Transcatheter heart valve leaflet plication

• US 10,675,017 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2017
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
• Original Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
• Inventors: Darabian, Sirous
• Primary Examiner(s): Miles, Wade
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mannan, Mikail A
• Application Number:
  US15/843,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20180221014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06066 Needles, e.g. needle tip configurations making needles B21G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00783 Valvuloplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0488 Instruments for applying suture clamps, clips or locks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06076 helically or spirally coiled

Abstract

An apparatus for repairing a heart valve can comprises a leaflet-plicating mechanism configured to plicate a leaflet of a heart valve and a helical needle comprising a plurality of coils. The needle can be configured to implant a suture to extend helically through plicated tissue of the heart valve. The leaflet-plicating mechanism can comprise first and second leaflet-capture arms, which can be configured to move toward and away from each other between an open position and closed position. The leaflet-capture arms can be configured to plicate the leaflet as the leaflet-capture arms are moved from the open position to the closed position.

Claims

1. A method for repairing a heart valve comprising:

inserting a device carrying first and second leaflet-capture arms into a heart of a patient;

plicating a leaflet of the heart valve by engaging the leaflet with first and second leaflet-capture arms and moving the first and second leaflet-capture arms toward each other to plicate the leaflet between the first and second leaflet-capture arms, wherein engaging the leaflet with the first and second leaflet-capture arms comprises deploying leaflet-engaging members from respective shafts of the first and second leaflet-capture arms, and placing distal end portions of the leaflet-engaging members around a free edge of the leaflet;

inserting a needle into the heart;

inserting a helical portion of the needle through plicated tissue of the leaflet; and

deploying a suture from the needle to form a helically extending stitch extending through the plicated tissue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the leaflet-engaging members are deployed from respective shafts of the first and second leaflet-capture arms, the distal end portions of the leaflet-engaging members form hooks that are placed around the free edge of the leaflet.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising deploying a suture anchor from the needle, the suture anchor being secured to a distal end of the suture.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the suture anchor expands when deployed from the needle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device carrying the first and second leaflet-capture arms and the needle are advanced through the patient'"'"'s vasculature to the heart.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the leaflet is a mitral valve leaflet.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing a suture clip on the suture.