MITRAL VALVE REPAIR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE

• US 20090318871A1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
• Original Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
• Inventors: Krumme, John, Pung, Ponaka, Perry, Ken, Videll, Joseph, Buchbinder, Maurice, Zarbatany, David, Tieu, Tai
• Granted Patent: US 8,226,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/174
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0467 Instruments for cutting sutures surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00371 Multiple actuation, e.g. pushing of two buttons, or two working tips becoming operational
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00783 Valvuloplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0451 Cams or wedges holding the suture by friction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0488 Instruments for applying suture clamps, clips or locks for applying suture anchors A61B2017/0409; for applying wound clamps A61B17/10; for applying ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22052 eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22069 Immobilising; Stabilising
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2442 Annuloplasty rings or inserts for correcting the valve shape; Implants for improving the function of a native heart valve

Abstract

The present invention is directed to various systems for repairing tissue within the heart of a patient. The mitral valve repair system of the present invention comprises a guide catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one internal lumen formed therein, a therapy catheter capable of applying a suture to the tissue, and a fastener catheter capable of attaching a fastener to the suture. The therapy catheter and the fastener catheter are capable of traversing the internal lumen of the guide catheter. In addition, the present invention discloses various methods for repairing tissue within the heart of a patient. In one embodiment, the method of repairing heart valve tissue includes advancing a guide catheter through a circulatory pathway to a location in the heart proximate to a heart valve, advancing a therapy catheter through the guide catheter to the heart valve, stabilizing a first leaflet with the therapy catheter, deploying a first suture into the stabilized first leaflet, disengaging the first leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the first suture attached thereto, stabilizing a second leaflet with the therapy catheter, deploying a second suture into the second leaflet, disengaging the second leaflet from the therapy catheter while leaving the second suture attached thereto, and joining the first and second leaflets by reducing the distance between the first and second sutures.

Claims

1. A fastener catheter having a catheter inner lumen therethrough configured to receive one or more lines of suture, the fastener catheter configured to detachably hold a suture fastener, the fastener catheter having a suture cutting member positioned thereon, wherein the fastener catheter comprises a longitudinal body comprising a distal end, wherein the distal end comprises a side having a longitudinal body suture opening therein, the longitudinal body suture opening configured to receive one or more lines of suture therethrough.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fastener catheter further comprises an outer sleeve having a sleeve inner lumen configured to receive the longitudinal body therein, the outer sleeve comprising a side having an outer sleeve suture opening therein, the outer sleeve suture opening configured to receive one or more lines of suture therein, wherein the outer sleeve is configured to be slideably positioned about the longitudinal body with the longitudinal body suture opening aligned with the outer sleeve suture opening.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the cutting member comprises an edge of the longitudinal body suture opening.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the cutting member comprises an edge of the outer sleeve suture opening.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the outer sleeve is configured to be moved with respect to the longitudinal body to bring an edge of the outer sleeve suture opening adjacent an opposing edge of the longitudinal body suture opening, whereby interaction between the edge of the outer sleeve suture opening adjacent and the opposing edge of the longitudinal body suture opening cuts the one or more suture lines passing through the outer sleeve suture opening and the longitudinal body suture opening.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the suture fastener comprises a fastener inner lumen configured to receive one or more suture lines therein, the suture fastener further comprising one or more fastener engagement elements configured to engage against suture passing through the fastener inner lumen.

7. A fastener catheter comprising a longitudinal body having a distal end with a suture fastener detachably secured thereto, wherein the suture fastener comprises a fastener inner lumen configured to receive the distal end of the fastener catheter therein, the suture fastener further comprising one or more engagement elements configured to engage against the distal end of the longitudinal body, the suture fastener configured to be slideably removed from the distal end of the longitudinal body.

8. The fastener catheter of claim 7, further comprising an outer sleeve having a sleeve inner lumen configured to slidingly receive the longitudinal body therein, the outer sleeve configured to be distally advanced along the longitudinal body until the outer sleeve engages the suture fastener and pushes the suture fastener from the distal end of the longitudinal body.