Locking heart valve anchor

• US 20050137701A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sadra Medical, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Valencia, Hans F., Morejohn, Dwight P., Haug, Ulrich R., Brandt, Brian D., Geshlider, Robert A., Salahieh, Amr, Dueri, Jean-Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 8,182,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.380
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2439 Expansion controlled by filaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0065 toroidal, e.g. ring-shaped, doughnut-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 hyperboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0069 Sealing means

Abstract

Apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve, including: a replacement valve adapted to be delivered endovascularly to a vicinity of the heart valve; an expandable anchor adapted to be delivered endovascularly to the vicinity of the heart valve; and a lock mechanism configured to maintain a minimum amount of anchor expansion. The invention also includes a method for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve. In some embodiments the method includes the steps of: endovascularly delivering a replacement valve and an expandable anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve; expanding the anchor to a deployed configuration; and locking the anchor in the deployed configuration.

Claims

1. Apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve, the apparatus comprising:

a replacement valve adapted to be delivered endovascularly to a vicinity of the heart valve;

an expandable anchor adapted to be delivered endovascularly to the vicinity of the heart valve; and

a lock mechanism configured to maintain a minimum amount of anchor expansion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lock mechanism comprises an arm extending from a first anchor region toward a second anchor region.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the arm comprises a first interlocking element.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the second anchor region comprises a second interlocking element adapted to mate with the first interlocking element.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first interlocking element comprises a locking configuration and a lock prevention configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the arm comprises a plurality of first interlocking elements having substantially the same shape, the plurality of first interlocking elements extending along the arm in a spaced-apart relationship.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second anchor region comprises a second interlocking element adapted to mate with one of the plurality of first interlocking elements.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lock mechanism comprises first and second interlocking elements adapted to mate with each other.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first and second interlocking elements are associated with first and second anchor regions, respectively.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an anchor actuator adapted to change the anchor'"'"'s shape.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the actuator is further adapted to move a first anchor region toward a second anchor region.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the anchor is adapted to radially expand when the first anchor region moves toward the second anchor region.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the actuator is further adapted to move the first anchor region away from the second anchor region.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the anchor is adapted to radially contract when the first anchor region moves away from the second anchor region.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the lock mechanism comprises first and second interlocking elements adapted to mate with each other to prevent the first anchor region and second anchor region from moving away from each other.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprises an actuator release mechanism.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the replacement valve is adapted to be coupled to the anchor during delivery of the anchor and replacement valve through a catheter to the vicinity of the heart valve.

18. Method for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve, the method comprising:

endovascularly delivering a replacement valve and an expandable anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve;

expanding the anchor to a deployed configuration; and

locking the anchor in the deployed configuration.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the expanding step comprises applying an actuation force on the anchor through an actuator.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the applying step comprises applying a proximally directed force on the anchor.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the applying step comprises applying a distally directed force on the anchor.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising releasing the actuator from the anchor.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the expanding step comprises moving a first anchor region toward a second anchor region.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the locking step comprises connecting a first interlocking element associated with a first anchor region with a second anchor element associated with a second anchor region.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the expanding step comprises moving the first interlocking element toward the second interlocking element.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising releasing a lock prevention mechanism associated with the first interlockingn element prior to the connecting step.

27. Apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve, the apparatus comprising:

an anchor comprising a lip region and a skirt region;

a replacement valve coupled to the anchor; and

a lock,

wherein the lip region and skirt region are configured for percutaneous expansion to engage the patient'"'"'s heart valve, and

wherein the lock is configured to maintain such expansion.