VALVE DESIGNS FOR LEFT VENTRICULAR CONDUITS

• US 20020165606A1
• Filed: 08/04/1999
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horizon Technology Funding Co. LLC (Horizon Technology Finance Management LLC)
• Original Assignee: Percardia, Inc.
• Inventors: WILK, PETER J., HALL, TODD A., BURKHOFF, DANIEL, FURNISH, GREG R., WOLF, SCOTT J., PHELPS, DAVID Y., SANTAMORE, WILLIAM, BRIEFS, NANCY C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,641,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2493 Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/94 Stents retaining their form, i.e. not being deformable, after placement in the predetermined place
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/821 Ostial stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 hyperboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves

Abstract

Disclosed is a conduit that provides a bypass around a stenosis or occlusion in a coronary artery. The conduit is adapted to be positioned in the myocardium to provide a passage for blood to flow from a heart chamber to a coronary artery, at a site distal to the blockage or stenosis in the coronary artery. The conduit has a one-way valve positioned therein to prevent the backflow of blood from the coronary artery into the heart chamber.

Claims

1. A coronary bypass conduit comprising:

a hollow tube having an interior and an exterior and adapted to be positioned in a wall of a heart between a coronary artery and a heart chamber; and

an artificial one-way valve positioned within the interior of said tube.

2. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said heart chamber is a left ventricle.

3. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said heart chamber is a right ventricle.

4. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said heart chamber is a left atrium.

5. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said heart chamber is a right atrium.

6. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said valve is selected from the group consisting of a windsock valve, a flapper valve, a bicuspid valve, a tricuspid valve, a ball valve, a valve which opens and closes in response to contraction and relaxation of said heart wall, and a valve which opens and closes in response to electrical signals in said heart.

7. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said valve is a windsock valve.

8. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said valve is a bicuspid valve.

9. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said valve is a flapper valve.

10. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said valve is a tricuspid valve.

11. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said valve is a ball valve.

12. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said valve is a valve that opens and closes in response to contraction and relaxation of said heart wall.

13. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said valve is a valve that opens and closes in response to electrical signals in said heart.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said heart chamber is a left ventricle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said heart chamber is a right ventricle.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said heart chamber is a left atrium.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said heart chamber is a right atrium.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said coronary artery is a left anterior descending artery.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said coronary artery is a right coronary artery.

22. The method of claim 15, herein said coronary artery is a left circumflex coronary artery.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein said coronary artery is a posterior descending artery.

26. The conduit of claim 25, wherein the means for permitting blood to flow in predominantly one direction is an artificial one-way valve in said tube.

27. The conduit of claim 25, wherein the means for permitting blood to flow in predominantly one direction is a one-way valve, at least one wall of said valve being formed by said heart wall.

29. The conduit of claim 28, wherein said valve is selected from the group consisting of a windsock valve, a flapper valve, a bicuspid valve, a tricuspid valve, a ball valve, a valve which opens and closes in response to contraction and relaxation of said heart wall, and a valve which opens and closes in response to electrical signals in said heart.

30. The conduit of claim 28, wherein said valve is a windsock valve.

31. The conduit of claim 28, wherein said valve is a bicuspid valve.

32. The conduit of claim 28, wherein said valve is a flapper valve.

33. The conduit of claim 28, wherein said valve is a tricuspid valve.

34. The conduit of claim 28, wherein said valve is a ball valve.

14. A coronary bypass conduit comprising:

a hollow tube adapted to be positioned in a wall of a heart between a coronary artery and a heart chamber; and

a valve in said tube, at least one wall of said valve being formed by said heart wall, said valve permitting blood to flow in predominantly one direction through said tube, from said heart chamber to said coronary artery.

15. A method of shunting blood from a heart chamber to a coronary artery, comprising:

providing a tube with two ends and an artificial one-way valve, said tube being adapted to permit blood flow from a heart chamber to a coronary artery; and

placing said conduit within a heart wall such that one end contacts said heart chamber and the other end contacts said coronary artery.

24. A method of shunting blood from a heart chamber to a coronary artery, each having an interior and an exterior, comprising:

providing a conduit with two ends, said conduit being adapted to permit blood flow from the interior of the heart chamber to the interior of the coronary artery, and being adapted to cause a heart wall to function as a one-way valve for blood flow through said conduit; and

placing said conduit within said heart wall such that one end of said conduit contacts the interior of the heart chamber and the other end of said conduit contacts the interior of the coronary artery.

25. A coronary bypass conduit comprising:

a hollow tube adapted to be positioned in a wall of a heart between a coronary artery and a heart chamber; and

means for permitting blood to flow in predominantly one direction through said tube, from said heart chamber to said coronary artery.

28. A bypass conduit comprising:

a hollow tube having an interior and an exterior and adapted to be positioned between a first a heart chamber or blood vessel and a second heart chamber or blood vessel; and

an artificial one-way valve positioned within the interior of said tube.

35. A method of shunting blood from a first heart chamber or blood vessel to a second heart chamber or blood vessel, comprising:

providing a conduit with two ends and an interior, and an artificial one-way valve positioned within said interior of said conduit; and

placing said conduit such that one end of said conduit contacts said first heart chamber or blood vessel and the other end contacts said second heart chamber or blood vessel.