Implantable valves and methods of making the same
First Claim
1. An implantable valve, comprising:
- a frame structure having a first portion characterized by an open end of said frame structure and a second portion characterized by a tapered end of said frame structure; and
a biocompatible coating or soft structure covering said frame structure or at least a portion thereof, wherein said frame structure is monolithically made from a frame material;
wherein said open end has a desired diameter suitable for a particular implantation application;
wherein said open end is configured with a plurality of openings to allow flexibility, expendability, and attachment to body tissue during said application;
wherein said tapered end comprises a plurality of tapered members that respectively gradually narrow to a tip and that are defined by a plurality of slits; and
wherein said biocompatible coating or soft structure seals or effectively covers said plurality of slits.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable valve composed of a frame structure monolithically formed and covered with a biocompatible coating or soft structure. The implantable valve can have various shapes, openings, anchoring sites, attachment sites and is flexible, expendable, and easy to attach to body tissue. In some embodiments, the implantable valve is made by first determining a two or three dimensional configuration of the frame structure, which has an open end and a tapered end. The configuration may be scaled to obtain a desired size, e.g., length and diameter. One or more frame structure may be cut, stamped, etched, or machined from a single material, which could be metal or plastic with various thickness profiles and may have superelasticity and/or shape memory. The biocompatible coating selectively seals the valve to control/prevent fluid passage. To enhance bonding, the frame structure surface is treated with etching, polishing, sand blasting, plating, nanotechnology surface modification, etc.
82 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An implantable valve, comprising:
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a frame structure having a first portion characterized by an open end of said frame structure and a second portion characterized by a tapered end of said frame structure; and
a biocompatible coating or soft structure covering said frame structure or at least a portion thereof, wherein said frame structure is monolithically made from a frame material;
whereinsaid open end has a desired diameter suitable for a particular implantation application;
wherein said open end is configured with a plurality of openings to allow flexibility, expendability, and attachment to body tissue during said application;
whereinsaid tapered end comprises a plurality of tapered members that respectively gradually narrow to a tip and that are defined by a plurality of slits; and
whereinsaid biocompatible coating or soft structure seals or effectively covers said plurality of slits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of making an implantable valve, comprising the steps of:
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a) determining a two or three dimensional configuration of a three dimensional frame structure of said implantable valve, said configuration includes an open end and a tapered end;
b) scaling said configuration to a desired size suitable for a particular implantation application;
c) monolithically forming said frame structure or a plurality thereof from a frame material according to said configuration in step a) or step b); and
d) applying a biocompatible coating or soft structure to cover said frame structure or at least a portion thereof - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method of making an implantable valve, comprising the steps of:
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a) determining a two or three dimensional configuration of a three dimensional frame structure of said implantable valve, said configuration includes an open end and a tapered end;
b) scaling said configuration to a desired size suitable for a particular implantation application;
c) applying a biocompatible coating or soft structure to a frame material; and
d) forming said frame structure or a plurality thereof from said frame material according to said configuration in step a) or step b). - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification