Mitral Bioprosthesis with Low Ventricular Profile

• US 20120101572A1
• Filed: 10/20/2011
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kovalsky, Igor, Clague, Cynthia
• Granted Patent: US 9,192,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.19
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0063 Nested prosthetic parts

Abstract

A heart valve prosthesis configured for placement at a mitral valve in the heart is disclosed that includes a stent-like support structure for supporting a prosthetic mitral valve. The support structure is configured to have a low ventricular profile with only a short length thereof protruding into the left ventricle when deployed in vivo. The support structure includes an upstream section that is outwardly expandable to sit against the atrial wall so as to at least partially anchor the prosthesis therein and a downstream section to which the prosthetic mitral valve is coupled that extends between the left atria and ventricle through the native mitral valve. The low-ventricular profile of the prosthesis is achieved by shaping the support structure such that the downstream section extends within and overlaps with the upstream section at given regions around the circumference of the support structure in an expanded configuration.

Claims

1. A valve prosthesis configured for percutaneous deployment at a mitral valve in the heart, the prosthesis comprising:

a support structure configured to support a prosthetic heart valve,

the support structure having an upstream section with a greater expanded diameter than a downstream section, and

the support structure defining a plurality of continuous regions in which the upstream section is continuous with the downstream section and a plurality of discontinuous regions in which the upstream section is discontinuous with the downstream section,

wherein the continuous regions and discontinuous regions alternate with one another around a circumference of the support structure, and

wherein within the discontinuous regions the downstream section of the support structure at least partially overlaps with the upstream section of the support structure by extending inside the upstream section of the support structure.

2. The valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the support structure has a stent framework that defines cells and wherein at least one upstream cell of the downstream section and at least one downstream cell of the upstream section are not connected to each other in each of the discontinuous regions.

3. The valve prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the at least one upstream cell of the downstream section is positioned radially inward of the at least one downstream cell of the upstream section to create the at least partial overlap between the upstream and downstream sections in each of the discontinuous regions.

4. The valve prosthesis of claim 3, wherein the at least one upstream cell of the downstream section forms an upstream interior end of the downstream section within each of the discontinuous regions.

5. The valve prosthesis of claim 4 further comprising:

a prosthetic tricuspid heart valve attached to the downstream section of the support structure with each of the prosthetic leaflets being attached at its highest point of curvature to a corresponding upstream interior end of the downstream section.

6. The valve prosthesis of claim 3, wherein within each of the discontinuous regions the at least one downstream cell of the upstream section inwardly curves and is configured to be a barb to secure the support structure upon deployment in vivo.

7. The valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the downstream section of the support structure in an expanded configuration defines a cylinder that includes short segments of a length L1 and long segments of a length L2 that is longer than the length L1

8. The valve prosthesis of claim 7, wherein the short segments of the downstream section are in the continuous regions of the support structure and the long segments of the downstream section are in the discontinuous regions of the support structure to alternate with one another around a circumference of the support structure.

9. The valve prosthesis of claim 8, wherein the long segments of the downstream section have an upstream interior end that extends inside of the upstream section to create the at least partial overlap between the upstream and downstream sections in each of the discontinuous regions.

10. The valve prosthesis of claim 9 further comprising:

a prosthetic tricuspid heart valve attached to the downstream section of the support structure with each of the prosthetic leaflets being attached at its highest point of curvature to a corresponding upstream interior end of the downstream section.

11. The valve prosthesis of claim 7, wherein length L1 of the cylinder is between 14 mm and 18 mm and length L2 of the cylinder is between 8 mm and 13 mm.

12. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 further comprising:

a lining secured within the support structure to provide a smooth flow surface within the discontinuous regions.

13. A valve prosthesis configured for percutaneous deployment at a mitral valve in the heart, the prosthesis comprising:

a support structure configured to support a prosthetic heart valve having an upstream section with a greater expanded diameter than a downstream section, the support structure defining a plurality of cells wherein at spaced locations around a circumference of the support structure at least one downstream cell of the upstream section is not connected to a corresponding upstream cell of the downstream section, and wherein the downstream section of the support structure at least partially overlaps with the upstream section of the support structure by extending inside the upstream section of the support structure.

14. The valve prosthesis of claim 13, wherein at each spaced location the at least one upstream cell of the downstream section is positioned radially inward of the corresponding downstream cell of the upstream section to create the at least partial overlap between the upstream and downstream sections.

15. The valve prosthesis of claim 14, wherein at each spaced location the at least one upstream cell of the downstream section forms an upstream interior end of the downstream section.

16. The valve prosthesis of claim 15 further comprising:

a prosthetic tricuspid heart valve attached to the downstream section of the support structure with each of the prosthetic leaflets being attached at its highest point of curvature to a corresponding upstream interior end of the downstream section.

17. The valve prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the corresponding downstream cell of the upstream section inwardly curves and is configured to be a barb to secure the support structure upon deployment in vivo.

18. The valve prosthesis of claim 13 further comprising:

a lining secured within the support structure to provide a smooth flow surface therein.

19. The valve prosthesis of claim 18, wherein the lining covers an interior of the support structure where the downstream section of the support structure at least partially overlaps with the upstream section of the support structure to prevent blood stagnation.