Cylindrical implant and balloon
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a prosthetic heart valve having a generally cylindrical stent frame with an axial opening and having an inflow end defining an inflow diameter, an outflow end defining an outflow diameter and a central region defining a central diameter, the central region between the inflow end and outflow end; and
a balloon extending through the axial opening and configured to expand and exert a radially directed force against the stent frame so that the outflow diameter and inflow diameter are smaller than the central diameter in an at least partially expanded condition;
wherein the stent frame in the at least partially expanded condition has a generally barrel shape such that the central diameter of the stent frame is larger than either the inflow or the outflow diameter of the stent frame by up to 6% in the at least partially expanded condition and at a pressure in the balloon of at least 4 atmospheres.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a balloon shaped to have one or more enlarged regions to selectively increase expansion forces on an implant. For example, the balloon may have a central portion that is enlarged to exert more force on the center of a stent-mounted prosthetic heart valve. This overcomes the stent-mounted prosthetic heart valve'"'"'s tendency to expand with flared ends. This forms a more cylindrical or barrel shaped stent frame during expansion of the balloon—reducing or eliminating the instance wherein the cylindrical stent frame has flared ends. Alternatively, the balloon may have conical flares placed to cause or enhance flared ends of the cylindrical implant to enhance its anchoring capabilities.
126 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a prosthetic heart valve having a generally cylindrical stent frame with an axial opening and having an inflow end defining an inflow diameter, an outflow end defining an outflow diameter and a central region defining a central diameter, the central region between the inflow end and outflow end; and a balloon extending through the axial opening and configured to expand and exert a radially directed force against the stent frame so that the outflow diameter and inflow diameter are smaller than the central diameter in an at least partially expanded condition; wherein the stent frame in the at least partially expanded condition has a generally barrel shape such that the central diameter of the stent frame is larger than either the inflow or the outflow diameter of the stent frame by up to 6% in the at least partially expanded condition and at a pressure in the balloon of at least 4 atmospheres. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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inflating a balloon, positioned in an axial opening of a generally cylindrical stent frame of a prosthetic heart valve, to a pressure of at least 4 atmospheres; exerting a radial force against the cylindrical stent frame by the inflating the balloon; and expanding the generally cylindrical stent frame to an at least partially expanded condition having a generally barrel shape by exerting the radial force so that an outflow diameter and an inflow diameter of the stent frame are smaller than a central diameter of the stent frame, the central diameter being larger than either the inflow or the outflow diameter by up to 6%. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification