Patent ID: 8105309

Claim:
A method of myocardial infarct border zone reinforcement, the method comprising the steps of: introducing at least one suction/infusion catheter having a lumen therethrough to a pericardial space surrounding a heart at or near a site of myocardial infarct border zone, the at least one suction/infusion catheter comprising: one or more apertures defined along a portion of the at least one suction/infusion catheter at or near a distal end of the at least one suction/infusion catheter; a first configuration when the at least one suction/infusion catheter is at least partially extended from a delivery catheter; and a second configuration when the at least one suction/infusion catheter is positioned within the delivery catheter, the second configuration different from the first configuration; injecting a glue-like substance through the lumen of the at least one suction/infusion catheter and out from the one or more apertures to deliver the glue-like substance into the pericardial space at or near the myocardial infarct border zone; and injecting magnetic cells through the lumen of the at least one suction/infusion catheter and out from the one or more apertures to deliver the magnetic cells into the pericardial space at or near the myocardial infarct border zone, wherein the magnetic cells are attracted to the glue-like substance, and wherein the magnetic cells provide structural support to the myocardial infarct border zone.