Cardiac disease treatment and device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method and device are disclosed for treating congestive heart disease and related cardiac complications such as valvular disorders.
The invention includes a jacket of biologically compatible material.
The jacket defines an internal volume dimensioned for an apex of the heart to be inserted into the volume and for the jacket to be slipped over the heart.
The jacket has a longitudinal dimension between upper and lower ends sufficient for the jacket to surround a lower portion of the heart preferably between, or even including the valvular annulus of the heart and the ventricular lower extremities.
The jacket is adjustable on the heart to snugly conform to an external geometry of the heart and assume a maximum adjusted volume for the jacket to constrain circumferential expansion of the heart beyond the maximum adjusted volume during diastole and to permit unimpeded contraction of the heart during systole.
The jacket is preferably constructed from a flexible material having a multi-axial expansion less than about 30% when said material is exposed to a load up to about 5 pounds per inch (9 Newtons per centimeter).
More preferably, the expansion of the material along a first axis is between about 30% and 40% when exposed to a uniaxial load between about 0.
1 pounds per inch (0.
2 Newtons per centimeter) to about 0.
5 pounds per inch (0.
9 Newtons per centimeter) with no lateral constraint and the expansion of the material along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis of said material is between about 20% and 30% when exposed to a uniaxial load between about 0.
1 pounds per inch (0.
2 Newtons per centimeter) to about 0.
5 pounds per inch (0.
9 Newtons per centimeter) with no lateral constraint.
Most preferably, the jacket material is oriented such a that the first axis (i.
e.
, the more compliant direction) extends parallel to the longitudinal axis (AA-BB) of the heart.