fig1 a and 1b illustrate a partitioning device 10 which embodies features of the invention and which includes an inflatable partitioning element 12 and an inflatable supporting element 14 . the partitioning element 12 may contain anchoring members 16 around its edge 18 to engage the heart wall 20 upon expansion . the partitioning device 10 is delivered in a deflated form through a catheter . the inflatable partitioning element may be disc shaped and hollow . when inflated the supporting element 14 extends distally from the center of the partitioning element 12 and has a distal end 22 which provides a yielding engagement with a heart wall 20 when deployed within a patient &# 39 ; s heart chamber 24 . the partitioning element 12 has a peripheral edge 18 . the edge 18 may contain anchoring members 16 which are configured to hold the partitioning device 10 in a deployed position within the patient &# 39 ; s heart chamber 24 . preferably , the anchoring elements 16 penetrate into tissue of the patient &# 39 ; s heart wall 20 in order to secure the partitioning element 12 so as to partition the ventricular chamber 24 in a desired manner . the partitioning element 12 may contain a hub 26 having a one way valve for inflation of both the partitioning element 12 and the supporting element 14 . fig2 illustrates the placement of partitioning device 10 within a patient &# 39 ; s left ventricle 24 . the partitioning element 12 partitions the patient &# 39 ; s heart chamber 24 into a main productive portion 27 and a secondary , essentially non - productive portion 28 . the productive portion 27 is smaller than the original ventricular chamber 24 and provides for an improved ejection fraction . the partitioning increases the ejection fraction and provides an improvement in blood flow through the heart chamber . over time , the non - productive portion 28 fills initially with thrombus and subsequently cellular growth . bio - resorbable fillers such as polylactic acid , polyglycolic acid , polycaprolactone and copolymers and blends may be employed to fill the non - productive portion 28 . fillers may be suitably supplied in a suitable solvent such as dmso . other materials which accelerate tissue growth may be deployed in the non - productive portion 28 . in some embodiments the supporting element 14 may fill a portion or all of the non - productive chamber 28 . an alternative partitioning device 30 is shown in fig3 wherein the inflatable partitioning element 32 is held in place by anchoring members 34 disposed about the periphery 36 . in this embodiment the partitioning element 32 does not have a distal supporting element extending from it &# 39 ; s distal face 38 . the proximal face 40 has a hub 42 which has a inflation port for injection inflation fluid into the interior of the element 32 . a suitable delivery system for the partitioning devices described above is described in co - pending application ser . no . 10 / 212 , 032 filed on aug . 1 , 2002 which is incorporated herein in its entirety . fig4 , 6 and 7 illustrate a suitable delivery system 44 with a partitioning device 30 as shown in fig3 . the delivery system 44 includes a control handle 46 with a delivery catheter 48 and a detachment mechanism including coil 50 secured to the distal end of the delivery catheter for releasing the partitioning device 30 from the delivery system 44 the delivery catheter 48 may be provided with an inner lumen ( not shown ) through which therapeutic or diagnostic fluids may be delivered . the delivery catheter 48 extends through the handle 46 and the proximal end of the catheter 48 is connected to a balloon inflation port 52 . as shown in fig4 , the delivery system 44 may be introduced into a patient &# 39 ; s body through a percutaneously introduced guide catheter or cannula 54 which has an inner lumen ( not shown ). the partitioning device 30 is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of guide catheter 54 . the delivery system 44 is advanced distally within the inner lumen of the guide catheter 54 and engages the ventricular wall 56 . with the delivery system 44 held in place , the partitioning element 32 is inflated and the anchoring members 34 penetrate into tissue of the patient &# 39 ; s heart wall 56 , as shown in fig5 , to secure the partitioning device 30 within the patient &# 39 ; s heart chamber 58 to partition the chamber into productive portion 60 and non - productive portion 62 . the delivery system 44 and the guide catheter 54 may then be removed from the patient . the proximal end of the guide catheter 54 is provided with an injection port 64 to inject therapeutic or diagnostic fluids through the inner lumen thereof into the patient &# 39 ; s heart chamber 58 . fig8 illustrates another alternative inflatable partitioning device 70 which has a partitioning element 72 and a stem 74 which extends distally from the distal face 76 of the partitioning element . the distal extremity of the stem 74 has three j - shaped bumpers 78 which allow for non - traumatic engagement with the wall of the patient &# 39 ; s non - productive portion of the heart chamber . a variety of other non - traumatic bumpers may be employed , such as those described in co - pending application ser . no . 10 / 754 , 182 , which was filed on jan . 9 , 2004 and which was entitled “ ventricular partitioning device ”. this application has been assigned to the present assignee and is incorporated herein in its entirety . the periphery of partitioning element 72 is provided with a plurality of anchoring elements 80 for securing the device to the ventricular wall . a hub 82 is provided on the proximal face 84 of the partitioning element 72 for delivery and inflation of the partitioning element as previously described . to assist in properly locating the partitioning device during advancement and placement thereof into a patient &# 39 ; s heart chamber , it may be provided with markers at desirable locations that provide enhanced visualization by eye , by ultrasound , by x - ray , or other imaging or visualization means . radiopaque markers may be made with , for example , stainless steel , platinum , gold , iridium , tantalum , tungsten , silver , rhodium , nickel , bismuth , other radiopaque metals , alloys and oxides of these metals . the partitioning device 10 , 30 and 70 may be formed of suitable biocompatitble polymeric material which include expanded polytetrfluoroethylene ( eptfe ), polyethylene terephthalate ( pet ), polyesters such as hytrel . rtm ., polyamides such as nylon and polyurethane . the compliance may range from about 50 to about 1000 %. the inflatable partitioning element of the device in the expanded configuration has radial dimensions from about 5 to about 60 mm , preferably about 20 to about 50 mm , as measured from the center line axis . the aspect ratio of the thickness of the inflatable partitioning element at its thickest portion to the diameter of the inflatable partitioning element is from about 1 : 10 to about 1 : 1 , preferably about 1 : 10 to about 1 : 2 . the delivery catheter and the guide catheter may be formed of suitable high strength polymeric material such as peek ( polyetheretherketone ), polycarbonate , pet , nylon , and the like . to the extent not otherwise described herein , the various components of the partitioning device and delivery system may be formed of conventional materials and in a conventional manner as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . the inflatable partitioning and support elements may be inflated with a variety of fluids , preferably liquids such as saline or contrast fluids . liquids which become more viscous or harden in situ may also be used . if the inflatable elements are formed of bioabsorable materials , the inflation fluid should be readily absorbed within the patient &# 39 ; s bloodstream and should not have significant detrimental affects . while particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described herein , it will be apparent that various modifications and improvements can be made to the invention . for example an inflatable partitioning element may be used to occlude an atrial appendage of the heart . moreover , individual features of embodiments of the invention may be shown in some drawings and not in others , but those skilled in the art will recognize that individual features of one embodiment of the invention can be combined with any or all the features of another embodiment . accordingly , it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated . it is intended that this invention to be defined by the scope of the appended claims as broadly as the prior art will permit . terms such a “ element ”, “ member ”, “ device ”, “ section ”, “ portion ”, “ steps ”, “ means ” and words of similar import when used herein shall not be construed as invoking the provisions of 35 u . s . c . . sctn . 112 ( 6 ) unless the following claims expressly use the terms “ means ” followed by a particular function without specific structure or “ step ” followed by a particular function without specific action . all patents and patent applications referred to above are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety . accordingly , it is not intended that the invention be limited , except as by the appended claims .
this invention is directed to a device and method of using the device for partitioning a patient &# 39 ; s heart chamber into a productive portion and a non - productive portion . the device is particularly suitable for treating patients with congestive heart failure . the device has an inflatable partitioning element which separates the productive and non - productive portions of the heart chamber and in some embodiments also has a supporting element , which may also be inflatable , extending between the inflatable partitioning element and the wall of the non - productive portion of the patient &# 39 ; s heart chamber . the supporting element may have a non - traumatic distal end to engage the ventricular wall or a tissue penetrating anchoring element to secure the device to the patient &# 39 ; s heart wall .