Patent ID: 6676679
Filing Date: 2004-01-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method of treating a patient at risk of loss of cardiac function by cardiac ischemia, comprising:(a) imaging the patient's heart, or a portion thereof, to identify (i) an underperfused region of cardiac muscle, (ii) a source of oxygenated blood that is proximate a boundary of the underperfused region, and (iii) a target area that includes the underperfused-region boundary and a tissue expanse lying between the oxygenated blood supply and the boundary; (b) at each of a plurality of sites throughout the target area, implanting a device that can be remotely activated to produce mechanical or thermal injury at its site of implantation; and (c) at periodic intervals of between several hours and 5 days, remotely activating the device sufficiently to produce recurrent injury at the implantation sites, over a total period sufficient to convert initial capillary blush induced at the implantation sites into arterioles.