Methods of delivering a flexible annuloplasty ring
First Claim
1. A method of delivering a flexible annuloplasty ring to a native annulus of a native heart valve of a heart, comprising:
- obtaining a flexible annuloplasty ring having an elastic inner core member defined by a braided cable formed of multiple metallic wire strands, the inner core member having a pre-existing closed or open unstressed ring shape, and the inner core member having a majority of its length with a first elastic modulus that enables the core member to be compressed from the unstressed ring shape into a stressed narrow shape and to reshape the native annulus and maintain the native annulus in an altered shape;
converting the annuloplasty ring from the unstressed ring shape into the stressed narrow shape;
passing the annuloplasty ring in the stressed narrow shape through an access tube positioned with a distal tip adjacent the native annulus;
expelling the annuloplasty ring from the distal tip of the access tube so that it self-converts back towards the unstressed ring shape;
guiding the annuloplasty ring during the step of expelling to deploy the annuloplasty ring around the native annulus; and
securing the annuloplasty ring to the native annulus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An annuloplasty repair segment for heart valve annulus repair. In one embodiment a multi-stranded cable replaces solid core wire for both the triscuspid and mitral valves. Cable allows for greater deployment flexibility for minimally-invasive surgical (MIS) implant, while still maintaining the required strength and similar tensile properties of solid-core wire. In addition, selective placement of point-welds or other such control points locally control other parameters such as the amount and direction of displacement as the ring undergoes external loading. Cable with well-placed control points result in a MIS annuloplasty ring with sufficient flexibility in the x-y plane to allow a surgeon to squeeze the ring into a small incision, such as for example 1 cm×1 cm, while maintaining structural rigidity under forces exerted on the implanted ring by the cardiac cycle and allowing for asymmetrical deflection to be designed into the product.
214 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of delivering a flexible annuloplasty ring to a native annulus of a native heart valve of a heart, comprising:
-
obtaining a flexible annuloplasty ring having an elastic inner core member defined by a braided cable formed of multiple metallic wire strands, the inner core member having a pre-existing closed or open unstressed ring shape, and the inner core member having a majority of its length with a first elastic modulus that enables the core member to be compressed from the unstressed ring shape into a stressed narrow shape and to reshape the native annulus and maintain the native annulus in an altered shape; converting the annuloplasty ring from the unstressed ring shape into the stressed narrow shape; passing the annuloplasty ring in the stressed narrow shape through an access tube positioned with a distal tip adjacent the native annulus; expelling the annuloplasty ring from the distal tip of the access tube so that it self-converts back towards the unstressed ring shape; guiding the annuloplasty ring during the step of expelling to deploy the annuloplasty ring around the native annulus; and securing the annuloplasty ring to the native annulus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification