| abstract |
A geometric reconfiguration assembly for the natural heart having a collar configured for surrounding the natural heart. The collar can include a plurality of bands, such as thin bands of about 0.2 mm in thickness, in a spaced relationship to each other, and a connector bar intersecting the plurality of bands and configured for maintaining the spaced relationship of the bands to each other. The collar may include a plurality of bands, such as from about 2 to about 10 bands, that are positioned parallel to each other. The bands can each be made of a biomedical material, such as polyacetal or a metal, such as titanium or steel.The connector bar of the present invention can be positioned tangential to the plurality of bands, and may have a plurality of grooves configured to receive the thickness of each of the plurality of bands. The grooves also may be beveled to allow for the bands to flex as the heart beats. The connector bar's inner surface can have an outwardly convex curved configuration, and may even include a cushioned portion that can be made from a polymeric material. A pad may be positioned between the collar and the epicardial surface of the heart that may comprise a low durometer polymer, or either a gel-filled cushion or a fluid-filled cushion. |