PROSTHESIS FOR ANNULOPLASTY COMPRISING A PERFORATED ELEMENT
A prosthesis for annuloplasty comprising a laminar or tubular element having a plurality of apertures along at least one portion. Preferably, the shape, dimensions, and arrangements of the apertures in this prosthesis are chosen in such a way as to give the prosthesis a differentiated flexibility in dependence on the location and direction of application of an external stress.
1 . An annuloplasty prosthesis for repair of a cardiac valve annulus by affecting the dimensions or shape of the valve annulus, so as to improve performance of the cardiac valve, the prosthesis comprising:
a ring element having a longitudinal axis, a curved portion, and a generally straight portion, the ring element configured to have a shape generally corresponding to a desired shape of a normal cardiac valve annulus; and
a sheath covering at least a portion of the ring element;
wherein the ring element defines a plurality of apertures each having a characteristic selected to effect the flexibility of the annuloplasty prosthesis.
2 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the characteristic includes one or more of a size, a shape, and a location along the longitudinal axis.
3 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the apertures are configured such that the curved portion is more flexible than at least the straight portion.
4 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the ring element is an open ring having a first end and a second end.
5 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the ring element has a tubular cross-section.
6 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the ring element has a laminar cross-section.
7 . An annuloplasty prosthesis comprising a ring element having a size and a shape generally corresponding to a cardiac valve annulus, the ring element including a plurality of apertures for controlling the flexibility of the annuloplasty prosthesis.
8 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 7 wherein the apertures are disposed along at least a portion of the ring element and are configured such that the prosthesis has a desired non-uniform flexibility along its length.
9 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 7 wherein the apertures are configured such that the prosthesis has a differentiated flexibility depending on the location and direction of application of an external stress.
10 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 7 wherein the prosthesis is generally planar, and wherein the apertures are configured such that the prosthesis has a first flexibility in response to a first external stress acting in the general plane of the prosthesis and a second flexibility in response to a second external stress acting generally transverse to the general plane of the prosthesis.
11 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 7 wherein:
the ring element has a first portion and a second portion; and
at least one of a size, a shape, or a position of each aperture is selected such that the first portion is more flexible than at least a part of the second portion.
12 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 7 wherein the ring element has a curved portion and a straight portion, and wherein the apertures are configured such that the curved portion is more flexible than the straight portion.
13 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 12 wherein the curved portion includes first and second end regions and a center region therebetween, and wherein the apertures are configured such that the center region is more flexible than the first and second end regions.
14 . The annuloplasty prosthesis of claim 7 wherein the ring element is an open ring having first and second ends.
15 . A method of forming an annuloplasy prosthesis, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of apertures in a laminar or tubular element, including configuring the apertures such that the laminar or tubular element has a desired non-uniform flexibility along its length; and
forming the laminar or tubular element into a ring element having a shape generally corresponding to a shape of a natural cardiac valve annulus.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein forming the plurality of apertures includes selecting at least one of a size, a shape, and a location of each aperture such that the laminar or tubular element has a desired non-uniform flexibility along its length.
17 . The method of claim 15 wherein forming the plurality of apertures includes configuring the apertures such that the prosthesis has a differentiated flexibility depending on the location and direction of application of an external stress.
18 . The method of claim 15 wherein:
forming the laminar or tubular element into a ring element includes forming a generally planar ring element; and
forming the plurality of apertures includes configuring the apertures such that the annuloplasty prosthesis has a first flexibility in response to a first external stress acting in the general plane of the ring element and a second flexibility in response to a second external stress acting generally transverse to the general plane of the ring element.
19 . The method of claim 15 wherein:
forming the laminar or tubular element includes forming the laminar or tubular element into a ring element having a curved portion and a generally straight portion; and
forming the plurality of apertures includes configuring the apertures such that the curved portion is more flexible than at least a part of the straight portion.
20 . The method of claim 15 wherein forming the laminar or tubular element includes forming the laminar or tubular element into an open ring element having a center portion and first and second ends.