REPOSITIONABLE ENDOLUMINAL SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND ITS APPLICATIONS

• US 20110288632A1
• Filed: 07/21/2009
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences CardiAQ LLC (Edwards Lifesciences Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jenesis Surgical LLC
• Inventors: White, Jennifer K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,685,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/24 Heart valves ; Vascular valves, e.g. venous valves; Heart implants, e.g. passive devices for improving the function of the native valve or the heart muscle; Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices; Valves implantable in the body
• 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 2/2421 with non-pivoting rigid closure members
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/243 Deployment by mechanical expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2469 with resilient valve members, e.g. conical spiral
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/844 folded prior to deployment
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/94 Stents retaining their form, i.e. not being deformable, after placement in the predetermined place
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0076 multilayered, e.g. laminated structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
• 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 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0004 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/001 for adjusting a diameter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An endo luminal support structure (10) includes strut members (11) interconnected by swivel joints (15) to form a series of linked scissor mechanisms. The structure can be remotely actuated to compress or expand its shape by adjusting the scissor joints within a range of motion. In particular, the support structure can be repositioned within the body lumen or retrieved from the lumen. The support structure can be employed to introduce and support a prosthetic valve (100) within a body lumen.

Claims

1-58. -58. (canceled)

59. A support apparatus implantable within a biological lumen, comprising:

a plurality of elongated strut members interlinked by a plurality of swivel joints forming a support structure, wherein the swivel joints cooperate with the stent members to adjustably define a shaped structure between a compressed orientation and an expanded orientation.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the plurality of elongated strut members comprises a plurality of inner strut members and a plurality of outer strut members.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the plurality of swivel joints comprise middle swivel joints connecting the outer strut members to the inner strut members to form scissor mechanisms.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the plurality of swivel joints comprise a plurality of distal swivel joints connecting the distal ends of the inner strut members and the outer strut members and a plurality of proximal swivel joints connecting the proximal ends of the inner strut members and the outer strut members.

63. The apparatus of any one of claim 62, further comprising a prosthetic valve coupled to the plurality of elongated strut members interlinked by a plurality of swivel joints.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the prosthetic valve comprises:

a first structural member coupled to the strut members;

a second structural member rotatable relative to the first structural member; and

a plurality of pliable valve members connecting the first structural member with the second structural member such that rotation of the second structural member relative to the first structural member urges the valve members between an open and a closed state.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the rotation of the second structural member is responsive to the natural flow of a biological fluid.

66. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the prosthetic valve includes a plurality of pliable valve leaflets having commissures at the intersection of two strut members.

67. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the prosthetic valve includes a skirt material coupled to the strut members.

68. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the support structure is a cylindrical, a conical, or an hourglass shape.

69. The apparatus of claim 59, further comprising an actuator mechanism configured to expand the plurality of elongated strut members by increasing distances between neighboring swivel joints.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the actuator mechanism comprises a threaded rod positioned on the support structure.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the actuator mechanism is a dual-threaded rod positioned on the inside of the support structure.

72. A method of fabricating a support apparatus implantable within a biological lumen, comprising:

interlinking a plurality of elongated strut members with a plurality of swivel joints at three locations of each elongated strut member, such that the swivel joints cooperate with the stent members to adjustably define a tubular shaped structure between a compressed orientation and an expanded orientation; and

coupling an adjustment mechanism to the strut members to exerting a force to urge the strut members about the swivel joint within a range of motion.

73. The method of claim 72 further comprising coupling a prosthetic valve to the strut members.