Patent Application
20070044811
The invention generally relates to medical apparatus and methods. More specifically, the invention relates to apparatus and methods for treatment of patent foramen ovale.
Fetal blood circulation is much different than adult circulation. Because fetal blood is oxygenated by the placenta, rather than the fetal lungs, blood is generally shunted away from the lungs to the peripheral tissues through a number of vessels and foramens that remain patent (i.e., open) during fetal life and typically close shortly after birth. For example, fetal blood passes directly from the right atrium through the foramen ovale into the left atrium, and a portion of blood circulating through the pulmonary artery trunk passes through the ductus arteriosus to the aorta. This fetal circulation is shown in attached
At birth, as a newborn begins breathing, blood pressure in the left atrium rises above the pressure in the right atrium. In most newborns, a flap of tissue closes the foramen ovale and heals together. In approximately 20,000 babies born each year in the US, the flap of tissue is missing, and the hole remains open as an atrial septal defect (ASD). In a much more significant percentage of the population (estimates range from 5% to 20% of the entire population), the flap is present but does not heal together. This condition is known as a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Whenever the pressure in the right atrium rises above that in the left atrium, blood pressure can push this patent channel open, allowing blood to flow from the right atrium to the left atrium.
Patent foramen ovale has long been considered a relatively benign condition, since it typically has little effect on the body's circulation. More recently, however, it has been found that a significant number of strokes may be caused at least in part by PFO. In some cases, stroke may occur because a PFO allows blood containing small thrombi to flow directly from the venous circulation to the arterial circulation and into the brain, rather than flowing to the lungs where the thrombi can become trapped and gradually dissolved. In other cases, thrombi might form in the patent channel of the PFO itself and become dislodged when the pressures cause blood to flow from the right atrium to the left atrium. It has been estimated that patients with PFOs who have already had cryptogenic strokes have a 4% risk per year of having another stroke.
Further research is currently being conducted into the link between PFO and stroke. At the present time, if someone with a PFO has two or more strokes, the healthcare system in the U.S. may reimburse a surgical or other interventional procedure to definitively close the PFO. It is likely, however, that a more prophylactic approach would be warranted to close PFOs to prevent the prospective occurrence of a stroke. The cost and potential side-effects and complications of such a procedure must be low, however, since the event rate due to PFOs is relatively low. In younger patients, for example, PFOs sometimes close by themselves over time without any adverse health effects.
Another highly prevalent and debilitating condition—chronic migraine headaches—has also been linked with PFO. Although the exact link has not yet been explained, PFO closure has been shown to eliminate or significantly reduce migraine headaches in many patients. Again, prophylactic PFO closure to treat chronic migraine headaches might be warranted if a relatively non-invasive procedure were available.
Currently available interventional therapies for PFO are generally fairly invasive and/or have potential drawbacks. One strategy is simply to close a PFO during open heart surgery for another purpose, such as heart valve surgery. This can typically be achieved via a simple procedure such as placing a stitch or two across the PFO with vascular suture. Performing open heart surgery purely to close an asymptomatic PFO or even a very small ASD, however, would be very hard to justify.
A number of interventional devices for closing PFOs percutaneously have also been proposed and developed. Most of these devices are the same as or similar to ASD closure devices. They are typically “clamshell” or “double umbrella” shaped devices which deploy an area of biocompatible metal mesh or fabric (ePTFE or Dacron, for example) on each side of the atrial septum, held together with a central axial element, to cover the PFO. This umbrella then heals into the atrial septum, with the healing response forming a uniform layer of tissue or “pannus” over the device. Such devices have been developed, for example, by companies such as Nitinol Medical Technologies, Inc. (Boston, Mass.) and AGA Medical, Inc. (White Bear Lake, Minn.). U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,720 describes a method and apparatus for thoracoscopic intracardiac procedures which may be used for treatment of PFO.
Although available devices may work well in some cases, they also face a number of challenges. Relatively frequent causes of complications include, for example, improper deployment, device embolization into the circulation and device breakage. In some instances, a deployed device does not heal into the septal wall completely, leaving an exposed tissue which may itself be a nidus for thrombus formation. Furthermore, currently available devices are generally complex and expensive to manufacture, making their use for prophylactic treatment of PFO impractical. Additionally, currently available devices typically close a PFO by placing material on either side of the tunnel of the PFO, compressing and opening the tunnel acutely, until blood clots on the devices and causes flow to stop. No presently known methods or devices close a PFO by inserting a device primarily into the tunnel of the PFO to cause closure.
Research into methods and compositions for tissue welding has been underway for many years. Of particular interest are technologies developed by McNally et.al., (as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,049 and Fusion Medical (as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,156,613, 5,669,934, 5,824,015 and 5,931,165). These technologies all disclose the use of energy delivery to tissue solders and patches in order to join tissue and form anastamoses between arteries, bowel, nerves, etc. Also of interest are a number of patents by inventor Sinofsky, relating to laser suturing of biological materials (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,725,522, 5,569,239, 5,540,677 and 5,071,417). Other references, such as PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO 03/0534493, describe devices for closing PFOs involving bioresorbable materials. While these basic technologies may be applicable to the closure of PFOs, however, none of them show methods or apparatus suitable for positioning the tissues of the PFO for welding or for delivering the energy to the site to be welded.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have improved methods and apparatus for treating a PFO. Ideally, such methods and apparatus would help seal the PFO while leaving only a harmless repair material, or possibly very little or no foreign material, in the body. Also ideally, such methods and apparatus would be relatively simple to manufacture and use, thus rendering prophylactic treatment of PFO, such as for stroke prevention, a viable option. It would also be advantageous to have a device which could effect closure of a PFO without requiring insertion of a catheter through the PFO. At least some of these objectives will be met by the present invention.
Methods and apparatus for treatment of patent foramen ovale (PFO) generally involve use of a catheter having treatment apparatus at its distal end. In the present embodiments, the treatment apparatus includes at least one conductive element disposed at the distal end of the catheter. The treatment apparatus may also include a positive stop feature to limit the penetration of the treatment apparatus to a predetermined depth into the PFO. The apparatus also includes an energy source, such as a radiofrequency generator, used in conjunction with a closure device.
Methods generally involve advancing the catheter to position its distal end near the PFO and using the treatment apparatus to secure a closure device to the tissue with energy and/or tissue solder or tissue adhesive to close the PFO. The closure device may be a plug that physically covers the PFO. Alternatively, the closure device may be a plug inserted selectively into the PFO.
In one aspect, a method of treating a patent foramen ovale comprises: advancing a catheter device having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one conductive element and closure device near the distal end through vasculature of a patient to position the distal end adjacent the patent foramen ovale; advancing the at least one conductive element and closure device to or into the patent foramen ovale; exposing the at least one conductive element to the closure element and/or to the tissue; and applying energy to the tissue and/or closure device to fix the device to or into the tissue of the PFO. In some embodiments, advancing the catheter comprises advancing through at least one of a femoral vein, an iliac vein, an inferior vena cava, a brachial vein, an axial vein, a subclavian vein, and a superior vena cava of the patient. In some embodiments, advancing the catheter comprises advancing over a guidewire.
In other aspects, exposing the at least one conductive element and closure device involves retracting a catheter body of the catheter to expose the at least one conductive element and closure device out of an opening in the catheter body at or near the distal end of the catheter. Alternatively, exposing the at least one conductive element and closure device may involve advancing the conductive element and closure device relative to the catheter body. In any embodiment, the at least one conductive element and closure device may be retracted and advanced as many times as desired. Optionally, any embodiment may include visualization of the PFO and/or tissue surrounding the PFO using one or more visualization devices.
In further aspects, advancing the at least one conductive element and closure device to or into the PFO optionally includes inserting at least a portion of the at least one conductive element and closure device into the PFO until a positive stop provided on the treatment apparatus engages the peripheral limits of the PFO, limiting penetration depth of the at least one conductive element and closure device.
A further aspect of advancing the closure device to or into the PFO includes providing a closure device made from a self-expanding bioresorbable, doped matrix and allowing the self expanding material of the closure device to fill and/or span the PFO. In alternative embodiments, a self-expanding or expandable matrix that is not bioresorbable may be used.
In another method of therapy, advancing the treatment apparatus comprises advancing two or more conductive elements to the PFO and using the two or more conductive elements to apply lateral, dilatory or a combination of both forces to bring the tissue of the septum primum and septum secundum of the PFO into apposition. Alternatively, the lateral and/or dilatory forces may bring the tissue of the septum primum and septum secundum into apposition with one or more of the conductive elements, or into apposition with the closure device. In this method, advancing the closure device comprises spanning the area between the two or more conductive elements with the closure device. In a further aspect of the method, advancing the closure device may comprise allowing the closure device to self-expand in and/or near the PFO to fill any space left after the primum and secundum are brought into apposition by the two or more conductive elements. In some embodiments, applying lateral, dilatory or a combination of forces may be achieved by inflating a balloon within the conductive elements, or by incorporating the conductive elements into a balloon.
Methods for fixing the closure device to the PFO include applying energy to the at least one conductive element of the treatment apparatus via the delivery catheter. In one method, monopolar radiofrequency energy is applied through the at least one conductive element and the conductively doped closure device, heating the tissue and/or closure device, to fix the closure device to the tissue and close the PFO. Alternatively, applying energy to the closure device may cause solder or adhesive-filled compartments within the closure device to rupture, fixing the closure device to the PFO.
An alternative method includes applying bipolar radiofrequency energy between the at least one conductive element and a ground electrode on the delivery catheter or proximal treatment apparatus to heat the tissue and/or closure device to fix the closure device to the tissue and close the PFO.
A further method entails applying bipolar radiofrequency energy between the two or more conductive elements of the treatment apparatus to heat the tissue and/or closure device to fix the closure device to the tissue and close the PFO. In some methods, the energy may be conducted from each of the two or more conductive elements of the treatment apparatus into specifically defined conductive pathways of the closure device.
In yet another aspect, apparatus for treating PFO comprises an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end and a treatment apparatus comprised of at least one retractable conductive element movable between a retracted position wherein the conductive element resides wholly within the catheter body and a deployed position wherein at least a portion of the conductive element extends through an opening in the catheter body adjacent the distal end. In some embodiments, the catheter body is passable over a guidewire. Also in some embodiments, the at least one retractable conductive element contains at least one positive stop provided to engage the peripheral limits of the PFO, limiting penetration depth of the at least one conductive element and closure device. Optionally, the at least one retractable conductive element comprises multiple conductive elements. Also in some embodiments, the at least one retractable conductive element is movable relative to the catheter body to extend the at least one conductive element through the PFO and retract the conductive element back through the foramen ovale.
Apparatus for treating a PFO also consist of a closure device, which may include a bioabsorbable or non-resorbable matrix. The matrix may include conductive elements to reduce impedance over the desired energy transmission plane and to enhance energy conduction from the energy delivery means to the tissue in order to more predictably and securely affix the closure device to the tissue. Optionally, the closure device may incorporate tissue solders or adhesives. These solders or adhesives may be designed to achieve full adhesion upon energy delivery. Conductive elements incorporated into the closure device may include conductive wires. Alternatively, conductive elements may comprise patterned doping of conductive particles into specific conductive shapes or pathways within the closure device. Example conductive wires may be made from gold, platinum, iridium, or alloys thereof. Example doping elements include powdered metals such as tantalum, platinum, gold, iridium, or alloys thereof. Example matrices include self expanding collagen, hyaluronic acid, absorbable sponge, matrices of bioabsorbable polymers, and bioresorbable metals, such as iron or nickel alloys. Example tissue solders or adhesives include autologous blood, albumin, collagen, fibrin, cyanoacrylates, mussel byssus adhesives, polymer hot melt adhesives or the like. Combinations of several of these solders or adhesives may also be utilized.
Other embodiments of closure devices incorporating conductive elements may include design features such as skirts, flanges or lips which are designed to engage the tissue of the right atrium adjacent to the PFO, acting as a positive stop and as additional retention means. In some cases, the closure device will incorporate deformable non-resorbable frame members in order to facilitate closure device positioning and retention.
Methods and apparatus of the invention generally provide for treating tissue adjacent a patent foramen ovale (PFO) to cause closure of the foramen. The methods and devices typically include a catheter device which can be advanced through the vasculature of a patient to position the distal end of the catheter near the PFO to provide treatment. Treatment apparatus disposed at or near the distal end of the catheter can then be used to treat at least a portion of the heart wall tissue surrounding the PFO, to cause the PFO to close. In many embodiments, the treatment apparatus is used to transmit energy to a closure device and to the tissues surrounding the PFO. The energy causes bonding to occur between the tissue of the PFO and the closure device, which may in turn induce a response in the tissues which causes the PFO to close. In one embodiment, the treatment apparatus includes one or more conductive elements. Such conductive elements may be retractable into (and extendable out of) the body of the catheter.
In some embodiments, closure devices may be made from bioresorbable materials such as collagen, hyaluronic acids, or various formulations of bioresorbable polymers such as PLLA, PLGA, degradable metals or the like. Alternatively, closure devices may comprise one or more non-resorbable materials, such Dacron®, ePTFE, non-degradable metallic weaves such as platinum alloys, gold, nitinol or stainless steel, or composites of several of these materials. The closure device may be self expanding or expandable to fill gaps left between the tissues of the PFO after they are brought into apposition for sealing. Of particular interest are embodiments wherein conductive particles are incorporated into the matrix of the closure device to increase conductivity and inductance through the closure device and the tissues of the PFO in order to increase the efficacy and consistency of the closure. These particles may be evenly distributed throughout the matrix of the closure device, or they might be arranged into specifically designed conductive pathways.
For the purposes of this description, the tissue surrounding, encircling or forming a PFO will generally be referred to as “tissue adjacent the PFO” or “PFO tissue” or “tissue surrounding the PFO.” A “PFO” itself is actually a foramen, or opening, in tissue of the heart wall between the left and right atria (the interatrial septum), while tissue adjacent the PFO is tissue of the septum primum and the septum secundum that has failed to fuse, thus leaving the foramen ovale patent. Many embodiments of the present invention involve apparatus and methods acting on tissue adjacent the PFO, and it should be emphasized that “tissue adjacent the PFO” means tissue of the septum primum, tissue of the septum secundum, and/or any other adjacent heart wall tissue upon which an embodiment of the invention may act.
As shown in
Devices such as those described in
Devices such as those described in FIGS. 4, 5A-D, 6, 7A-C and 8 may make use of monopolar radiofrequency energy, wherein energy is applied simultaneously to all conductive elements, completing the circuit through an external ground pad affixed to the skin of the patient. Alternatively, bipolar energy may be applied to all conductive elements simultaneously, and the circuit completed through a ground element incorporated elsewhere on the delivery system. Further embodiments may include applying bipolar energy between two or more conductive elements of the treatment apparatus, which are electrically isolated from one another within the delivery system.
Control systems may be includes in various embodiments within the energy delivery systems for detecting and/or stopping energy delivery. Such a control system may automatically stop energy delivery upon detecting a change in a condition of energy delivery, for instance an increase in electrical resistance or impedance within the closure device and/or tissues, or an increased energy draw from the treatment apparatus. In some embodiments, a control system will stop energy delivery when a temperature is detected that relates to a sufficient temperature for tissue welding. Such control features may be accomplished by any suitable devices or combinations, such as by thermistors or the like.
In all embodiments describing doping of a matrix to enhance energy transfer, association of a given doped pathway, whether is it highly selective to mimic a wire-like pathway or uniformly distributed to form a plate-like plane, the pathway may be made to be in true electrical connection with its intended conduction element, or it may simply be more strongly coupled with a given electrode than with a different electrode. True electrical conductivity may be established through the pathway or plane, or the mechanism of increased energy transfer may be that of reducing the impedance of a given path which it is desired for the energy to follow.
As is mentioned above, closure devices of the present invention may be entirely bioresorbable, partially bioresorbable, or entirely non-resorbable. Many of the embodiments described above are intended to be bioresporbable but may also be constructed from non-resorbable materials. The descriptions that follow often focus on “patches” for closing a PFO. Typically, these patches will be non-resorbable, but again, bioresorbable or partially resorbable patches are contemplated. Furthermore, a “patch” may comprise any of a number of different closure devices, and therefore, the term patch should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention to any one embodiment or configuration. For the purposes of this application, “patch”, “closure device” and the like may be used interchangeably to mean any device for closing a PFO.
That being said,
With reference now to
Referring now to
Referring to
In one exemplary embodiment, a spiral channel is provided within the woven patch which allows a more rigid spiral member to be slidably fixed to the patch such that when the assembly is in a non-deployed state, such as illustrated in
The spiral reinforcement can be any of the known bioabsorbable polymers, or a metallic or nonreabsorbable polymer. The reinforcement can be fitted within a sleeve formed within the patch, attached using loosely applied stitches, for example, which would still allow movement of the fiber during deployment, threaded through slits in the woven material, or any other means which allows movement of the fiber, but retain the patch in place in its final position. The fiber and patch can be fixed together at the distal terminus of the fiber, at about the outer of the patch, so that during balloon inflation only the proximal portion of the reinforcement moves, and is drawn distally into the patch.
In one embodiment, the patch can be made of non-distensible weave, such that bringing the patch down into the pre-deployment configuration shown in
The reinforcing fiber, if it is made from an absorbable material, might be of a formulation where the application of moderate heat (e.g., low enough not to cause thrombus formation in the right atrium) softens the material, assisting in deployment. The material could be formulated to reharden upon removal of the heat, helping to fix the device into its final position. A similar application of heat could assist in deployment of the reinforcing fiber if it were, e.g., a low-glass transition temperature non-absorbable polymer or nitinol metal fiber as well.
Although the foregoing description is complete and accurate, it has described only a few embodiments of the invention. Various changes, additions, deletions and the like may be made to one or more embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Additionally, different elements of the invention could be combined to achieve any of the effects described above. Thus, the description above is provided for exemplary purposes only and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/665,974 (Attorney Docket No. 022128-000300US), filed Sep. 18, 2003, which claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 60/458,854 (Attorney Docket No. 022128-000100US (formerly 20979-002100US)), filed on Mar. 27, 2003; 60/478,035 (Attorney Docket No. 022128-000110US (formerly 20979-002110US)), filed on Jun. 11, 2003, and 60/490,082 (Attorney Docket No. 022128-000120US (formerly 20979-002120US)), filed on Jul. 24, 2003, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60458854 | Mar 2003 | US | |
| 60478035 | Jun 2003 | US | |
| 60490082 | Jul 2003 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10665974 | Sep 2003 | US |
| Child | 11506232 | Aug 2006 | US |
