MITRAL VALVE REPAIR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE
The present invention is directed to various systems for repairing tissue within the heart of a patient. The mitral valve repair system of the present invention comprises a guide catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one internal lumen formed therein, a therapy catheter capable of applying a suture to the tissue, and a fastener catheter capable of attaching a fastener to the suture. The therapy catheter and the fastener catheter are capable of traversing the internal lumen of the guide catheter. In addition, the present invention discloses various methods for repairing tissue within the heart of a patient. In one embodiment, the method of repairing heart valve tissue includes advancing a guide catheter through a circulatory pathway to a location in the heart proximate to a heart valve, advancing a therapy catheter through the guide catheter to the heart valve, stabilizing a first leaflet with the therapy catheter, deploying a first suture into the stabilized first leaflet, disengaging the first leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the first suture attached thereto, stabilizing a second leaflet with the therapy catheter, deploying a second suture into the second leaflet, disengaging the second leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the second suture attached thereto, and joining the first and second leaflets by reducing the distance between the first and second sutures.
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This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/389,721 filed on Mar. 14, 2003, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn vertebrate animals, the heart is a hollow muscular organ having four pumping chambers: the left atrium, the left ventricle, the right atrium and the right ventricle. The atria are isolated from their respective ventricles by one-way valves located at the respective atrial-ventricular junctions. These valves are identified as the mitral (or bicuspid) valve on the left side of the heart, and tricuspid valve on the right side of the heart. The exit valves from the left and right ventricles are identified as the aortic and pulmonary valves, respectively.
The valves of the heart are positioned in valvular annuluses that comprise dense fibrous rings attached either directly or indirectly to the atrial and ventricular muscle fibers. Valve leaflets comprising flexible collagenous structures are attached to, and extend inwardly from, the annuluses to meet at coapting edges. The aortic, tricuspid and pulmonary valves each have three leaflets, while the mitral valve only has two. In normal operation, the leaflets of the mitral valve open as left ventricle dilates thereby permitting blood to flow from the left atrium into the left ventricle. The leaflets then coapt (i.e. close) during the contraction cycle of the left ventricle, thereby preventing the blood from returning to the left atrium and forcing the blood to exit the left ventricle through the aortic valve. Similarly, the tricuspid valve regulates flow from the right atrium into the right ventricle, and the pulmonary valve regulates blood exiting the right ventricle.
For a number of clinical reasons various problems with heart valves can develop. One common form of heart disease involves the deterioration or degradation of the heart valves which leads to stenosis and/or insufficiency. Heart valve stenosis is a condition in which the valve does not open properly. Insufficiency is a condition in which the valve does not close properly. Insufficiency of the mitral valve, most common because of the relatively high fluid pressures in the left ventricle, results in mitral valve regurgitation (“MR”), a condition in which blood reverses its intended course and flows “backward” from the left ventricle to the left atrium during ventricular contractions.
A number of surgical techniques have been developed to repair degraded or otherwise incompetent heart valves. A common procedure involves replacement of a native aortic or mitral valve with a prosthetic heart valve. These procedures require the surgeon to gain access to the heart through the patient's chest (or possibly percutaneously), surgically remove the incompetent native heart valve and associated tissue, remodel the surrounding valve annulus, and secure a replacement valve in the remodeled annulus. While such procedures can be very effective, there are shortcomings associated with such replacement valves. For example, the invasive nature of the implantation procedure typically results in substantial patient discomfort and requires patients to remain hospitalized for extended recovery periods. In addition, the two basic types of commercially available replacement valves, mechanical valves and tissue valves, each have shortcomings of their own. Mechanical replacement valves typically offer extended operational lifetimes, but the patient is usually required to maintain a regimen of anti-coagulant drugs for the remainder of his or her life. Tissue valves typically offer a higher degree of acceptance by the body which reduces or eliminates the need for anti-coagulants. However, the operational lifetimes of tissue valves is typically shorter than mechanical valves and thus may require a subsequent replacement(s) during the patient's lifetime.
As an alternative to prosthetic heart valve replacement, it is often preferable to remodel the native heart valve and/or the surrounding tissue. Remodeling of the valve often preserves left ventricular function better than mitral valve replacement because the subvalvular papillary muscles and chordae tendineae are preserved (most prosthetic valves do not utilize these muscles). Valvular remodeling can be accomplished by implanting a prosthetic ring (a.k.a. “annuloplasty ring”) into the valve annulus to reduce and/or stabilize the structure of the annulus in order to correct valvular insufficiency. Annuloplasty rings are typically constructed of a resilient core covered with a fabric sewing material. Annuloplasty procedures can be performed alone, or they can be performed in conjunction with other procedures such as leaflet repair. Although such annuloplasty procedures have become popular and well accepted, reshaping the surrounding annulus and traditional leaflet repairs do not always lead to optimum leaflet coaptation. As a result, some patients may still experience residual mitral valve regurgitation following such annuloplasty procedures.
A recently developed technique known as a “bow-tie” repair has also been advocated for repairing insufficient heart valves, in particular the mitral valve. The mitral valve bow-tie technique involves suturing the anterior and posterior leaflets together near the middle of their coapting edges, thereby causing blood to flow through two newly formed openings. While this does reduce the volume of blood that can flow from the atrium to the ventricle, this loss is compensated by improved leaflet coaptation which reduces mitral regurgitation. This process as originally developed by Dr. Ottavio Alfieri involved arresting the heart and placing the patient on extracorporeal bypass and required invasive surgery to access and suture the leaflets together. More recently, however, some have advocated a “beating heart” procedure in which the heart is accessed remotely and remains active throughout the bow-tie procedure.
One particular method for performing a beating heart bow-tie procedure (i.e. without extracorporeal bypass) has been proposed by Dr. Mehmet Oz, of Columbia University. (See PCT publication WO 99/00059, published Jan. 7, 1999, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). In one embodiment of this procedure, the associated device consists of a forceps-like grasper used to grasp and hold the mitral valve leaflets in a coapted position prior to the connecting step. Since the mitral valve leaflets curve toward and slightly into the left ventricular cavity at their mating edges, the grasper device is passed through a sealed aperture in the apex of the left ventricle. The edges of the mating mitral valve leaflets are then grasped and held together, and subsequently a fastening device such as a clip or suture is utilized to fasten them. The Mehmet Oz disclosure also discloses teeth on the grasper device that are linearly slidable with respect to one another so as to permit alignment of the mitral valve leaflets prior to fastening. Since the procedure is done on a beating heart, it will be readily understood that the pressures and motions within the left ventricle and mitral valve leaflets are severe and render Dr. Oz's procedure very skill-intensive.
The bow-tie technique has proved to be a viable alternative for treating otherwise incompetent heart valves. Nonetheless, shortcomings associated with the current bow-tie procedures have been identified. Current systems typically include tissue stabilizing devices having mechanical graspers, barbed members, and vacuum devices. Often, use of these devices results in the less than optimal leaflet stabilization and fastener placement. Many of these problems arise from the fact that the surgeon is required to capture, retain and fasten the leaflets in one relatively inflexible procedure. These difficulties are compounded when the leaflets are small or calcified making them difficult to pull together, and in beating heart procedures in which the leaflets are actively functioning. In addition, the size and complexity of most current devices make minimally invasive surgical procedures more difficult, if not impossible. In light of the foregoing, there is presently a need for improved systems for stabilizing multiple tissue heart valve leaflets and placing a fastening device therebetween. More specifically, there is a present need for an improved bow-tie procedure for repairing a patient's mitral valve.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention solves the problem of effectively stabilizing at least one tissue portion in vivo. Additionally, the present invention provides a device capable of delivering a fastener to the stabilized tissue portion through a catheter from a remote insertion location.
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a system for repairing tissue within the heart of a patient and includes a guide catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one internal lumen formed therein, a therapy catheter capable of applying at least one suture to the tissue, and a fastener catheter capable of attaching at least one fastener to the suture. The therapy catheter and the fastener catheter are capable of traversing the internal lumen of the guide catheter.
In another aspect, the present invention pertains to a system for repairing tissue within the heart of a patient and comprises a guide catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one internal lumen formed therein, a therapy catheter having at least one needle lumen in communication with at least one needle port positioned therein, at least one needle positioned within the needle lumen, and a fastener catheter having at least one fastener detachably coupled thereto. In addition, the fastener catheter includes at least one cutting member.
In yet another aspect, the present invention discloses a system for repairing tissue within the heart of a patient and includes a guide wire capable of being inserted into the patient and advanced through a circulatory pathway, a therapy catheter attachable to the guide wire and capable of applying at least one suture to the tissue, and a fastener catheter attachable to the guide wire and capable of attaching at least one fastener to the suture.
In a further aspect, the present invention pertains to a guide catheter for delivering a tissue repair device to tissue located within the heart of a patient and comprises an outer wall defining an outer wall lumen, a directing lumen capable of receiving a steering device therein and a flexible support device positioned within the outer wall lumen.
In another aspect, the present invention discloses a catheter for delivering a suture to tissue within the heart of a patient and includes an elongated body having a distal end, at least one suction recess formed on the distal end, at least one needle port located proximate to the suction recess, at least one needle lumen having at least one needle positioned therein in communication with the needle port, at least one needle receiving port having at least one needle catch located therein positioned proximate to the suction recess, and at least one actuator member in communication with the needle.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a catheter for delivering a suture to tissue within the heart of a patient and comprises an elongated body having a distal end with at least one suction recess formed thereon, at least one needle port located proximate to the suction recess, at least one needle lumen having at least one detachable needle attached to suture material positioned therein and in communication with the needle port, at least one needle receiving port located proximate to the suction recess, at least one needle trap capable of receiving the detachable needle positioned within the needle receiving port, and at least one actuator member in communication with the needle.
In yet another aspect, the present invention pertains to a device for applying a fastener to suture material attached to tissue within the body of a patient and includes a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end, an inner body defining a suture recess and an actuation recess, and a movable sleeve defining a deployment lumen. The suture recess on the inner body is in communication with a fastener lumen capable of receiving a fastener therein. The actuation recess is in communication with an actuation lumen formed in the inner body. The deployment lumen formed in the movable sleeve is sized to receive the inner body therein and includes a cutting recess having a cutting member located proximate thereto.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a fastener attachable to suture material and comprises a fastener body having at least one attachment lumen formed therein and at least one engagement member attached to the fastener body wherein the engagement member is capable of engaging and retaining the suture material. The engagement member defines an engagement aperture which is in communication with the attachment lumen. The attachment lumen is capable of receiving at least one suture therein.
The present invention also discloses various methods of repairing heart valve tissue within the body of a patient. In one aspect, a method of repairing tissue within the heart of a patient is disclosed which includes advancing a guide catheter through a circulatory pathway to a location in the heart proximate to a heart valve, advancing a therapy catheter through the guide catheter to the heart valve, stabilizing a first leaflet with the therapy catheter, deploying a first suture into the stabilized first leaflet, disengaging the first leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the first suture attached thereto, stabilizing a second leaflet with the therapy catheter, deploying a second suture into the second leaflet, disengaging the second leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the second suture attached thereto, and joining the first and second leaflets by reducing the distance between the first and second sutures.
An alternate method of repairing tissue within the heart of a patient is disclosed and comprises advancing a guide catheter through a circulatory pathway to a location in the heart proximate to a heart valve, advancing a therapy catheter through the guide catheter to the heart valve, stabilizing a first leaflet with the therapy catheter, deploying a first suture into the stabilized first leaflet, disengaging the first leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the first suture attached thereto, stabilizing a second leaflet with said therapy catheter, deploying a second suture into the second leaflet, disengaging the second leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the second suture attached thereto, and removing the therapy catheter from the guide catheter. Thereafter, a fastener catheter is positioned over the first and second suture and advanced through the guide catheter to the heart valve. Once positioned, the first and second leaflets are joined by reducing the distance between the first and second sutures and a fastener is deployed from the fastener catheter.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.
The apparatus of the present invention will be explained in more detail by way of the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Disclosed herein is a detailed description of various embodiments of the present invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention. The overall organization of the detailed description is for the purpose of convenience only and is not intended to limit the present invention.
The mitral valve repair system of the present invention is designed for use in a surgical treatment of bodily tissue. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the exemplary mitral valve repair system disclosed herein is designed to minimize trauma to the patient before, during, and subsequent to a minimally invasive surgical procedure while providing improved tissue stabilization and enhanced placement of a fastening device thereon. The mitral valve repair system of the present invention includes a guide catheter capable of being introduced into body of a patient and advanced to an area of interest, a therapy catheter capable of traversing or otherwise engaging the guide catheter and applying a suture to a repair site, and a fastener catheter capable of applying a fastening device to the attached suture. While the guide catheter, therapy catheter, and fastener catheter cooperatively enable a surgeon to deliver a suture to a repair site in vivo, the various components of the present invention may be used individually. For example, the therapy catheter, the fastener catheter, or both may be coupled to a guidewire and advanced to a repair site in vivo without the use of the guide catheter. The mitral valve repair system of the present invention is useful in repairing dysfunctional mitral valve tissue by stabilizing discreet valvular tissue pieces and deploying a fastening device therethrough. However, the mitral valve repair system may be used to repair tissue throughout a patient's body as desired. For example, the present invention may also be used to repair arterial septal defects (ASD), ventricular septal defects (VSD), and defects associated with patent foramen ovale (PFO).
Similarly, as shown in
An operational fastening tip 136 with fastener 180 attached thereto and ready for deployment can be seen in
Deployment of the fastener is a two step process. Once suture 178 has been secured through one or more tissue segments, the fastener tip 136 is coaxed toward the tissue and the suture leads 176A and 176B are pulled away from the tissue until the suture loop is sufficiently cinched around the target tissue. Sleeve 156 is then held in place adjacent the tissue while the inner body 154 is pulled axially away. This causes sleeve 156 to push (i.e. slide) fastener 180 off the outer surface of the inner body 154. When fastener 180 has been completely removed from inner body 154 engagement members 184 spring axially inward thereby reducing the diameter of engagement aperture 186 and securing suture leads 176A and 176B. The second deployment step, cutting suture leads 176A and 176B, is accomplished when the inner body 154 is pulled sufficiently through sleeve 156 that the suture leads are pinched between the trailing edge of suture recess 160 and cutting member 170 and ultimately cut by cutting member 170.
Remote deployment of fastener 180 is accomplished by attaching inner body 154 to fastener actuator 144, and attaching sleeve 156 to the fastener catheter handle 134. Thus, axial movement of the fastener actuator 144 relative to the handle 134 causes similar relative movement between inner body 154 and sleeve 156. For example, in the non-actuated position 148 (see
The present invention also discloses various methods of using the disclose mitral valve repair system to repair discreet tissue portions in vivo. The following paragraphs describe methods of repairing a dysfunctional mitral valve, though those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention and procedure may be adapted for use on other valves or in other procedures requiring the attachment of two or more pieces of tissue.
To repair a dysfunctional or otherwise incompetent heart valve, a guidewire capable of traversing the circulatory system and entering the heart of the patient is introduced into the patient through an endoluminal entry point. For example, the endoluminal entry point may be formed in a femoral vein or right jugular vein. Thereafter, the guidewire is advanced through the circulatory system, eventually arriving at the heart. The guidewire is directed into the right atrium, traverses the right atrium and is made to puncture with the aid of a tran-septal needle or pre-existing hole, the atrial septum, thereby entering the left atrium. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In closing, it is understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are illustrative of the principals of the invention. Other modifications may be employed which remain within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described in this disclosure.
Claims
1. A method of repairing tissue within the heart of a patient, comprising;
- advancing a guide catheter through a circulatory pathway to a location in the heart proximate to a heart valve;
- advancing a therapy catheter through the guide catheter to the heart valve;
- stabilizing a first leaflet with the therapy catheter;
- deploying a first suture material into the stabilized first leaflet;
- disengaging the first leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the first suture material attached thereto;
- stabilizing a second leaflet with the therapy catheter;
- deploying a second suture material into the second leaflet;
- disengaging the second leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the second suture material attached thereto;
- removing the therapy catheter from the guide catheter;
- advancing a fastener catheter along the first and second suture material through the guide catheter to the heart valve; and
- joining the first and second leaflets by reducing a distance between the first and second sutures with a fastener deployed from the fastener catheter.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- cutting the first and second suture portions.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fastener catheter comprises a suture cutter, and cutting the first and second suture portions is performed by the fastener catheter suture cutter, and wherein the method further comprises:
- removing the fastener catheter from the patient.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the therapy catheter comprises a suction recess on a first side of the therapy catheter, and the method further comprises:
- rotating the therapy catheter, wherein rotating the therapy catheter occurs after disengaging the first leaflet from the therapy catheter, and prior to stabilizing the second leaflet with the therapy catheter.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises a memory material and is configured to receive the first and second suture portions and to secure the first and second suture portions when released from the fastener, and the method further comprises:
- releasing the fastener from the fastener catheter, whereby the fastener is secured to the first and second suture portions.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises one or more engagement members configured to engage and secure the first and second suture portions.
7. A method of repairing tissue within the heart of a patient, comprising;
- advancing a guide catheter through a circulatory pathway to a location in the heart;
- advancing a therapy catheter through the guide catheter into the heart and adjacent a first heart tissue portion;
- stabilizing the first heart tissue portion with the therapy catheter;
- deploying a first suture material into the stabilized first heart tissue portion;
- disengaging the first heart tissue portion from the therapy catheter while leaving the first suture material attached thereto;
- stabilizing a second heart tissue portion with the therapy catheter;
- deploying a second suture material into the second heart tissue portion;
- disengaging the second heart tissue portion from the therapy catheter while leaving the second suture material attached thereto;
- removing the therapy catheter from the guide catheter;
- advancing a fastener catheter along the first and second suture material through the guide catheter and into the heart; and
- joining the first and second sutures with a fastener deployed from the fastener catheter.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein further comprising:
- pulling the first suture portion and the second suture portion while advancing the fastener catheter along the first and second suture material.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the fastener catheter is advanced along the first and second suture material until the fastener catheter is adjacent the first heart tissue portion and the second heart tissue portion, thereby decreasing the distance between the first heart tissue portion and the second heart tissue portion.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein advancing the fastener catheter comprises advancing the fastener catheter to a position adjacent the first heart tissue portion.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein advancing the fastener catheter comprises advancing the fastener catheter to a position adjacent the second heart tissue portion.
12. The method of claim 7, wherein the fastener catheter comprises a suture cutter, and the method further comprises:
- cutting the first and second suture portions; and
- removing the fastener catheter from the patient.
13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
- repositioning the therapy catheter, wherein repositioning the therapy catheter adjacent the second heart tissue portion occurs after disengaging the first heart tissue portion from the therapy catheter, and prior to stabilizing the second heart tissue portion with the therapy catheter.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein repositioning the therapy catheter comprises rotating the therapy catheter.
15. The method of claim 7, wherein the first heart tissue portion and the second heart tissue portion are at or adjacent a patent foramen ovale.
16. The method of claim 7, wherein the first heart tissue portion comprises a first valve leaflet.
17. The method of claim 7, wherein the second heart tissue portion comprises a second valve leaflet.
18. A method of repairing tissue within the heart of a patient, comprising;
- advancing a guide catheter through a circulatory pathway to a location in the heart proximate to a heart valve;
- advancing a therapy catheter through the guide catheter to the heart valve; inflating an inflatable positioning balloon on the therapy catheter;
- engaging a second leaflet with the inflatable positioning balloon thereby directing the therapy catheter to a first leaflet;
- stabilizing the first leaflet with the therapy catheter;
- deploying a first suture material into the stabilized first leaflet;
- disengaging the first leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the first suture material attached thereto;
- engaging the first leaflet with the inflatable positioning balloon thereby directing the therapy catheter to the second leaflet;
- stabilizing a second leaflet with the therapy catheter;
- deploying a second suture material into the second leaflet;
- disengaging the second leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the second suture material attached thereto;
- deflating the inflatable positioning balloon;
- removing the therapy catheter from the guide catheter;
- advancing a fastener catheter along the first and second suture material through the guide catheter to the heart valve; and
- joining the first and second leaflets by reducing a distance between the first and second sutures with a fastener deployed from the fastener catheter.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
- cutting the first and second suture portions.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the fastener catheter comprises a suture cutter, and cutting the first and second suture portions is performed by the fastener catheter suture cutter, and wherein the method further comprises:
- removing the fastener catheter from the patient.
Type: Application
Filed: May 29, 2008
Publication Date: Sep 18, 2008
Applicant: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (Irvine, CA)
Inventors: David Zarbatany (Laguna Niguel, CA), Tai Tieu (Fountain Valley, CA), Ponaka Pung (Signal Hill, CA), Joseph Videll (Mission Viejo, CA), Ken Perry (Bainbridge Island, WA), John Krumme (Tahoe City, CA), Maurice Buchbinder (La Jolla, CA)
Application Number: 12/129,574
International Classification: A61B 17/04 (20060101);