Methods and apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient's heart valve

• US 20050137693A1
• Filed: 07/15/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sadra Medical, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Valencia, Hans F., Morejohn, Dwight P., Haug, Ulrich R., Geshlider, Robert A., Salahieh, Amr, Saul, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 7,329,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2415 Manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2439 Expansion controlled by filaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve. In some embodiments, the method includes the steps of endovascularly delivering a replacement valve and an anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve, the anchor having a braid, and expanding the braid to a deployed configuration against the patient'"'"'s tissue. The braid may be fabricated from a single strand of wire and/or may comprise at least one turn feature.

Claims

1. A method for replacing a native aortic valve comprising:

endovascularly delivering a replacement valve and an anchor comprising an expandable braid to an anchor site within the native aortic valve; and

actively foreshortening the anchor to radially expand the anchor to an expanded shape to secure the anchor at the anchor site.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising locking the anchor in the expanded shape.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the foreshortening step comprises expanding a first region of the anchor to a first diameter and a second region of the anchor to a second diameter larger than the first diameter.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the foreshortening step further comprises expanding a third region of the anchor to a diameter larger than the first diameter.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the foreshortening step further comprises using the first, second and third regions to center the anchor within the native aortic valve.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the foreshortening step comprises actively foreshortening the anchor to radially expand the anchor to an expanded shape to secure the anchor at the anchor site while avoiding interference with a mitral valve.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the foreshortening step comprises actively foreshortening the anchor to radially expand the anchor to a radially symmetrical expanded shape.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the foreshortening step comprises actively foreshortening the anchor to radially expand the anchor to a bilaterally symmetrical expanded shape.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the foreshortening step comprises actively foreshortening the anchor to radially expand the anchor to an asymmetrical expanded shape.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising permitting the anchor to self-expand prior to the foreshortening step.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the foreshortening step comprises applying a proximally directed force on a deployment system interface at a proximal end or a distal end of the anchor.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the foreshortening step comprises applying a proximally directed force on the deployment system interface without diametrically constraining the distal end of the anchor.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of applying a proximally directed force is performed without passing any portion of a deployment system through a center opening of the replacement valve.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the foreshortening step comprises applying a distally directed force on a deployment system interface at a proximal end of the anchor.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the foreshortening step comprises applying a distally directed force on the deployment system interface without diametrically constraining the proximal end of the anchor.