Minimally invasive valve repair procedure and apparatus
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Accused Products
Abstract
A clip of a self-closing type is used for valve repair. The clip is generally U-shaped with two end points separated from each other when it is constrained to be in an open configuration, but tends to coil up to assume its natural closed configuration if the constraint is removed. At least one end point is connected through a suture to a tissue-penetrating needle. A needle holder has an outer tube and an inner member which has a slit at the front and is slidable inside the outer tube. They are designed such that the slit can grab the needle tightly or release it as the inner member is moved backward or forward with respect to the outer tube. With the needle secured at the front, the needle holder is passed through a cannula inserted through an incision and the needle penetrates the leaflets such that the clip can be positioned with its end points hooked to the pair of leaflets to be stitched together. If the clip is released from the suture thereafter, it tends to coil up, reducing the distance between the end points and pulling the leaflets together. A double-arm clip assembly with each of the end points of the clip attached through a suture to a separate needle may be similarly used for valve repair. Such a double-arm clip assembly may contain two of such clips mutually connected by means of a flexible connector such that two leaflets are held together by the connector, with the two clips each anchored to a corresponding one of the leaflets.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1-22. -22. (canceled)
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23. Apparatus for minimally invasive valve repair, the apparatus comprising:
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a tissue penetrating needle, a flexible member, and a clip, the tissue penetrating needle being connected through the flexible member to the clip, the clip having two end points which are separated from each other when the clip is in an open configuration and tending to return to a naturally closed configuration by reducing distance between the end points when in the open configuration; and
a needle holder including an outer tube and an inner member which has a front end adapted to grab the needle and is slidable inside the outer tube.
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24. Apparatus for minimally invasive valve repair, the apparatus comprising:
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a first and second needle;
a first and second flexible member;
a clip having an open configuration and a closed configuration, the clip having a first and second end point, the first needle being connected through the first flexible member to the first end point and the second needle being connected through the second flexible member to the second end point; and
a first and second release mechanism, wherein the first release mechanism releasably connects the first flexible member to the first end point and the second release mechanism releasably connects the second flexible member to the second end point. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. Apparatus for minimally invasive valve repair, the apparatus comprising:
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a tissue penetrating needle, a flexible member, and a clip, the tissue penetrating needle being connected through the flexible member to the clip, the clip having two end points which are separated from each other when the clip is in an open configuration and tending to return to a naturally closed configuration by reducing distance between the end points when in the open configuration; and
a needle holder including an outer tube and an inner member which has a front end adapted to grab the needle and is slidable inside the outer tube, the needle holder further including a spring which is disposed inside the outer tube and serves to apply a biasing force on the inner member backward away from the front end. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. Apparatus for minimally invasive valve repair, the apparatus comprising:
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a tissue penetrating needle, a flexible member, and a clip, the tissue penetrating needle being connected through the flexible member to the clip, the clip having two end points which are separated from each other when the clip is in an open configuration and tending to return to a naturally closed configuration by reducing distance between the end points when in the open configuration, wherein the clip in the closed configuration is looped by more than 360°
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a needle holder including an outer tube and an inner member which has a front end adapted to grab the needle and is slidable inside the outer tube. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification