Abstract: A sensing and ablation electrode includes bifurcated sensing limbs separated by an ablation web. The electrode is disposed on the distal end of a catheter. The sensing limbs each support an array of sensors that are individually wired for mapping and post ablation efficacy testing. The web includes a pair of pliable membranes that define a lumen and are adapted to collapse the cross-section of the electrode. One membrane defines a plurality of apertures for dispersing a conductive fluid medium as a virtual electrode. The sensors and the apertures all lie within substantially the same plane.

Abstract: An ablation catheter having a catheter shaft and a virtual electrode, the virtual electrode comprising portholes through an outer peripheral wall of the catheter shaft and a metal electrode, the catheter being used for treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, for example, atrial fibrillation, by electrically isolating a vessel, such as a pulmonary vein, from a chamber, such as the left atrium. The catheter shaft includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion includes an active region, which is either a looped structure transverse to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft, or a linear structure that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft. During use, the active region is directed into contact with, for example, the wall of a pulmonary vein. Upon energization, the virtual electrode creates a continuous lesion on an inner wall of the pulmonary vein, thereby electrically isolating the pulmonary vein from the left atrium.

Abstract: An ablation catheter used for treatment of, for example, atrial fibrillation by electrically isolating a vessel, such as a pulmonary vein, from a chamber, such as the left atrium. The ablation catheter has a virtual electrode and a catheter shaft. The virtual electrode comprises a porous conductor. The catheter shaft includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion includes an active region, which is either a looped structure transverse to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft, or a linear structure that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft. During use, the active region is directed into contact with, for example, the wall of a pulmonary vein and, upon energization, the virtual electrode creates a continuous lesion at or near the ostium of the pulmonary vein, thereby electrically isolating the pulmonary vein from the left atrium.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant establishes a blood flow path through a heart wall between a heart chamber and a lumen of a coronary vessel on the heart wall. The implant includes a hollow conduit having an open first end and an open second end. The conduit is dimensioned so as to extend at least from the vessel through said heart wall and into said chamber. The conduit has a conduit wall defining a blood flow pathway within an interior of said conduit between the first and second ends. The first and second ends are mutually positioned for the first end to reside within the vessel and opposing a wall of the vessel when the conduit is placed within the heart wall with the second end protruding into the chamber. The conduit wall is formed of a material sufficiently rigid to resist deformation and closure of the pathway in response to contraction of the heart wall. A flow restriction is formed in the pathway for reducing a discharge velocity of blood flow discharged from the first end.

Abstract: An ablation catheter used for treatment of, for example, atrial fibrillation by electrically isolating a vessel, such as a pulmonary vein, from a chamber, such as the left atrium. The ablation catheter has a virtual electrode and a catheter shaft. The virtual electrode comprises a porous conductor. The catheter shaft includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion includes an active region, which is either a looped structure transverse to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft, or a linear structure that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft. During use, the active region is directed into contact with, for example, the wall of a pulmonary vein and, upon energization, the virtual electrode creates a continuous lesion at or near the ostium of the pulmonary vein, thereby electrically isolating the pulmonary vein from the left atrium.

Abstract: A catheter used for diagnosing and treating, for example, atrial fibrillation. The catheter includes a catheter shaft that has a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion is adapted to be inserted into a body cavity having tissue to be diagnosed or treated and is disposed remotely from the proximal portion. The distal portion, which may be curved or straight, comprises an outer peripheral wall having an active region, and the distal portion has a cross-sectional configuration along the active region. The cross-sectional configuration is adapted to bias the active region against the tissue to be diagnosed or treated.

Abstract: An ablation catheter having a catheter shaft and a virtual electrode, the virtual electrode comprising portholes through an outer peripheral wall of the catheter shaft and a metal electrode, the catheter being used for treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, for example, atrial fibrillation, by electrically isolating a vessel, such as a pulmonary vein, from a chamber, such as the left atrium. The catheter shaft includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion includes an active region, which is either a looped structure transverse to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft, or a linear structure that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft. During use, the active region is directed into contact with, for example, the wall of a pulmonary vein. Upon energization, the virtual electrode creates a continuous lesion on an inner wall of the pulmonary vein, thereby electrically isolating the pulmonary vein from the left atrium.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant establishes a blood flow path through a myocardium between a heart chamber and a lumen of a coronary vessel residing on an exterior of the heart. The implant includes a coronary portion sized to be received within the vessel. A myocardial portion is sized to pass through the myocardium into the heart chamber. A transition portion connects the coronary and myocardial portions for directing blood flow from the myocardial portion to the coronary portion. The coronary portion and the myocardial portion have an open construction for permitting tissue growth across a wall thickness of the coronary portion and the myocardial portion. The myocardial portion includes an agent for controlling a coagulation cascade and platelet formation.

Abstract: A heart valve prosthesis having a valve housing providing a lumen therethrough. The valve housing has a first annulus on one end and a second annulus on the other end spaced apart from the first annulus. A suture cuff is used for attaching the valve housing to heart tissue of a patient. The cuff is attached between the first annulus and the second annulus. The cuff is positioned such that prosthesis is attached in a supra-annular position relative to a tissue annulus of the heart. The design allows for an increased valve lumen.

Abstract: A heart valve prosthesis having a valve housing providing a lumen therethrough. The valve housing has a first annulus on one end and a second annulus on the other end spaced apart from the first annulus. A suture cuff is used for attaching the valve housing to heart tissue of a patient. The cuff is attached between the first annulus and the second annulus. The cuff is positioned such that prosthesis is attached in a supra-annular position relative to a tissue annulus of the heart. The design allows for an increased valve lumen.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant establishes a blood flow path through a heart wall between a heart chamber and a lumen of a coronary vessel on the heart wall. The implant includes a hollow conduit having an open first end and an open second end. The conduit is dimensioned so as to extend at least from the vessel through said heart wall and into said chamber. The conduit has a conduit wall defining a blood flow pathway within an interior of said conduit between the first and second ends. The first and second ends are mutually positioned for the first end to reside within the vessel and opposing a wall of the vessel when the conduit is placed within the heart wall with the second end protruding into the chamber. The conduit wall is formed of a material sufficiently rigid to resist deformation and closure of the pathway in response to contraction of the heart wall. A flow restriction is formed in the pathway for reducing a discharge velocity of blood flow discharged from the first end.

Abstract: An insertion tool facilitates insertion of a vessel end of a transmyocardial implant into a coronary vessel. The insertion tool has a hollow sheath and mating dilator. The sheath has an external dimension sized for the sheath to be received within a lumen of an expanded size of the coronary vessel. A tapered portion extends from the dilator coaxially with an axis of the sheath. The tapered portion narrows from a cylindrical body portion to a leading tip of the tapered portion. The leading tip of the tapered portion is sized to be received within the lumen of a constricted size of the coronary vessel. The tapered portion and body portion are retractable from the sheath. After such retraction, the leading end of the implant is placed within the sheath. The sheath is split at a part-line such that the sheath can be pulled rearwardly from the vessel without disrupting the coronary vessel following placement of the implant within the sheath.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant includes a hollow rigid conduit adapted to be inserted into and retained within the heart wall of a heart chamber. The rigid conduit is sufficiently rigid to withstand collapsing in response to contraction forces of the heart wall. A synthetic flexible conduit has a first end secured to the conduit. The flexible conduit is blood compatible. A second end of the flexible conduit is secured to the coronary vessel. The rigid conduit and the flexible conduit define a blood flow path from the heart chamber to the coronary vessel. The flexible conduit is bonded to and wrapped around the rigid conduit for the blood flow path to be defined by an uninterrupted surface of the flexible conduit.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant establishes a blood flow path through a myocardium between a heart chamber and a lumen of a coronary vessel residing on an exterior of the heart. The implant includes a coronary portion sized to be received within the vessel. A myocardial portion is sized to pass through the myocardium into the heart chamber. A transition portion connects the coronary and myocardial portions for directing blood flow from the myocardial portion to the coronary portion. The coronary portion and the myocardial portion have an open construction for permitting tissue growth across a wall thickness of the coronary portion and the myocardial portion. The myocardial portion includes an agent for controlling a coagulation cascade and platelet formation.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant for establishing a blood flow path through a myocardium between a heart chamber and a lumen of a coronary vessel residing at an exterior of said wall includes a hollow conduit having a vessel portion and a myocardial portion. The vessel portion is sized to be received within the lumen. The said myocardial portion is sized to extend from the vessel through the myocardium and into the chamber. The conduit has an open first end and an open second end on respective ones of the vessel and myocardial portions to define a blood flow pathway within an interior of the conduit between the first and second end. At least the myocardial portion of the conduit is formed of a conduit material sufficiently rigid to resist deformation and closure of the pathway in response to contraction of the myocardium. The conduit material is resistant to thrombus formation.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant establishes a blood flow path through a heart wall between a heart chamber and a lumen of a coronary vessel on the heart wall. The implant includes a hollow conduit having an open first end and an open second end. The conduit is dimensioned so as to extend at least from the vessel through said heart wall and into said chamber. The conduit has a conduit wall defining a blood flow pathway within an interior of said conduit between the first and second ends. The first and second ends are mutually positioned for the first end to reside within the vessel and opposing a wall of the vessel when the conduit is placed within the heart wall with the second end protruding into the chamber. The conduit wall is formed of a material sufficiently rigid to resist deformation and closure of the pathway in response to contraction of the heart wall. A flow restriction is formed in the pathway for reducing a discharge velocity of blood flow discharged from the first end.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant establishes a blood flow path through a myocardium between a heart chamber and a lumen of a coronary vessel residing on an exterior of the heart. The implant includes a coronary portion sized to be received within the vessel. A myocardial portion is sized to pass through the myocardium into the heart chamber. A transition portion connects the coronary and myocardial portions for directing blood flow from the myocardial portion to the coronary portion. The coronary portion and the myocardial portion have an open construction for permitting tissue growth across a wall thickness of the coronary portion and the myocardial portion. The myocardial portion includes an agent for controlling a coagulation cascade and platelet formation.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant includes a hollow rigid conduit having a vessel portion and a myocardial portion. The vessel portion is sized to be inserted into a coronary vessel. The myocardial portion is sized to extend from the vessel portion and through a myocardium into a heart chamber. The conduit has open vessel and myocardial ends on respective ones of the vessel and myocardial portions to define a blood flow pathway within an interior of the conduit between the vessel and myocardial ends. The myocardial portion is formed of a conduit material sufficiently rigid to resist deformation and closure of the pathway in response to contraction of the myocardium. The vessel portion has a radial compliance approximating a radial compliance of the vessel.

Abstract: A heart valve prosthesis having a valve housing providing a lumen therethrough. The valve housing has a first annulus on one end and a second annulus on the other end spaced apart from the first annulus. A suture cuff is used for attaching the valve housing to heart tissue of a patient. The cuff is attached between the first annulus and the second annulus. The cuff is positioned such that prosthesis is attached in a supra-annular position relative to a tissue annulus of the heart. The design allows for an increased valve lumen.

Abstract: A transmyocardial implant establishes a blood flow path through a heart wall between a heart chamber and a lumen of a coronary vessel on the heart wall. The implant includes a hollow conduit having an open first end and an open second end. The conduit is dimensioned so as to extend at least from the vessel through said heart wall and into said chamber. The conduit has a conduit wall defining a blood flow pathway within an interior of said conduit between the first and second ends. The first and second ends are mutually positioned for the first end to reside within the vessel and opposing a wall of the vessel when the conduit is placed within the heart wall with the second end protruding into the chamber. The conduit wall is formed of a material sufficiently rigid to resist deformation and closure of the pathway in response to contraction of the heart wall. A flow restriction is formed in the pathway for reducing a discharge velocity of blood flow discharged from the first end.