Prosthetic Heart Valve Having Identifiers for Aiding in Radiographic Positioning
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus comprising a valve prosthesis, which comprises:
- a prosthetic heart valve; and
three or more commissural posts, to which the prosthetic heart valve is coupled, which posts are arranged circumferentially around a central longitudinal axis of the valve prosthesis, and are configured to assume a collapsed position prior to implantation of the prosthesis, and an expanded position upon the implantation of the prosthesis,wherein one or more of the commissural posts are provided with respective radiographic identifiers that are shaped to be reflection-asymmetric about respective post axes that are generally parallel with the central longitudinal axis when the posts assume the collapsed position.
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Abstract
A prosthetic heart valve having identifiers for aiding in radiographic positioning is described.
182 Citations
23 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising a valve prosthesis, which comprises:
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a prosthetic heart valve; and three or more commissural posts, to which the prosthetic heart valve is coupled, which posts are arranged circumferentially around a central longitudinal axis of the valve prosthesis, and are configured to assume a collapsed position prior to implantation of the prosthesis, and an expanded position upon the implantation of the prosthesis, wherein one or more of the commissural posts are provided with respective radiographic identifiers that are shaped to be reflection-asymmetric about respective post axes that are generally parallel with the central longitudinal axis when the posts assume the collapsed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method comprising:
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providing a valve prosthesis that includes a prosthetic heart valve, and three or more commissural posts, to which the prosthetic heart valve is coupled, which posts are arranged circumferentially around a central longitudinal axis of the valve prosthesis, and are configured to assume a collapsed position prior to implantation of the prosthesis, and an expanded position upon the implantation of the prosthesis, and at least one of which commissural posts is provided with a radiographic identifier; while the posts assume the collapsed position, placing, via a blood vessel of the subject, the valve prosthesis at least partially in a heart of a subject in a vicinity of a native heart valve having native commissures; generating a fluoroscopic image of the native commissures and valve prosthesis; and rotationally aligning the at least one of the commissural posts with one of the native commissures using the radiographic identifier visible in the image. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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providing a valve prosthesis that includes a prosthetic heart valve, and three or more commissural posts, to which the prosthetic heart valve is coupled, which posts are arranged circumferentially around a central longitudinal axis of the valve prosthesis, and are configured to assume a collapsed position prior to implantation of the prosthesis, and an expanded position upon the implantation of the prosthesis; while the posts assume the collapsed position, placing, via a blood vessel of the subject, the valve prosthesis at least partially in a heart of a subject in a vicinity of a native heart valve having native commissures; generating a fluoroscopic image of the native commissures and valve prosthesis; and rotationally aligning the at least one of the commissural posts with one of the native commissures by; rotating the valve prosthesis, observing whether the at least one of the commissural posts appears to move in the image in the same direction that the valve prosthesis is rotated, or in an opposite direction, and if the at least one of the commissural posts appears to move in the image in the opposite direction, rotating the valve prosthesis to correct a rotational alignment of the valve prosthesis. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. Apparatus comprising a valve prosthesis, which comprises:
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a prosthetic heart valve; a support structure, which comprises a first material having a first radiopacity; and one or more radiographic identifiers, which comprise a second material having a second radiopacity different from the first radiopacity, and which are coupled to the support structure at respective locations. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification