Claims
- 1. An apparatus for placement on a heart of a patient to treat a heart condition characterized at least in part by diastolic expansion of a size of the heart, the jacket comprising:
(a) a flexible and compliant, biocompatible material formed in a jacket having an internal volume and an opening exposing said internal volume;
(i) said jacket sized to be placed over said heart with an apex of said heart passed through said opening and with at least a ventricular portion of said heart received within said volume, (ii) said jacket further sized to present a resistance to diastolic expansion; and (iii) said material of said jacket including at least a shape-memory material.
- 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
(a) said shape-memory material is nitinol
- 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
(a) a stimulus applicator for applying a stimulus to said shape-memory material.
- 4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
(a) wherein said material is elastic.
- 5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
(a) said jacket is sized to constrain diastolic expansion beyond a predetermined limit.
- 6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
(a) said material is formed in an open cell construction with a plurality of open cells defined by interconnected, elongated elements.
- 7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein:
(a) said elements are V or W-shaped.
- 8. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein:
(a) said elements are zigzag shaped.
- 9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
(a) said jacket is sized to be applied to the epicardium of the heart.
- 10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
(a) said jacket is sized to be applied to the pericardium of the heart.
- 11. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
(a) said material includes a fibrosis inhibiting biomaterial.
- 12. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:
(a) said material is coated with a second material.
- 13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein:
(a) said second material is a fibrosis inhibiting biomaterial.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/172,523 filed Jun. 13, 2002; application Ser. No. 10/172,523 is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/567,726 filed May 10, 2000. Application Ser. Nos. 10/172,523 and 09/567,726 are incorporated herein by reference.
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09567726 |
May 2000 |
US |
Child |
10172523 |
Jun 2002 |
US |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10172523 |
Jun 2002 |
US |
Child |
10639875 |
Aug 2003 |
US |