Expandable annulus sealing ring for stented minimally invasive heart valve prostheses

• US 10,299,920 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2015
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universität Zürich
• Original Assignee: Universität Zürich
• Inventors: Weber, Benedikt, Hoerstrup, Simon Philipp
• Primary Examiner(s): Dukert, Brian A
• Application Number:
  US15/512,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20170273786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0061 swellable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0071 thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0036 differing in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/007 O-rings

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical implant, comprising an expandable structure (100) which is designed to be expanded from a crimped state into an expanded state, wherein the structure (100) forms a tubular scaffolding in the expanded state, and wherein the structure (100) comprises a plurality of first struts (101) arranged along a periphery of the structure in said expanded state. According to the invention, the first struts (101) each comprise a recess (O), wherein the medical implant (1) further comprises a sealing member (200) arranged in said recesses (O), wherein said sealing member (200) is formed annularly in said expanded state.

Claims

1. A medical implant, comprising:

an expandable structure (100) which is designed to be expanded from a crimped state into an expanded state, wherein the structure (100) forms a tubular scaffolding in the expanded state, and wherein the structure (100) comprises a plurality of first struts (101) arranged along a periphery of the structure (100) in said expanded state,

characterized in that,

the first struts (101) each comprise a recess (O), wherein the medical implant (1) further comprises a sealing member (200) arranged in said recesses (O), wherein said sealing member (200) is formed annularly in said expanded state, wherein each first strut (101) comprises an outside (101a) facing outwards in the expanded state of the structure (100), wherein the respective recess (O) is formed in said outside (101a) of the respective first strut (101) in a thickened region (105) of the respective first strut (101).

2. The medical implant according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing member (200) is designed to expand from a first state into a second state, wherein in the second state the sealing member (200) has a larger volume than in the first state.

3. The medical implant according to claim 2, characterized in that the sealing member (200) comprises a material that is fluid-sensitive so that the sealing member (200) expands from the first state into the second state when the sealing member (200) contacts a fluid, particularly blood.

4. The medical implant according to claim 2, characterized in that the sealing member (200) comprises a material that is thermo-sensitive so that the sealing member (200) expands from the first state into the second state when it acquires a pre-defined temperature, particularly 37°

C.

5. The medical implant according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing member (200) is arranged in the respective recess (O) in a form-fitting manner.

6. The medical implant according to claim 2, characterized in that in its expanded second state the sealing member (200) protrudes with a circumferential sealing portion (203) which forms a surface (200a) for butting against said surrounding tissue (2) out of the respective recess (O) in a radial direction (R) when the structure (100) resides in its expanded state.

7. The medical implant according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing member (200) comprises a plurality of filling portions (201), wherein each filling portion (201) is arranged in one of said recesses (O).

8. The medical implant according to claim 7, characterized in that each two neighbouring filling portions (201) are integrally connected via an intermediate portion (202) that is arranged outside said recesses (O).

9. The medical implant according to claim 8, characterized in that the structure (100) defines an inner space (I) in the crimped and in the expanded state.

10. The medical implant according to claim 9, characterized in that in the crimped state of the structure (100) each intermediate portion (202) is at least partially inserted into said inner space (I).

11. The medical implant according claim 1, characterized in that the structure (100) is self-expandable from the crimped state into the expanded state or balloon-expandable.

12. The medical implant according to claim 1, characterized in that the medical implant (1) comprises a valve (10), particularly for replacing a deficient native heart valve, which valve (10) of the medical implant (1) is fastened to the structure (100).

13. The medical implant according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing member (200) is designed to contact the anatomical annulus (2) of a native valve when the structure (100) is expanded into its expanded state, particularly such that the sealing member (200) prevents a paravalvular leakage between the annulus and the medical implant (1).

14. The medical implant according to claim 1, characterized in that the medical implant (1) is designed to be brought into a orthotopic position of a native heart valve via a catheter device.