Patent ID: 7238152
Filing Date: 2007-07-03
Classification: A61F,A61M,A61N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A medical device for treating a beating heart, comprising: a cardiac harness formed from nitinol and having interconnected rows of non-overlapping hinge elements on an outer surface of the heart and providing a compressive force on the heart not exceeding 10 mm Hg during diastole and systole; the cardiac harness defining a first volume for receiving the heart; the cardiac harness being configured for minimally invasive delivery; the cardiac harness being capable of defining a second volume during end diastole and a third volume during end systole corresponding to the sphericity of the heart; the cardiac harness being configured to automatically adjust to changes in sphericity of the heart during diastolc and systole so that the cardiac harness closely tracks changes in sphericity of the heart by adjusting from the second volume to the third volume.