| 摘要 |
The present invention is method for permanently compressing tissues in the body. The method employs a compression device made of a spring and a flexible sheet that cooperate to form a compressive envelope around the desired tissue. The spring is preferably Z-shaped or a coil. The sheet is made of a flexible material and the material is preferably elastic. The sheet is preferably a biocompatible elastic material, such as a mesh made of stainless steel or a woven or non-woven elastomer. The method is minimally invasive because it deploys the compression device through the patient's skin directly to the tissue, as opposed to through catheterization or open invasive surgery, such as open-heart surgery. The preferred use is for compressing the left atrial appendage to prevent clots from forming and circulating, thereby preventing strokes. The device is deployed by making an incision in a patient's chest, inserting the compression device through the incision into the pericardium without piercing the heart, and deploying it around the entire appendage. The device remains in place by its own compressive nature: either the spring, the sheet, or both components compress the appendage and cause the device to stay in place due to friction. Preferably the entire compression device is left in place, but the spring or the sheet may be removed, leaving the remaining component to compress the appendage.
|
