Atrioventricular valve repair using tension
First Claim
1. A system for repairing an atrioventricular valve of a patient, the system comprising:
- first and second tissue-engaging elements, configured for implantation at first and second implantation sites of the patient, respectively;
a first flexible longitudinal member, which is coupled at a first distal end portion thereof to the first tissue-engaging element, and which comprises an element selected from the group consisting of;
a braided polyester suture and a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure;
a second flexible longitudinal member, which is coupled at a first proximal end portion thereof to the second tissue-engaging element, and which comprises an element selected from the group consisting of;
a braided polyester suture and a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure;
a first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to a second proximal end portion of the first flexible longitudinal member, wherein the first distal and the second proximal end portions of the first flexible longitudinal member are disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of the first flexible longitudinal member; and
a second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to a second distal end portion of the second flexible longitudinal member, wherein the first proximal and the second distal end portions of the second flexible longitudinal member are disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of the second flexible longitudinal member,wherein the first and the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling elements are configured to be couplable together during an implantation procedure to couple together the first and the second flexible longitudinal elements,wherein the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element comprises one or more male couplings, which are shaped so as to define one or more respective protrusions that protrude radially outward such that the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element defines one or more respective sections distal to the respective protrusions that are narrower than the respective protrusions,wherein the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element is shaped so as to define a hollow cylinder that is shaped to receive the one or more male couplings of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element, andwherein the hollow cylinder is shaped so as to define one or more tabs biased to flex toward a central longitudinal axis of the hollow cylinder so as to;
allow proximal movement of the one or more protrusions of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element with respect to the one or more tabs in a proximal direction to push the one or more tabs away from the longitudinal axis, andthereafter close around one of the one or more narrower sections of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element, thereby restricting distal movement of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element with respect to the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for repairing an atrioventricular valve of a patient is provided. First and second tissue-engaging elements are configured for implantation at first and second implantation sites of the patient, respectively. First and second flexible longitudinal members are coupled at respective first end portions thereof to the first and the second tissue-engaging elements, respective. Each of the first and the second flexible longitudinal members comprises a braided polyester suture or a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure. First and second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling elements are coupled to respective second end portions of the first and the second flexible longitudinal members. The first and the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling elements are configured to be couplable together during an implantation procedure to couple together the first and the second flexible longitudinal elements.
78 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for repairing an atrioventricular valve of a patient, the system comprising:
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first and second tissue-engaging elements, configured for implantation at first and second implantation sites of the patient, respectively; a first flexible longitudinal member, which is coupled at a first distal end portion thereof to the first tissue-engaging element, and which comprises an element selected from the group consisting of;
a braided polyester suture and a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure;a second flexible longitudinal member, which is coupled at a first proximal end portion thereof to the second tissue-engaging element, and which comprises an element selected from the group consisting of;
a braided polyester suture and a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure;a first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to a second proximal end portion of the first flexible longitudinal member, wherein the first distal and the second proximal end portions of the first flexible longitudinal member are disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of the first flexible longitudinal member; and a second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to a second distal end portion of the second flexible longitudinal member, wherein the first proximal and the second distal end portions of the second flexible longitudinal member are disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of the second flexible longitudinal member, wherein the first and the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling elements are configured to be couplable together during an implantation procedure to couple together the first and the second flexible longitudinal elements, wherein the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element comprises one or more male couplings, which are shaped so as to define one or more respective protrusions that protrude radially outward such that the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element defines one or more respective sections distal to the respective protrusions that are narrower than the respective protrusions, wherein the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element is shaped so as to define a hollow cylinder that is shaped to receive the one or more male couplings of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element, and wherein the hollow cylinder is shaped so as to define one or more tabs biased to flex toward a central longitudinal axis of the hollow cylinder so as to; allow proximal movement of the one or more protrusions of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element with respect to the one or more tabs in a proximal direction to push the one or more tabs away from the longitudinal axis, and thereafter close around one of the one or more narrower sections of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element, thereby restricting distal movement of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element with respect to the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for repairing an atrioventricular valve of a patient, the method comprising:
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implanting, at a first implantation site of the patient, a first tissue-engaging element, to which a first distal end portion of a first flexible longitudinal member is coupled, wherein a first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element is coupled to a second proximal end portion of the first flexible longitudinal element, wherein the first distal and the second proximal end portions of the first flexible longitudinal member are disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of the first flexible longitudinal member, wherein the first flexible longitudinal element comprises an element selected from the group consisting of;
a braided polyester suture and a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure, and wherein the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element comprises one or more male couplings, which are shaped so as to define one or more respective protrusions that protrude radially outward such that the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element defines one or more respective sections distal to the respective protrusions that are narrower than the respective protrusions;implanting, at a second implantation site of the patient, a second tissue-engaging element, to which a first proximal end portion of a second flexible longitudinal member is coupled, wherein a second tissue-engaging element is coupled to a second distal end portion of the second flexible longitudinal member, wherein the first proximal and the second distal end portions of the second flexible longitudinal member are disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of the second flexible longitudinal member, wherein the second flexible longitudinal element comprises an element selected from the group consisting of;
a braided polyester suture and a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure, and wherein the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element is shaped so as to define a hollow cylinder that is shaped to receive the one or more male couplings of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element; andcoupling together the first and the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling elements in situ by inserting the one or more male couplings of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element into the hollow cylinder, thereby coupling together the first and the second flexible longitudinal members, wherein the hollow cylinder is shaped so as to define one or more tabs biased to flex toward a central longitudinal axis of the hollow cylinder so as to; allow proximal movement of the one or more protrusions of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element with respect to the one or more tabs in a proximal direction to push the one or more tabs away from the longitudinal axis, and thereafter close around one of the one or more narrower sections of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element, thereby restricting distal movement of the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element with respect to the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification