Appeal 2006-3319
Application 10/366,585
Appellants' claimed invention is directed to a method of implanting a
mitral valve therapy device 12 in a patient's coronary sinus 14, which in
accordance with Appellants' usage also includes the great cardiac vein 14a
(Specification ¶ 9), adjacent the patient's mitral valve annulus 20 to deform
or reshape the mitral valve annulus to reduce or eliminate mitral
regurgitation (leakage through the valve). This can be done with a less
invasive surgery than replacing the mitral valve and often works.
(Specification ¶ 1- 10, 30, and 31.)
As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the coronary sinus 14, and in particular
the great cardiac vein 14a, is adjacent the circumflex artery 17, which is a
branch of the coronary artery 15, at crossover point 19. The circumflex
artery 17 is one of the branches that supplies blood to (perfuses) the lateral
free wall of the left ventricle. Thus, Appellants are concerned about
occlusion of the circumflex artery 17 by the placement of the mitral valve
therapy device 12 in the adjacent coronary sinus 14 and consequent
reduction in arterial perfusion of the heart (Specification ¶ 13.) To address
this concern, Appellants' method includes a step of assessing arterial
perfusion of the heart (Specification ¶14).
Claim 1 is illustrative of the claimed invention and reads as follows:
1. A method of implanting a mitral valve therapy
device in a patient's coronary sinus adjacent the
patient's mitral valve annulus, the method
comprising the steps of:
positioning the mitral valve therapy device
within the coronary sinus of the patient adjacent to
the mitral valve annulus of the patient;
evaluating effectiveness of the device; and
assessing arterial perfusion of the heart.
2
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