Prosthetic valves for medical application

• US 20060161250A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Peter Shaw
• Original Assignee: David Peter Shaw
• Inventors: Shaw, David Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,017,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.170
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2403 with pivoting rigid closure members check valves with hinged closure members in general F16K15/03
• 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 2/2475 Venous valves

Abstract

A prosthetic valve in the form of a flap valve which includes one or more flaps arranged to allow movement of liquid through the valve only in one direction, in which the or each flap is made of a flexible open work structure of a medically acceptable metal such as titanium or a titanium alloy.

Claims

1. A prosthetic valve in the form of a flap valve which includes at least one flap arranged to allow movement of liquid through the valve only in one direction, the or each flap being made of a flexible openwork structure of a medically acceptable metal

2. A prosthetic valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve includes a single flap arranged to close against a supporting wall mounted upon a peripheral stent.

3. A prosthetic valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve includes two flaps arranged to close against each other.

4. A prosthetic valve as claimed in claim 3 wherein said valve also includes a peripheral stent supporting a wall extending at right angles to the plane of the stent and providing two opposed cutouts in which said the flaps are mounted.

5. A prosthetic valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve includes three flaps of similar size, arranged to close against each other.

6. A prosthetic valve as claimed in claim 5 wherein said valve also includes a peripheral rib around the perimeter of the valve.

7. A prosthetic valve as claimed in claim 5 wherein said valve also includes a peripheral stent upon which the three flaps are mounted.

8. A prosthetic valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible openwork structure is selected from the group consisting of:

woven wire, knitted wire, chainmail, and perforated plate.

9. A prosthetic valve as claimed in claim 8 wherein the medically acceptable metal is titanium or a titanium alloy.

10. A method of promoting tissue growth and endothelialisation, minimising the risk of foreign body infection following the fitting of a prosthetic valve in a living subject, said method including the provision of a prosthetic valve in which the or each flap is made of a flexible open work structure of a medically acceptable metal.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the prosthetic valve is a heart valve.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the or each flap of the valve is coated with an inert degradable sealing material when the valve is initially fitted.

13. The method as claimed in any one of claims 10-12 wherein the flexible openwork structure is selected from the group consisting of:

woven wire, knitted wire, chainmail and perforated plate.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the medically acceptable metal is titanium or a titanium alloy.