Methods, systems and devices for cardiac valve repair
Disclosed are methods, systems, and devices for the endovascular repair of cardiac valves, particularly the atrioventricular valves which inhibit back flow of blood from a heart ventricle during contraction. The procedures described herein can be performed with interventional tools, guides and supporting catheters and other equipment introduced to the heart chambers from the patient's arterial or venous vasculature remote from the heart. The interventional tools and other equipment may be introduced percutaneously or may be introduced via a surgical cut down, and then advanced from the remote access site through the vasculature until they reach the heart.
1 . A method of treating a heart, comprising:
attaching a first device to a first location of a wall of a left ventricle of the heart;
attaching a second device to a second location of the heart, wherein the second location is located opposite the first location; and
moving the first device and the second device toward one another to cause the first location and second location to move toward one another so as to re-shape at least one of the mitral valve annulus or the left ventricle in a manner that reduces backflow through the mitral valve.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second location is on a wall of a right ventricle of the heart.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second location is on a wall of the left ventricle of the heart.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second location is on an interventricular septum of the heart.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second devices comprises a magnet, and wherein a magnetic force causes the first and second devices to move toward one another.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second devices are interconnected by a tether.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the tether is elastic such that the tether exerts an attractive force between the first and second device to cause the first and second device to move toward one another.
8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising shortening the length of the tether so as to move the first device and second device toward one another.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first and second devices comprise magnets.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the tether extends through an interventricular septum of the heart.
11 . A method of treating a heart, comprising:
coupling at least one valve to a steerable delivery device;
percutaneously introducing the valve into the heart using the steerable delivery device; and
placing the valve in a pulmonary vein of the heart, wherein the valve regulates blood flow into the left ventricle of the heart.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein placing at least one valve in a pulmonary vein of the heart comprises placing a valve in each of the four pulmonary veins of the heart.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one valve is placed near an ostium of the pulmonary vein.
14 . A method of treating a heart, comprising:
coupling a first wedge-shaped device to a steerable delivery device, wherein the first device has a contact surface adapted to be positioned adjacent a first mitral valve leaflet of the heart;
percutaneously introducing the first device into the heart using the steerable delivery device; and
securing the first device to the heart such that the first mitral valve leaflet is positioned adjacent the contact surface of the device.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first device is secured below the first leaflet such that the contact surface supports a lower surface of the leaflet.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first device is secured above the first leaflet such that the contact surface supports an upper surface of the leaflet.
17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
introducing a second wedge-shaped device into the heart, wherein the second device has a contact surface adapted to be positioned adjacent a second mitral valve leaflet; and
securing the first device to the heart such that the second mitral valve leaflet is positioned adjacent the contact surface of the device.
18 . A device for treating heart disease comprising a prosthetic comprising:
a wedge having a length that is about equal to a length of a line of coaptation of a mitral valve and a depth sufficient to prevent prolapse of a mitral valve when the wedge is placed atop an annulus of the mitral valve along the line of coaptation; and
one or more anchors protruding from the wedge for coupling the wedge to the annulus of the mitral valve.