STENT FEATURES FOR COLLAPSIBLE PROSTHETIC HEART VALVES

• US 20120078347A1
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Braido, Peter N., Alkhatib, Yousef F., Benson, Thomas M., Chalekian, Aaron J., Khouengboua, Ott, Neuman, Julia A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,808,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.26
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough
• 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 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal

Abstract

A prosthetic heart valve includes a stent having an expanded condition and a collapsed condition. The stent includes a plurality of distal cells, a plurality of proximal cells, a plurality of support struts coupling the proximal cells to the distal cells, and at least one support post connected to a plurality of proximal cells. The proximal cells are longitudinally spaced apart from the distal cells. Various strut configurations and connections of the struts to the proximal cells and of the proximal cells to the support post improve stent flexibility and reduce stress in the valve leaflets.

Claims

1. A prosthetic heart valve, comprising:

a stent having a proximal end, a distal end, an expanded condition and a collapsed condition, the stent including;

a plurality of proximal cells at the proximal end;

a plurality of support struts, each support strut having a first end connected to one of the proximal cells and another end; and

at least one support post connected to a multiplicity of the proximal cells; and

a valve structure connected to the at least one support post.

2. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein the multiplicity of proximal cells are connected to the at least one support post only adjacent one end and a middle of the support post.

3. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of support struts is connected to a proximal cell located only adjacent to the at least one support post.

4. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein the multiplicity of proximal cells are connected to the at least one support post only adjacent one end of the support post.

5. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of support struts is connected to a proximal cell located adjacent to the at least one support post.

6. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein the multiplicity of proximal cells are connected to the at least one support post only adjacent a first end, adjacent a second end, and in a middle of the support post.

8. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support post has one end not connected to other portions of the stent.

9. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein the stent includes a cell connection positioned distally of the at least one support post and joining two adjacent proximal cells, the cell connection not being connected to the at least one support post.

10. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 9, wherein the stent further includes an interlocking feature protruding from an end of the at least one support post at the proximal end of the stent.

11. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 55, wherein the stent further includes a spacer interconnecting two adjacent distal cells.

12. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support struts includes a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first end and the second end, the middle portion of at least one support strut having a curved configuration.

14. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of support struts is connected directly to the at least one support post.

15. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of support struts is connected directly to the at least one support post and to a proximal cell.

16. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 55, wherein ones of the plurality of support struts are bifurcated so as to have a pair of distal ends, each distal end being connected to a distal cell.

17. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support struts includes a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first end and the second end, the middle portion of at least one support strut having a sinusoidal shape.

18. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein the proximal cells define a gap proximally of the at least one support post.

19. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support post has a first width and a portion having a width less than the first width.

20. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support post has a first length in the collapsed condition of the stent and a second length less than the first length in the expanded condition of the stent.

21. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 20, wherein the at least one support post includes a distal portion and a proximal portion, the proximal portion being connected to the distal portion for sliding movement therebetween.

22. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 20, wherein the at least one support post includes a collapsible portion having a first configuration when the stent is in the collapsed condition and a second configuration when the stent is in the expanded condition.

23. The prosthetic valve according to claim 22, wherein the collapsible portion has a substantially diamond shape in the first configuration.

24. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 22, wherein the collapsible portion includes first and second collapsible members, the first and second collapsible members each having a substantially sinusoidal shape in the first and second configurations.

25. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 22, wherein the collapsible portion has an hourglass shape in the first configuration.

26. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the support struts is connected to a proximal cell that is not adjacent to the at least one support post.

27. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein the stent includes at least two support posts, and the support struts are each connected to a proximal cell located midway between the at least two support posts.

28. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support struts includes a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first end and the second end, the middle portion of at least one support strut having a tapered configuration.

29. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support struts includes a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first end and the second end, the first end of at least one support strut having a tapered configuration.

30. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support struts includes a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first end and the second end, the middle portion of at least one support strut having a C-shape.

31. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support struts includes a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first end and the second end, the middle portion of at least one support strut including a pair of transverse members and a pair of longitudinal members collectively forming a substantially rectangular configuration.

32. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support struts includes a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first end and the second end, the middle portion of at least'"'"' one support strut including nested cells.

33. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support struts includes a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first end and the second end, the middle portion of at least one support strut including a nested coil of cells.

34. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support struts includes a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first end and the second end, the middle portion of at least one support strut having a sinusoidal shape offset laterally relative to the first end portion.

54. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, wherein each of the support struts has a curved portion adjacent the another end.

55. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of distal cells at the distal end, the distal cells being longitudinally spaced apart from the proximal cells.

7. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

35. A prosthetic heart valve, comprising:

a stent having a proximal end, .a distal end, an expanded condition and a collapsed condition, the stent including;

a plurality of distal cells at the distal end;

a plurality of proximal cells at the proximal end, at least a portion of the proximal cells being connected directly to at least a portion of the distal cells; and

at least one support post connected to a multiplicity of the proximal cells; and

a valve structure connected to the at least one support post.

36. A prosthetic heart valve, comprising:

a stent having a proximal end, a distal end, an expanded condition and a collapsed condition, the stent including;

a plurality of cells at the proximal end;

a plurality of support struts at the distal end, each support strut having a first end connected to one of the cells and a free end; and

at least one support post connected to a multiplicity of the cells; and

a valve structure connected to the at least one support post.

37. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 36, wherein each of the support struts has a curved portion adjacent the free end.

38. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 37, wherein the curved portion of each support strut is substantially C-shaped.

39. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 37, wherein the curved portion of each support strut is hook-shaped.

40. A prosthetic heart valve, comprising:

a stent having a proximal end, a distal end, an expanded condition and a collapsed condition, the stent including;

a plurality of cells;

at least one support post connected to a multiplicity of the cells; and

a reinforcement secured to the at least one support post; and

a valve structure connected to the at least one support post, the reinforcement being adapted to secure leaflets of the valve structure to the stent.

41. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 40, wherein the reinforcement includes a first secondary post secured to the at least one support post and a second secondary post secured to the at least one support post, the first secondary post and the second secondary post being arranged to sandwich the leaflets therebetween.

42. The prosthetic heart valve according claim 41, wherein the first secondary post is secured to the second secondary post.

47. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 41, wherein the first secondary post has a hollow core.

48. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 41, wherein the first secondary post includes a plurality of eyelets.

49. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 41, wherein the first secondary post includes a first set of eyelets and a second set of eyelets, the first set of eyelets having a different shape than the second set of eyelets.

50. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 41, further comprising an arch interconnecting the first secondary post and the second secondary post.

51. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 40, wherein the reinforcement is formed from a pliable material.

52. The prosthetic heart valve according to claim 51, wherein the reinforcement includes a cuff attached to the cells.

53. The prosthetic heart valve according to ,claim 51, wherein the reinforcement is configured to be folded over a free edge of a leaflet.

43. (canceled)

44. (canceled)

45. (canceled)

46. (canceled)