Attachment of a sewing cuff to a heart valve

• US 20060095125A1
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corcym SRL (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sorin Group USA Incorporated (LivaNova Plc)
• Inventors: Chinn, Joseph Andrew, Thoma, Randall
• Granted Patent: US 7,641,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2409 Support rings therefor, e.g. for connecting valves to tissue annuloplasty rings A61F2/2442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30428 made by inserting a protrusion into a slot
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements

Abstract

A heart valve comprises a stent and a sewing cuff comprising a stiffening ring, wherein the stent and the stiffening ring are adapted to be snap-fitted. In one embodiment, the stent and the stiffening ring can together comprise one or more projections and one or more openings.

Claims

1. A heart valve, comprising:

a stent and a sewing cuff comprising a stiffening ring,

wherein the stent and the stiffening ring are adapted to be snap-fitted.

2. The heart valve of claim 1, wherein the stent comprises one or more projections and the stiffening ring comprises one or more openings, wherein each projection is adapted to be snap-fitted into one of the openings.

3. The heart valve of claim 2, wherein the stent comprises three projections and the stiffening ring comprises three openings.

4. The heart valve of claim 2, wherein the stent comprises four projections and the stiffening ring comprises four openings.

5. The heart valve of claim 2, wherein the projections are wedge-shaped.

6. The heart valve of claim 2, wherein the stent is made from polymer or metal.

7. The heart valve of claim 2, wherein the stiffening ring is made from polymer or metal.

8. The heart valve of claim 2, wherein the stent defines a plane and the projections project outward substantially in the plane.

9. The heart valve of claim 2, wherein the stent defines a plane and the projections project outward substantially perpendicular to the plane.

10. The heart valve of claim 1, wherein the stiffening ring comprises one or more projections and the stent comprises one or more openings,

wherein each projection is adapted to be snap-fitted into one of the openings.

11. The heart valve of claim 1, wherein the stiffening ring comprises at least one opening and at least one projection and the stent comprises at least one projection and at least one opening;

wherein each projection of the sewing cuff is adapted to be snap-fitted into an opening of the stent and each projection of the stent is adapted to be snap-fitted into an opening of the sewing cuff.

12. A method of attaching a sewing cuff to a heart valve, comprising:

snap-fitting a stent and a sewing cuff comprising a stiffening ring, wherein the stent and the stiffening ring are adapted to be snap-fitted.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the stent comprises one or more projections and the stiffening ring comprises one or more openings, wherein each projection is adapted to be snap-fitted into one of the openings.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the stent comprises three projections and the stiffening ring comprises three openings.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the stent comprises four projections and the stiffening ring comprises four openings.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the projections are wedge-shaped.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the stent is made from polymer or metal.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the stiffening ring is made from polymer or metal.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the stent defines a plane and the projections project outward from the stent substantially in the plane.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the stent defines a plane and the projections project outward from the stent substantially perpendicular to the plane.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the stiffening ring comprises one or more projections and the stent comprises one or more openings,

wherein each projection is adapted to be snap-fitted into one of the openings.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the stiffening ring comprises at least one opening and at least one projection and the stent comprises at least one projection and at least one opening;

wherein each projection of the sewing cuff is adapted to be snap-fitted into an opening of the stent and each projection of the stent is adapted to be snap-fitted into an opening of the sewing cuff.