Method for compressing a stented prosthesis

• US 10,292,844 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Orth, Geoffrey, Bruner, Kenny, Tran, Don, Mendelson, Jill, Keogh, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cozart, Jermie E
• Application Number:
  US15/156,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20170333228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2415 Manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/844 folded prior to deployment
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 39/04 of tubes with tubes; of tubes with rods crimped pipe joints as such F16L13/14
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 39/06 of tubes in openings, e.g. rolling-in
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/14 for assembling objects other than by press fit or detaching same
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49913 by constricting outer annulus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49925 Inward deformation of aperture or hollow body wall
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53987 Tube, sleeve or ferrule
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53996 by deforming

Abstract

A tool for compressing a stented prosthesis. The tool includes first and second sets of rollers. The first set includes a plurality of rollers arranged to define a first working region having a first working diameter. The second set includes a plurality of rollers arranged to define a second working region having a second working diameter. The sets of rollers are arranged such that the working regions are axially aligned. The first working diameter is greater than the second working diameter. A stented prosthesis traversing the first working region and then the second working region is forced to a compressed state. In some embodiments, the tool includes one or more intermediate sets of rollers between the first and second sets of rollers, with each of the intermediate sets of rollers defining a working region having a working diameter. The respective working diameters progressively decrease in a downstream direction.

Claims

1. A method of compressing a stented prosthesis, the method comprising:

receiving a stented prosthesis in a first state defining a maximum outer diameter;

inserting the stented prosthesis in the first state into a tool, the tool comprising;

a first set of rollers at an entrance end of the tool and including a plurality of rollers arranged to collectively define a first working region having a first working diameter,

a second set of rollers at an exit end of the tool and including a plurality of rollers arranged to collectively define a second working region having a second working diameter,

wherein the first set of rollers is arranged relative to the second set of rollers such that the first and second working regions are axially aligned along a common centerline,

and further wherein the first working diameter is greater than the second working diameter; and

directing the stented prosthesis successively through the first set of rollers followed by the second set of rollers to compress the stented prosthesis to a second state having a maximum outer diameter less than the maximum outer diameter of the first state, wherein the step of directing includes;

the plurality of rollers of the first set of rollers in contact with at least a majority of a circumference of the stented prosthesis in a plane perpendicular to the common centerline as the stented prosthesis passes through the first set of rollers, and

the plurality of rollers of the second set of rollers in contact with at least a majority of the circumference of the stented prosthesis in a plane perpendicular to the common centerline as the stented prosthesis passes through the second set of rollers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of directing includes exerting an increasing compressive force on to the stented prosthesis as the stented prosthesis is progressively directed through the tool.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein after the step of directing, the method further comprising:

manipulating the tool to release the stented prosthesis.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stented prosthesis is a stented prosthetic heart valve.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein after the step of directing, the method further comprising:

loading the stented prosthesis in the second state onto a delivery system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the stented prosthesis is a stented prosthetic heart valve, the delivery system is a transcatheter delivery system, and the step of loading includes the transcatheter delivery system maintaining the stented prosthetic heart valve in the second state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of directing includes rotating a handle connected by gears to the plurality of rollers of the first set of rollers, causing the plurality of rollers of the first set of rollers to rotate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of rollers of the first set of rollers and of the second set of rollers defines a central axis about which the respective roller rotates, and further wherein the central axes are all substantially parallel with one another.