TIP FOR MEDICAL IMPLANT DELIVERY SYSTEM

• US 20120078237A1
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical LLC (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Wang, Huisun, Glazier, Valerie J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,408,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/966 with relative longitudinal movement between outer sleeve and prosthesis, e.g. using a push rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0019 differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell

Abstract

A delivery system for delivering and deploying a medical implant, such as a prosthetic heart valve, includes an elongated support member, a sheath, and a tip. The sheath is movable relative to the elongated support member between a distal position overlying the medical implant and a proximal position exposing the medical implant for release from the delivery system. The tip is attached to the elongated support member and is positioned at a distal end of the sheath when the sheath is in the distal position. The tip has a compressed condition and an expanded condition, and a maximum diameter in the expanded condition that is larger than the outer diameter of the sheath.

Claims

1. A delivery system for delivering and deploying a medical implant, comprising:

an elongated support member configured to hold a medical implant;

a sheath having an outer diameter surrounding at least a portion of the elongated support member, the sheath being movable between a proximal position and a distal position relative to the elongated support member; and

a tip attached to the elongated support member and positioned at a distal end of the sheath when the sheath is in the distal position, the tip having a compressed condition, an expanded condition and a variable diameter along a length thereof, the variable diameter including a maximum diameter in the expanded condition, the maximum diameter being larger than the outer diameter of the sheath.

2. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the tip is at least partly made of a compressible material selected from the group consisting of polyether block amide, polyurethane, and silicone rubber.

3. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the tip has a closed inner cavity containing a fluid substance.

4. The delivery system of claim 3, wherein the fluid substance is selected from the group consisting of a liquid, a gel, and a gas.

5. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the maximum diameter of the tip in the expanded condition is about 0.005 inches to about 0.020 inches larger than the outer diameter of the sheath.

6. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the tip is molded over a portion of the elongated support member.

7. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the tip includes at least a first portion having a first stiffness and a second portion having a second stiffness, the first stiffness being different from the second stiffness.

8. The delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of longitudinal recesses formed along the length of the tip.

9. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the tip includes an outer member formed from a porous material and an inner member formed from an elastic material.

10. The delivery system of claim 9, wherein the outer member surrounds at least a portion of the inner member.

11. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the tip is formed by an injection molding process.

12. The delivery system of claim 11, wherein the injection molding process is a multi-step injection molding process.

13. The delivery system of claim 11, wherein the injection molding process includes an overmolding step.