VALVE

• US 20100114327A1
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vysera Biomedical Limited
• Original Assignee: Vysera Biomedical Limited
• Inventors: SOBRINO-SERRANO, Gabriel
• Application Number:
  US12/488,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114327A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/23.680
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/04 Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; devices, other than stent-grafts, providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body other than stent-grafts, e.g. stents A61F2/82; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/044 Oesophagi or esophagi or gullets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/001 Figure-8-shaped, e.g. hourglass-shaped

Abstract

An esophageal valve has a central restriction to restrict flow through the valve. The valve has a proximal guide to guide antegrade flow to the restriction and a distal guide to guide retrograde flow to the restriction.

Claims

1. An esophageal valve having a central restriction to restrict flow through the valve, a proximal guide to guide antegrade flow to the restriction and a distal guide to guide retrograde flow to the restriction.

2. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the proximal guide comprises a proximally open cup.

3. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the distal guide comprises a distally open cup.

4. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valve is of generally hourglass shape

5. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valve comprises a frame.

6. A valve as claimed in claim 5 wherein the frame comprises a plurality of ribs.

7. A valve as claimed in claim 5 comprising a body supported by the frame.

8. A valve as claimed in claim 7 wherein the frame comprises stiff ribs and the body comprises a flexible material.

9. A valve as claimed in claim 7 wherein the body is overmoulded onto the frame.

10. A valve as claimed in claim 5 wherein the frame comprises at least three ribs.

11. A valve as claimed in claim 5 wherein the frame comprises three ribs.

12. A valve as claimed in claim 5 wherein the frame comprises four or five ribs.

13. A valve as claimed in claim 6 wherein the ribs extend along the valve at least partially between a distal end and a proximal end of the valve.

14. A valve as claimed in claim 13 wherein at least some of the ribs extend along the valve restriction.

15. A valve as claimed in claim 14 wherein the ribs are radially movable in the region of the restriction.

16. A valve as claimed in claim 15 wherein the ribs are movable from a normally constricted configuration to an enlarged configuration to facilitate in response to antegrade flow and/or retrograde flow through the valve.

17. A valve as claimed in claim 16 wherein the ribs return to the normally constricted configuration.

18. A valve as claimed in claim 6 wherein the ribs comprise fibers.

19. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valve comprises a flap which is movable from an open to a closed configuration.

20. A valve as claimed in claim 19 wherein the flap is located at the restriction.

21. A valve as claimed in claim 1 comprising a support structure for the valve.

22. A valve as claimed in claim 21 wherein the support structure comprises a luminal prosthesis such as a stent.

23. A valve as claimed in claim 21 wherein the support structure comprises a scaffold to which the valve is mounted and the scaffold with the mounted valve are adapted to engage with a predeployed luminal prosthesis.