Patents Examined by William (Howie) H Matthews
  • Patent number: 7955376
    Abstract: A medical device comprises a support structure and one or more graft members comprising a valve portion and a constraining portion. The support structure has a first, unexpanded configuration and a second, expanded configuration. The constraining portion is adapted to substantially prevent the support structure from achieving the second, expanded configuration. The valve portion is adapted to permit fluid flow through a body vessel in a first direction and substantially prevent fluid flow through the vessel in a second, opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Osborne, Brian C. Case, Jacob A. Flagle, Andrew K. Hoffa, Michael L. Garrison
  • Patent number: 7828843
    Abstract: An assembly and method for effecting the condition of a mitral valve annulus of a heart includes a guide wire configured to be fed into the coronary sinus of the heart, and a mitral valve annulus therapy device configured to be slidingly received on the guide wire and advanced into the coronary sinus of the heart on the guide wire. A guide tube may further be employed for guiding the device into the coronary sinus. An introducer which may be employed for pushing the device into or pulling device out of the heart has a mechanism for releasably locking to the device. This enables substitution of the device if needed. Also, the crossover point of the circumflex artery and coronary sinus may be determined and avoided when the device is deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Cardiac Dimensions, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton A. Alferness, John M. Adams, John Melmoth Power
  • Patent number: 7449027
    Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, provides an implantable intraluminal fluid flow control system comprising an interface and a flow-modifying device positioned at a flow-modifying effective distance from the interface within the lumen of a body vessel. In one embodiment, the invention relates to maintaining, regulating or varying the fluid flow within a body vessel to preserve, promote, alter or enhance remodeling of tissue at the interface. Remodeling can include the resorption and replacement of implanted remodelable material with autologous tissue. The interface can comprise remodelable material such as small intestine submucosa. In one embodiment, one or more interfaces are positioned at flow-modifying effective distances from one or more flow-modifying devices. Related medical devices, kits and methods of treatment are also provided in some embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Cook Incorporated
    Inventors: James B. Hunt, Brian C. Case