Systems and methods for holding annuloplasty rings

• US 20050267572A1
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical LLC (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Schoon, Thomas G., Lim, Jyue Boon, Arneberg, James P., Popowski, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,052,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2448 D-shaped rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2466 Delivery devices therefor

Abstract

Holders for releasably holding annuloplasty rings prior to and during the implantation of the rings employ any of a variety of features relating to such things as holder shape, handle attachment structures, securement of a ring to the holder, and release of the ring from the holder.

Claims

1. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket, and said outer bracket having a saddle shape.

2. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

a connector attached to said outer bracket, the connector comprising an attachment site for attachment of a grasping device and being placed in such a way as to have a central hole in the bracket, said hole providing a view through the interior of the annuloplasty ring and holder.

3. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

identifiers on the outer bracket, said identifiers indicating preferred locations of particular implant site features with respect to the bracket.

4. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket, said outer bracket comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; and

a connector attached to said outer bracket, the connector comprising an attachment site for attachment of a grasping device, said attachment site facing the upper surface of the outer bracket, said connector further comprising;

a connector base that is recessed into the holder bracket, said connector base protruding further down than the outer bracket'"'"'s lower surface.

5. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket, said outer bracket comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; and

a cutting block, said cutting block being located on outer bracket'"'"'s upper surface, and being recessed into the outer bracket such that the cutting block protrudes further down than the outer bracket'"'"'s lower surface.

6. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

a cutting block located on said outer bracket, the cutting block comprising a slit for guiding a scalpel blade, said slit being shaped to match a particular type of scalpel blade.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the cutting block slit is further shaped to provide a preferred cutting direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the cutting block slit is further shaped to draw the cutting action of a scalpel traversing the slit substantially away from tissue surrounding the cutting block.

9. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

a knot tying post located on said outer bracket, said knot tying post being used to tie a suture thread to the bracket, said suture thread being used to attach the annuloplasty ring to the holder.

10. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

suture channels on said outer bracket, said suture channels being traversed by suture thread used to tie the annuloplasty ring to the outer bracket.

11. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

suture thread attached to the outer bracket and stitched through the annuloplasty ring to tie the annuloplasty ring to the outer bracket.

12. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

suture thread wrapped around said annuloplasty ring to tie the annuloplasty ring to the outer bracket.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 12 further comprising a mechanism for releasing said suture thread, the releasing being done without requiring the use of a scalpel.

14. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

at least one length of suture thread that is wrapped multiple time around the annuloplasty ring to tie the annuloplasty ring to the outer bracket.

15. An apparatus for holding and supporting a C-shaped annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

clamps attached to outer bracket for engaging the ends of the annuloplasty ring to secure the ring to the outer bracket.

16. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

rods that protrude from the outer bracket, said rods applying pressure at a plurality of points on the annuloplasty ring'"'"'s inner surface to secure the annuloplasty ring to the outer bracket.

17. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty-ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket, said outer bracket comprising at least one inner brace and one peripheral brace; and

peripheral braces for securing the annuloplasty ring to the outer bracket by clamping the ring between the bracket and the peripheral braces at a plurality of locations around the ring'"'"'s periphery.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 17 wherein the braces substantially surround the ring at said locations.

19. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

a tube structure within which the annuloplasty ring can be placed, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said tube structure, and the annuloplasty ring being withdrawn from the tube structure concurrently with its being sutured at an implant site.

20. An apparatus for holding and supporting an annuloplasty ring comprising:

an outer bracket, the annuloplasty ring being supported by said outer bracket; and

pre-stitched sutures tied to the annuloplasty ring, said sutures to be used in securing the ring at the implant site.