Importance

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Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for support of a body structure. The devices can be adjusted within the body of a patient in a minimally invasive or non-invasive manner such as by applying energy percutaneously or external to the patient's body. The energy may include, for example, acoustic energy, radio frequency energy, light energy and magnetic energy. Thus, as the body structure changes size and/or shape, the size and/or shape of the annuloplasty rings can be adjusted to provide continued reinforcement. In certain embodiments, a method for treating a cardiac valve includes providing an annuloplasty ring having a first size of a dimension in a first configuration and a second size of the dimension in a second configuration. In the first configuration, the method includes attaching the annuloplasty ring to or near a valve annulus in a heart. The method also includes applying energy from a magnetic resonance imaging device to the annuloplasty ring which responds to the energy by transforming from the first configuration to the second configuration.

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First Claim