Patent ID: 7510577

Claim:
An adjustable annuloplasty device comprising: a body member comprising: a first segment having a first end and a second end; a second segment having a first end and a second end; a third segment having a first end, second end, and an original length; wherein said first segment and said second segment have substantially equal original lengths; wherein said second end of said first segment is proximate said first end of said second segment, and said first segment and said second segment are oriented end-to-end with respect to each other; wherein said second end of said third segment is proximate said first end of said first segment, and said first segment and said third segment are oriented end-to-end with respect to each other; wherein each of said first segment and said second segment comprises a material that exhibits a ferromagnetic shape memory effect; wherein said first segment is configured to transform to a first length, different from the first segment's original length, without substantially changing a temperature of said material exhibiting said ferromagnetic shape memory effect, and wherein said second segment and said third segment remain at substantially their original lengths after said first segment has transformed to its first length; wherein said body member has a first size of a dimension of said body member in a first configuration and a second size of said dimension of said body member in a second configuration; wherein said body member is configured to be implanted into a heart so as to reinforce a cardiac valve annulus in said first configuration; wherein said body member is configured to transform from said first configuration to said second configuration in vivo, as said first segment transforms from its original length to its first length, in response to a magnetic field inducing said ferromagnetic shape memory effect; and wherein said body member in said second configuration is configured to change a size of said cardiac valve annulus.