Cardiac reinforcement device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is directed to a device and method for reinforcement of the cardiac wall.
According to the invention, a cardiac reinforcement device includes a biomedical material which can be applied to the epicardial surface of the heart and which expands to a predetermined size that is selected to constrain cardiac expansion beyond a predetermined limit.
A biomedical material suitable for a cardiac reinforcement device can be an elastic or non-elastic mesh or non-mesh material.
In one embodiment, a cardiac reinforcement device is a biomedical material in the form of a patch.
The size of the patch is selected to locally constrain cardiac expansion.
In another embodiment, a cardiac reinforcement device is a biomedical material shaped as a jacket with a predetermined size selected for the jacket to surround the epicardial surface of the heart and circumferentially constrain cardiac expansion.
In one embodiment, a cardiac reinforcement jacket may be applied to the epicardial surface via a minimally invasive procedure such as thorascopy.
A cardiac reinforcement jacket can include a securing arrangement for securing the jacket to the epicardial surface of the heart.
The cardiac reinforcement jacket can also include a mechanism for selectively adjusting the predetermined size of the jacket around the epicardial surface of the heart.
The adjustment mechanism can include a slot having opposing lateral edges which when pulled together decrease the volumetric size of the jacket.
In an alternative embodiment, a selective size adjustment mechanism can include an inflatable member mounted between the jacket and the epicardial surface of the heart.
Inflation of the inflatable member provides for reduction in the volumetric size of the jacket.
A cardiac reinforcement device of the invention can be used to treat cardiomyopathy or to reduce the diastolic volume of the heart.