TRANSCATHETER VALVE STRUCTURE AND METHODS FOR VALVE DELIVERY

• US 20110208283A1
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Rust, Matthew J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,226,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• 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 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal

Abstract

A valved stent including a stent structure having a generally tubular body portion with an interior area, a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis; a valve structure including a plurality of leaflets and positioned within the interior area of the stent structure; and an invertible structure extending from one of the first and second ends of the stent structure. The invertible structure can be rotatable relative to the end of the stent structure from which it extends.

Claims

1. A valved stent comprising:

a stent structure comprising a generally tubular body portion, an interior area, a first end, and a second end;

a valve structure comprising a plurality of leaflets and positioned within the interior area of the stent structure; and

an invertible structure pivotably attached to one of the first and second ends of the stent structure.

2. The valved stent of claim 1, wherein the invertible structure extends from the first end of the stent structure and is pivotable relative to the first end of the stent structure.

3. The valved stent of claim 2, further comprising an intermediate material positioned between the first end of the stent structure and the invertible structure.

4. The valved stent of claim 3, wherein the intermediate material comprises a tissue material.

5. The valved stent of claim 2, wherein the invertible structure is pivotable relative to the first end of the stent structure from a first position to a second position, wherein the invertible structure extends beyond the first end of the stent structure in the first position and wherein the invertible structure is positioned within the interior area of the stent structure in the second position.

6. The valved stent of claim 5, wherein the invertible structure is adjacent to the tubular body portion within the interior area of the stent structure when the invertible structure is in the second position.

7. The valved stent of claim 5, wherein the invertible structure further comprises a third position between the first and second positions, wherein the invertible structure is generally perpendicular to the stent structure when in its third position.

8. The valved stent of claim 1, further comprising at least one intermediate invertible structure pivotably attached to the stent structure within the interior area and between the first and second ends.

9. The stented valve of claim 1, further comprising a sealing skirt extending around at least a portion of the circumference of the tubular body at one of the first and second ends of the stent structure.

10. The stented valve of claim 1, wherein a length of the invertible structure is less than a length of the stent structure.

11. The stented valve of claim 1, wherein the invertible structure comprises at least one wire having multiple peaks and valleys positioned around a circumference of one of the first and second ends of the stent structure.

12. The stented valve of claim 5, wherein the invertible structure provides outward radial force against the interior area of the stent structure when the invertible structure is in its second position.

13. The stented valve of claim 1, wherein at least one of the stent structure and invertible structure comprise a shape memory material.

14. A delivery system for delivering an implantable stented device to a lumen of a patient, the delivery system comprising:

a longitudinal shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

a capturing collar adjacent to the distal end of the shaft;

a stent capturing mechanism adjacent to the distal end of the shaft and axially slideable relative to the collar, wherein the stent capturing mechanism comprises a first position in which it is positionable within the collar and a second position in which it is spaced from the collar; and

a sheath that is axially slideable relative to the longitudinal shaft.

15. The delivery system of claim 14, wherein the stent capturing mechanism comprises a plurality of sprockets extending from a central core.

16. A method of delivering and deploying a stent with a delivery system that comprises a longitudinal shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a capturing collar adjacent to the distal end of the shaft, a stent capturing mechanism that is adjacent to the distal end of the shaft and that is axially slideable relative to the collar, and a sheath that is axially slideable relative to the longitudinal shaft, the method comprising the steps of:

mounting a stent on the delivery system, the stent comprising a generally tubular body portion, an interior area, a first end, a second end, and an invertible structure having a first end pivotably attached to the first end of the stent and a second end comprising at least one stent engagement structure, wherein the stent capturing mechanism is engaged with at least one of the stent engagement structures, wherein the stent is at least partially covered by the sheath, and wherein the invertible structure is in an inverted position;

positioning the stent at an implantation location;

axially retracting the sheath in a proximal direction to expose at least a portion of the stent; and

axially retracting the stent capturing mechanism relative to the capturing collar to allow the invertible structure to pivot about its first end until it is positioned within the interior area of the stent.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the stent further comprises a valve structure comprising a plurality of leaflets and positioned within the interior area of the stent.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the invertible structure extends beyond the end of the tubular body portion when the invertible structure is in the inverted position.