US 12,409,032 B2
Percutaneous implantation of an annuloplasty structure
Tal Reich, Moledet (IL); Amir Gross, Tel Aviv-Jaffa (IL); and Tal Sheps, Givat Shmuel (IL)
Assigned to Edwards Lifesciences Innovation (Israel) Ltd., Caesarea (IL)
Filed by Edwards Lifesciences Innovation (Israel) Ltd., Caesarea (IL)
Filed on Oct. 5, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/063,549.
Application 17/063,549 is a continuation of application No. 15/919,452, filed on Mar. 13, 2018, granted, now 10,792,152.
Application 15/919,452 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/474,543, filed on Mar. 30, 2017, granted, now 10,470,882, issued on Nov. 12, 2019.
Application 15/919,452 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/589,100, filed on Jan. 5, 2015, granted, now 9,918,840, issued on Mar. 20, 2018.
Application 15/474,543 is a continuation of application No. 14/128,756, granted, now 9,662,209, issued on May 30, 2017, previously published as PCT/IL2012/000250, filed on Jun. 21, 2012.
Application 14/128,756 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/167,444, filed on Jun. 23, 2011, granted, now 9,011,530, issued on Apr. 21, 2015.
Application 14/128,756 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/167,476, filed on Jun. 23, 2011, granted, now 8,940,044, issued on Jan. 27, 2015.
Application 14/128,756 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/167,492, filed on Jun. 23, 2011, granted, now 8,926,697, issued on Jan. 6, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0015617 A1, Jan. 21, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61F 2/24 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/04 (2006.01); A61B 17/34 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/2445 (2013.01) [A61F 2/2466 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00243 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0441 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0464 (2013.01); A61B 17/3468 (2013.01); A61F 2/2448 (2013.01); A61F 2220/0008 (2013.01); A61F 2250/001 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for use with a plurality of tissue anchors, each of the tissue anchors having a respective anchor head, the method comprising:
(1) during a percutaneous transcatheter procedure, securing an annuloplasty structure at least partially around an annulus of a mitral valve of a subject by coupling the plurality of tissue anchors of the annuloplasty structure to the annulus, such that (i) a longitudinal contracting member of the annuloplasty structure extends at least partially around the annulus, and (ii) the plurality of tissue anchors is distributed at least partially around the annulus, with:
a first longitudinal density of the tissue anchors along a lateral scallop (P1) of a posterior leaflet of the mitral valve, which density is equal to (a) a number of the tissue anchors coupled to the annulus along the lateral scallop (P1) divided by (b) a length of the lateral scallop (P1) along the annulus,
a second longitudinal density of the tissue anchors along a middle scallop (P2) of the posterior leaflet, which density is equal to (a) a number of the tissue anchors coupled to the annulus along the middle scallop (P2) divided by (b) a length of the middle scallop (P2) along the annulus, and
a third longitudinal density of the tissue anchors along a medial scallop (P3) of the posterior leaflet, which density is equal to (a) a number of the tissue anchors coupled to the annulus along the medial scallop (P3) divided by (b) a length of the medial scallop (P3) along the annulus, wherein the second longitudinal density is at least twice as great as at least one of the following: (a) the first longitudinal density, and (b) the third longitudinal density; and
(2) thereafter, contracting at least part of the annulus by contracting a longitudinal portion of the annuloplasty structure by tightening the longitudinal contracting member, the second longitudinal density being sufficiently great that the tightening causes contact between adjacent anchor heads of at least two of the anchors coupled to the annulus along the middle scallop.