Method and apparatus for circulatory valve repair

• US 20050004583A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Levin, Howard R., Allen, William, Oz, Mehmet C., Lemole, Gerald M., Umana, Juan P., Lotvin, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,509,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/08 Wound clamps or clips, i.e. not or only partly penetrating the tissue suture bridges A61B17/0466; Devices for bringing together the edges of a wound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/122 Clamps or clips , e.g. for the umbilical cord for the vas deferens A61F6/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0649 Coils or spirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation

Abstract

An apparatus for the repair of a cardiovascular valve has leaflets comprising a grasper capable of grabbing and co-apting the leaflets of the valve. In a preferred embodiment the grasper has jaws that grasp and immobilize the leaflets, and then a fastener is inserted to co-apt the leaflets. The apparatus is particularly useful for repairing mitral valves to cure mitral regurgitation.

Claims

1. A method for coapting cardiac valve leaflets, said method comprising capturing the valve leaflets between two clipping elements, wherein one of said clipping elements has a longer surface in contact with the leaflets than does the other clipping element.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the clipping elements engage the leaflets with barbs.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the clipping elements are arranged as a U-shaped clip.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein clipping elements are inserted into the heart through the chest via a thorascope.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the clipping elements are inserted through the vein.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the clipping elements are inserted through the femoral artery and advanced percutaneously.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the cardiac valve is a mitral valve or an aortic valve.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the cardiac valve is a mitral valve.

9. A method as in claim 7, wherein the cardiac valve is an aortic valve.

10. A method as in claim 1 or 7 for repairing a mitral valve in a patient suffering from mitral valve regurgitation wherein the leaflets of the mitral valve are captured and the clipping elements are closed over the captured mitral valve leaflets to coapt the leaflets.

11. A method as in claim 1 for repairing an aortic valve in a patient suffering from aortic valve insufficiency wherein the leaflets of the aortic valve are captured and the clipping elements are closed over the captured aortic valve leaflets to coapt the leaflets.

12. A fastener for use with a system for delivering the faster to coapt leaflets in a heart, said fastener comprising first and second clip elements adapted to close over the leaflets wherein one of the clip elements is longer than the other.

13. A fastener as in claim 12, wherein said one clip element is longer than the other when said clips are closed over the leaflets.

14. A fastener as in claim 12, wherein said clip elements comprise barbs which engage the leaflets.

15. A fastener as in claim 12, wherein said clip elements are arranged in a U-shaped clip.

16. A device for coapting cardiac valve leaflets, said device comprising a grasper having grasping surfaces and operatively configured to grasp the valve leaflets between the grasping surfaces, wherein when said leaflet is grasped, one of said grasping surfaces has a longer surface in contact with the leaflet than does the other grasping surface.

17. A device of claim 16, wherein said grasper includes a fastener.

18. A device of claim 17, wherein the fastener is integral to the grasper.

19. A device of claim 17, wherein said fastener is a clip.

20. A device of claim 17 wherein said fastener is a single apparatus operating in concert with the grasper.