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

• US 20050137694A1
• Filed: 07/15/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Valencia, Hans F., Morejohn, Dwight P., Haug, Ulrich R., Geshlider, Robert A., Salahieh, Amr, Saul, Tom
• Application Number:
  US10/893,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20050137694A1
• 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 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 hyperboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve. The apparatus includes a replacement valve and an anchor having an expandable braid. In some embodiments, the expandable braid is fabricated from a single strand of wire. In some embodiments, the expandable braid comprises at least one turn feature. The anchor and the valve preferably are configured for endovascular delivery and deployment.

Claims

1. Apparatus for replacing a native aortic valve, the apparatus comprising:

an anchor comprising an expandable braid, the anchor being adapted to be endovascularly delivered and expanded via active foreshortening at an anchor site within the native aortic valve; and

a replacement valve configured to be secured within the anchor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor comprises a central axis, the anchor being further adapted to remain substantially undeformed in response to a pressure up to 0.5 atm directed substantially radially inward toward the central axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the anchor is further adapted to remain substantially undeformed in response to a pressure up to 2 atm directed substantially radially inward toward the central axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the braid comprises a first region and a second region having a diameter larger than a diameter of the first region when the anchor is expanded.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the braid defines a plurality of cells, at least a first set of the cells in the first region each being of a substantially different configuration than a second set of the cells in the second region.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the braid further comprises a third region having a diameter larger than the first region diameter when the anchor is expanded.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the braid defines a plurality of cells, at least a first set of the cells in the first region each being of a substantially different configuration than a second set of the cells in the second region and a third set of cells in the third region.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor is further adapted to avoid interference with coronary ostia.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor is further adapted to avoid interference with a mitral valve.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the braid comprises a region adapted to prevent expansion of the anchor into the mitral valve.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the braid is configured to have an expanded shape that is radially symmetrical.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the braid is configured to have an expanded shape that is bilaterally symmetrical.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the delivery length is between about 15 mm and about 150 mm and the deployed length is between 5 mm and about 40 mm.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the braid is configured to have an expanded shape that is asymmetrical.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor comprises first and second wires, the first wire having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the second wire.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor comprises first and second wires formed from different materials.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor has a collapsed delivery configuration, an at-rest configuration and an expanded deployed configuration.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the braid comprises a shape memory material that is heat set in the at-rest configuration.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the at-rest configuration is between the collapsed delivery configuration and expanded deployed configuration.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a lock configured to maintain expansion of the braid.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of locks configured to maintain expansion of the braid.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a valve support adapted to support the replacement valve within the anchor.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a lock configured to maintain expansion of the braid.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the lock comprises an extension of the valve support.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor comprises a distal deployment system interface at a distal end of the anchor, the distal deployment system interface being adapted to permit a deployment system to apply a proximally directed force on the distal end of the anchor.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the distal deployment system interface is further adapted to expand radially during application of a proximally directed force on the distal end of the anchor.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the distal deployment system interface is further adapted to permit a deployment system to apply a proximally directed force on the distal end of the anchor without passing any portion of a deployment system through a center opening of the replacement valve.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anchor comprises a proximal deployment system interface at a proximal end of the anchor, the proximal deployment system interface being adapted to permit a deployment system to apply a distally directed force on the proximal end of the anchor.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the proximal deployment system interface is further adapted to expand radially during application of a distally directed force on the proximal end of the anchor.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the proximal deployment system interface is further adapted to permit a deployment system to apply a distally directed force on the proximal end of the anchor through a plurality of deployment system fingers.