Circulatory valve, system and method

• US 20090030512A1
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Jenson, Mark L., Drasler, William J., Hill, Jason P., Thielen, Joseph M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,828,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.140
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2439 Expansion controlled by filaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2475 Venous valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9665 with additional retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0076 multilayered, e.g. laminated structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for use in a vascular system. The apparatus include a circulatory valve having a valve frame in which frame members define frame cells. Frame cells include joints in opposing relationship, where the joints transition from a first stable equilibrium state through an unstable equilibrium state to a second stable equilibrium state as the joints are drawn towards each other.

Claims

1. A circulatory valve, comprising:

a valve frame having frame members defining frame cells with joints in opposing relationship, where the joints transition from a first stable equilibrium state through an unstable equilibrium state to a second stable equilibrium state as the joints are drawn towards each other; and

a valve leaflet coupled to the valve frame.

2. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where the first stable equilibrium state and the second stable equilibrium state are positions of relative potential energy minimums to which the joints of the frame cells return when the unstable equilibrium state is not achieved.

3. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where the frame members includes a compliant segment that assists in holding the joints in the second stable equilibrium state.

4. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where the frame cells are positioned at at least one of a distal end and a proximal end of the valve frame.

5. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where the frame members define a predefined frame design that extends between the frame cells, where the predefined frame design and the frame cells have a different configuration.

6. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where the frame cells include a lock mechanism that engages to prevent the frame cell from transitioning from the second stable equilibrium state.

7. The circulatory valve of claim 6, where the lock mechanism includes a first engagement member that extends from a first joint to engage a second engagement member that extends from a second joint of the frame cell as the joints transition from the unstable equilibrium state to the second stable equilibrium state.

8. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where the first stable equilibrium state is eighty (80) to ninety-five (95) percent of a deployed state.

9. A method for staged deployment of a circulatory valve, comprising:

radially expanding a valve frame of the circulatory valve from an undeployed state to a first stable equilibrium state; and

transitioning joints of the valve frame from the first stable equilibrium state through an unstable equilibrium state to a second stable equilibrium state to deploy the circulatory valve.

10. The method of claim 9, where radially expanding the valve frame from the undeployed state includes releasing the circulatory valve from the undeployed state.

11. The method of claim 9, where transitioning the joints from the first stable equilibrium state through the unstable equilibrium state to the second stable equilibrium state includes drawing the joints in each of a frame cell toward each other.

12. The method of claim 11, where stopping the movement of the joints in each frame cell before passing the unstable equilibrium state causes the joints to return toward the first stable equilibrium state.

13. The method of claim 9, where transitioning joints of the valve frame include pulling the joints through the unstable equilibrium state to the second stable equilibrium state.

14. The method of claim 9, including locking the valve frame in the second stable equilibrium state with a lock mechanism.

15. The method of claim 9, including flexing a compliant segment of the valve frame as the joints of the valve frame transition from the first stable equilibrium state through the unstable equilibrium state to the second stable equilibrium state to help hold the circulatory valve in the deployed state.

16. The method of claim 9, where transitioning the joints includes elastically deforming the joints from the first stable equilibrium state through the unstable equilibrium state to the second stable equilibrium state to deploy the circulatory valve.

17. The method of claim 9, where radially expanding the valve frame includes expanding the valve frame to eighty (80) to ninety-five (95) percent of the second stable equilibrium state for the first stable equilibrium state.

18. A system, comprising:

an elongate delivery catheter;

a retractable sheath positioned around at least a portion of the elongate delivery catheter, where the retractable sheath moves longitudinally relative the elongate delivery catheter;

a circulatory valve positioned between the elongate delivery catheter and the retractable sheath, where the circulatory valve includes a valve frame having frame members defining frame cells with joints in opposing relationship, and a valve leaflet coupled to the valve frame; and

deployment threads that extend longitudinally between the elongate delivery catheter and the retractable sheath to the joints of the frame cells, where force applied through the deployment threads transitions the joints from a first stable equilibrium state through an unstable equilibrium state to a second stable equilibrium state.

19. The system of claim 18, where the retractable sheath moves longitudinally relative the elongate delivery catheter to allow the circulatory valve to move from an undeployed state to the first stable equilibrium state.

20. The system of claim 19, where the first stable equilibrium state is eighty (80) to ninety-five (95) percent of the second stable equilibrium state.

21. The system of claim 18, including a push tube that extends longitudinally between the elongate delivery catheter and the retractable sheath to abut at least one of the joints, and where the deployment threads extend through the push tube to the joints of the frame cell to allow force to be applied to the joints between the deployment threads and the push tube.