Heart valve holders and handling clips therefor
First Claim
1. A kit of storage and handling clips and heart valve holders for different diameter tissue-type prosthetic heart valves, the heart valves each having an inflow end and an outflow end and a flow axis therebetween, each valve including an annular sewing ring at the inflow end, the kit comprising:
- a set of holders each adapted to attach to the sewing ring at the inflow end of a valve and having a generally planar portion including a plurality of tangs radiating from a central body to cover a portion of the sewing ring, the tangs being radially dimensioned to correspond to the diameter of the respective sewing ring, and each holder including a plurality of peripheral notches in the planar portion; and
a plurality of identical storage and handling clips each having structure for engaging the peripheral notches in any one of the holders.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved holder, system and method for implanting a tissue-type prosthetic heart mitral valve that constricts the commissure posts of the valve and allows the user to detach the handle of the holder prior to withdrawing the holder itself. The ability to remove the handle allows a surgeon greater access to suturing the prosthetic valve to the mitral annulus. The holder may include two relatively movable plates, one of which attaches to the valve sewing on the inflow end of the valve ring and the other which attaches via sutures to the valve commissures on the outflow end. Separation of the plates places the sutures in tension and constricts the commissures. An adjusting member or adapter is interposed between the handle and holder to enable separation of the two plates and removal of the handle. The adjusting member or adapter may be packaged with the valve and holder combination, or may be sold as a separate unit, possibly with the handle, so that prior art holders can be retrofit. Removable storage and handling clips secure the holder and heart valve assembly within a storage jar during transportation. A kit of a number of identical storage and handling clips and holders for different diameter tissue-type prosthetic heart valves may be provided.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A kit of storage and handling clips and heart valve holders for different diameter tissue-type prosthetic heart valves, the heart valves each having an inflow end and an outflow end and a flow axis therebetween, each valve including an annular sewing ring at the inflow end, the kit comprising:
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a set of holders each adapted to attach to the sewing ring at the inflow end of a valve and having a generally planar portion including a plurality of tangs radiating from a central body to cover a portion of the sewing ring, the tangs being radially dimensioned to correspond to the diameter of the respective sewing ring, and each holder including a plurality of peripheral notches in the planar portion; and
a plurality of identical storage and handling clips each having structure for engaging the peripheral notches in any one of the holders. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A kit of handling clips and heart valve holders for different diameter prosthetic heart valves, the heart valves each having an inflow end and an outflow end and a flow axis therebetween, the kit comprising:
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a set of differently-sized holders each adapted to attach to a heart valve at the inflow end thereof and being radially dimensioned to correspond to the diameter of the respective heart valve; and
a plurality of handling clips all having identically-sized structure for coupling the clip to any one of the holders. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification