the patient.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of determining the appropriate sizer further comprises:

determining a first size of the sizer based on body surface area of the patient

determining a second size of the sizer based on the characteristic of the left ventricle which is the same in the diseased state as in the reformed state; and,

determining the volume of the appropriate sizer by selecting the lesser of the first size and the second size.

4. A method for use in reconstructing the left ventricle of the heart of a patient from a diseased state to an appropriate reconstructed state, the method comprising the steps of:

determining the body surface area of the patient;

determining the short axis left ventricle diameter at papillary muscle tips of the heart of the patient;

determining an appropriate sizer based on the determined body surface area of the patient and the short axis left ventricle diameter at papillary muscle tips of the heart of the patient;

identifying akinetic tissue within a heart chamber wall;

making an incision through the akinetic tissue in the chamber wall;

inserting said appropriate sizer into the chamber through the incision;

removing the sizer; and,

closing the incision.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the body surface area of the patient is determined based on the height of the patient and the weight of the patient.

6. A method according to claim 4 wherein said step of determining the appropriate sizer further comprises:

determining a first size of the sizer based on body surface area of the patient

determining a second size, V 2 , of the sizer based on short axis left ventricle diameter at papillary muscle tips of the heart of the patient; and,

determining the volume of the appropriate sizer by selecting the lesser of the first size and the second size.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said step of determining a second size, V 2 , of the sizer based on short axis left ventricle diameter at papillary muscle tips, d, of the heart of the patient comprises calculating V 2 according to the equation V 2 =d * X, where X is a constant.