Method of Cutting Tissue Using a Laser

• US 20120035720A1
• Filed: 10/24/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic 3F Therapeutics, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: 3F Therapeutics Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Myers, Keith E., CALI, Douglas S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2415 Manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/16 Composite materials , e.g. fibre reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/30 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/38 Fabrics, fibrous materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/42 Plastics B23K2103/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/32 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/324 involving non-metallic parts
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/40 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1054 and simultaneously bonding [e.g., cut-seaming]

Abstract

A prosthetic heart valve assembly comprises a plurality of leaflets configured to replace the function of a native heart valve. Each leaflet comprises laminar pericardium tissue. Each leaflet has a coaptation edge formed by laser cutting. The tissue layers of each leaflet are fused together along an entire length of the coaptation edge, and tissue adjacent each coaptation edge does not have significant thermal energy damage.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A prosthetic heart valve assembly comprising:

a plurality of leaflets configured to replace the function of a native heart valve, each leaflet comprising laminar pericardium tissue, each leaflet having a coaptation edge formed by laser cutting, tissue layers of each leaflet being fused together along an entire length of the coaptation edge, and tissue adjacent each coaptation edge not having significant thermal energy damage.

20. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the pericardium tissue comprises bovine or equine pericardium tissue.

21. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the tissue adjacent each coaptation edge is not substantially discolored.

22. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the tissue adjacent each coaptation edge is not brittle or biased to bend in a particular direction.

23. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the plurality of leaflets comprises three leaflets.

24. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the native heart valve is a prosthetic aortic heart valve assembly.

25. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 19, wherein each leaflet has a uniform thickness along the coaptation edge.

26. A prosthetic heart valve assembly comprising:

at least two leaflets configured to replace the function of a native heart valve, each leaflet comprising biological tissue having at least two layers, each leaflet having a coaptation edge, the at least two layers of each leaflet being fused together along a length of the coaptation edge, and tissue adjacent each coaptation edge not having significant thermal energy damage.

27. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 26, wherein the at least two leaflets comprise pericardium.

28. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 27, wherein the pericardium comprises bovine or equine pericardium.

29. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 26, wherein the tissue adjacent each coaptation edge is not substantially discolored.

30. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 26, wherein the tissue adjacent each coaptation edge is not brittle or biased to bend in a particular direction.

31. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 26, wherein the at least two leaflets comprise three leaflets.

32. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 26, wherein the prosthetic heart valve assembly is a prosthetic aortic heart valve assembly.

33. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 26, wherein each leaflet has a uniform thickness along the coaptation edge.

34. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 26, wherein each coaptation edge is formed by laser cutting.

35. The prosthetic heart valve assembly of claim 34, wherein the tissue adjacent each coaptation edge has not been significantly burned by thermal energy from the laser cutting.