FOLDABLE HINGED PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE

• US 20110137410A1
• Filed: 12/07/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiovalve Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitraltech Ltd.
• Inventors: HACOHEN, Gil
• Granted Patent: US 8,870,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.37
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2409 Support rings therefor, e.g. for connecting valves to tissue annuloplasty rings A61F2/2442
• 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 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2439 Expansion controlled by filaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2454 Means for preventing inversion of the valve leaflets, e.g. chordae tendineae prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2457 Chordae tendineae prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for use with a prosthetic valve that is designated for implantation at a patient'"'"'s native heart valve, including a valve ring having a plurality of ring segments, each of the segments being hingedly coupled to an adjacent segment at a pivot joint. The valve ring is placed adjacent to a surface of the native heart valve, the prosthetic valve having been coupled to the valve ring. In an expanded state thereof, the valve ring defines a ring, all of the pivot joints being disposed in a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ring. The valve ring is foldable into a shape that has a generally circular cross-section that defines and surrounds at least in part a central lumen, by folding the segments with respect to each other, at the pivot joints. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use with a prosthetic valve that is designated for implantation at a native heart valve of a patient, comprising:

a valve ring having a plurality of ring segments, each of the segments being hingedly coupled to at least one adjacent segment at a pivot joint,

the valve ring being configured;

to be placed adjacent to a surface of the native heart valve, the prosthetic valve having been coupled to the valve ring,

in an expanded state thereof, to define a ring, all of the pivot joints being disposed in a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ring, and

to be foldable from the expanded state into a shape that has a generally circular cross-section that defines and surrounds at least in part a central lumen, by folding the segments with respect to each other, at the pivot joints.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the segments of the ring are configured to become at least partially twisted due to the ring being folded from the expanded state.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the prosthetic valve includes a trileaflet valve, and wherein the ring has a number of ring segments that is a multiple of six.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ring has exactly six segments.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the prosthetic valve includes a bileaflet valve, and wherein the ring has a number of ring segments that is a multiple of four.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the ring has exactly four segments.

7. A method for use with a prosthetic valve that is designated for implantation at a native heart valve of a patient, comprising:

placing in a vicinity a surface of the native heart valve, a valve ring that is coupled to the valve, while the valve ring is in a folded state thereof,

the ring having a plurality of ring segments, each of the segments being hingedly coupled to at least one adjacent segment at a pivot joint,

in the folded state thereof, the ring having a shape that has a generally circular cross-section that defines and surrounds at least in part a central lumen;

expanding the ring such that all of the pivot joints become disposed in a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ring, by applying a force to at least some of the pivot joints; and

when the ring is in an expanded state thereof, positioning the ring adjacent to a surface of the native valve.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein applying the force to some of the pivot joints comprises pushing on pivot joints that are disposed on a proximal side of the ring, while the ring is in the folded state thereof.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the native valve includes a native mitral valve, and wherein positioning the ring adjacent to the surface of the valve comprises positioning the ring adjacent to a ventricular surface of the native mitral valve.

10. Apparatus for use with a prosthetic valve that is designated for implantation at a native mitral valve of a patient, comprising:

an annular ring configured to be placed at a ventricular surface of the native mitral valve, the prosthetic valve having been coupled to the annular ring; and

at least one anchor disposed circumferentially with respect to the annular ring so as to define a space between the anchor and the annular ring.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the anchor is configured to grasp a portion of native chordae tendineae of a heart of the patient by the annular ring being rotated.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the annular ring is configured to be collapsible.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the ring comprises a plurality of ring segments, each of the segments being hingedly coupled to at least one adjacent segment at a pivot joint, and wherein the ring is configured to be collapsed by folding the segments with respect to each other, at the pivot joints.

14. A method, comprising:

positioning an annular ring portion of a prosthetic valve structure at a ventricular surface of a native heart valve of a patient; and

grasping a portion of native chordae tendineae of a heart of the patient by rotating the annular ring portion of the prosthetic valve structure.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein grasping the portion of the native chordae tendineae comprises facilitating placing the portion of the native chordae tendineae in a space between a segment of the annular ring portion and an anchor disposed circumferentially with respect to the segment of the annular ring portion.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein positioning the annular ring portion comprises:

transcatheterally advancing the prosthetic valve structure toward the native valve of the patient in a collapsed state thereof; and

expanding the prosthetic valve structure from the collapsed state.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein expanding the prosthetic valve structure comprises pivoting a plurality of segments of the annular ring portion at respective pivot joints that couple together adjacent segments of the annular ring portion by distally pushing one or more of the pivot joints in a manner in which the ring portion expands radially.