A jacket of biological compatible material has an internal volume dimensioned
for
an apex of the heart to be inserted into the volume and for the jacket to be slipped
over the heart. The jacket has a longitudinal dimension between upper and lower
ends sufficient for the jacket to surround a lower portion of the heart with the
jacket surrounding a valvular annulus of the heart and further surrounding the
lower portion to cover at least the ventricular lower extremities of the heart.
The jacket is adapted to be secured to the heart with the jacket surrounding at
least the valvular annulus and the ventricular lower extremities. The jacket is
adjustable on the heart to snugly conform to an external geometry of the heart
and assume a maximum adjusted volume for the jacket to constrain circumferential
expansion of the heart beyond the maximum adjusted volume during diastole and to
permit unimpeded contraction of the heart during systole.
