Valve Frame

• US 20130079867A1
• Filed: 11/19/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grant T. Hoffman, Ram H. Paul Jr, Sean D. Chambers
• Original Assignee: Grant T. Hoffman, Ram H. Paul Jr, Sean D. Chambers
• Inventors: Hoffman, Grant T., Chambers, Sean D., Paul, Ram H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,192,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.24
• 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 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2475 Venous valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2476 Valves implantable in the body not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0008 Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded

Abstract

The disclosure relates to support frames for prosthetic implantable valves. The support frames may include a plurality of symmetrically arrayed interconnected U-shaped member structures. Preferred support frames are tubular structures enclosing a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of U-shaped member structures facing a distal or a proximal end of the support frame. Each U-shaped member structure may be connected to a single longitudinally adjacent U-shaped member facing in an opposite longitudinal direction, as well as two laterally adjacent U-shaped members.

Claims

1. A support frame suitable for prosthetic implantable valves comprising:

a proximal annular member longitudinally spaced from a distal annular member axially aligned with the proximal annular member around a longitudinal axis; and

a plurality of longitudinal connecting members extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis from the proximal annular member to the distal annular member and defining a hypothetical circumferential plane around an outer surface of the support frame and defining a lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the support frame around the longitudinal axis;

the plurality of longitudinal connecting members including a first member opposably positioned across the lumen from a circumferentially adjacent second member, and a third member circumferentially adjacent to the first member.

2. The frame of claim 1, where the plurality of longitudinal connecting members consists of 3-6 members of substantially equal length oriented substantially parallel to one another.

3. The frame of claim 2, where the plurality of longitudinal connecting members consists of 3 members oriented substantially parallel to one another.

4. The frame of claim 3, where a first circumferential distance between the first member and the third member is substantially equal to a second circumferential distance between the third member and the first member, the circumferential distances being measured along the circumferential plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a position between the proximal end and the distal end of the lumen.

5. The frame of claim 2, where the plurality of longitudinal connecting members consists of 4 members oriented substantially parallel to one another, including the first member, the second member, the third member and a fourth member circumferentially adjacent to the third member and the second member.

6. The frame of claim 5, where (a) a first circumferential distance between the first member and the third member is substantially equal to a second circumferential distance between the fourth member and the second member;

and (b) a third circumferential distance between the third member and the fourth member is less than about 10% of the longitudinal length of the members, the circumferential distances being measured along the circumferential plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a position between the proximal end and the distal end.

7. The frame of claim 6, where a fourth circumferential distance between the first member and the second member is substantially equal to the sum of the first circumferential distance, the second circumferential distance and the third circumferential distance, the circumferential distances being measured along the circumferential plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a position between the proximal end and the distal end.

8. The frame of claim 7, where (a) a first circumferential distance between the first member and the third member being less than about 10% of the longitudinal length of the members;

(b) a second circumferential distance between the third member and the fourth member;

(c) a third circumferential distance between the second member and the fourth member being substantially equal to a sum of the second circumferential distance and one half of the first circumferential distance; and

(d) a sum of a fourth circumferential distance between the first member and the second member and one half of the first circumferential distance being substantially equal to the sum of the second circumferential distance, the third circumferential distance and one half of the first circumferential distance;

where the circumferential distances are each measured along the circumferential plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a position between the proximal end and the distal end.

9. The frame of claim 1, the third member comprising a non-linear longitudinal connecting member, the frame comprising an artificial partial sinus characterized by a greater lateral distance between a portion of the third member and the longitudinal axis than between proximal and distal annular members and the longitudinal axis.

10. The frame of claim 4, further comprising a valve member attached to the support frame and moveable within the lumen to regulate fluid flow therein, where the valve member is attached to the first member and is moveable across the lumen between an open position permitting fluid flow through the lumen from the proximal end to the distal end, and a closed position substantially preventing fluid flow through the lumen, the valve member contacting the circumferential plane opposite the third member in the closed position.

11. The frame of claim 8, further comprising a valve member attached to the support frame and moveable within the lumen to regulate fluid flow therein, where the valve member is attached to the first member and is moveable across the lumen between an open position permitting fluid flow through the lumen from the proximal end to the distal end, and a closed position substantially preventing fluid flow through the lumen, the valve member contacting the circumferential plane opposite the fourth member in the closed position.

12. The frame of claim 2, where the plurality of longitudinal connecting members consists of 5 members oriented substantially parallel to one another, including the first member, the second member, the third member, a fourth member circumferentially adjacent to the third member and a fifth member circumferentially adjacent to the second member and the fourth member.

13. The frame of claim 12, where (a) a first circumferential distance between the first member and the third member is less than about 10% of the longitudinal length of the members;

(b) a second circumferential distance between the second member and the fifth member is less than about 10% of the longitudinal length of the members; and

(c) a third circumferential distance between the third member and the fourth member is substantially equal to a fourth circumferential distance between the fourth member and the fifth member;

the circumferential distances being measured along the circumferential plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a position between the proximal end and the distal end.

14. The frame of claim 13, where a fifth circumferential distance between the first member and the second member is substantially equal to the sum of the third circumferential distance and the fourth circumferential distance, the circumferential distances being measured along the circumferential plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a position between the proximal end and the distal end.

15. The frame of claim 14, further comprising a valve member attached to the support frame and moveable within the lumen to regulate fluid flow therein, where the valve member is attached to the first member and is moveable across the lumen between an open position permitting fluid flow through the lumen from the proximal end to the distal end, and a closed position substantially preventing fluid flow through the lumen, the valve member contacting the circumferential plane opposite the fourth member in the closed position.

16. The frame of claim 2, where the plurality of longitudinal connecting members consists of 6 members oriented substantially parallel to one another, including the first member, the second member, the third member, a fourth member circumferentially adjacent to the third member and a fifth member, the fifth member circumferentially adjacent to the fourth member and a sixth member, the sixth member circumferentially adjacent to the fifth member and the second member.

17. The frame of claim 16, where (a) a first circumferential distance between the first member and the third member is less than about 10% of the longitudinal length of the members;

(b) a second circumferential distance between the second member and the sixth member is less than about 10% of the longitudinal length of the members;

(c) a third circumferential distance between the fourth member and the fifth member is less than about 10% of the longitudinal length of the members; and

(d) a fourth circumferential distance between the third member and the fourth member is substantially equal to a fourth circumferential distance between the fifth member and the sixth member;

the circumferential distances being measured along the circumferential plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a position between the proximal end and the distal end.

18. The frame of claim 17, further comprising a valve member attached to the support frame and moveable within the lumen to regulate fluid flow therein, where the valve member is attached to the first member and is moveable across the lumen between an open position permitting fluid flow through the lumen from the proximal end to the distal end, and a closed position substantially preventing fluid flow through the lumen, the valve member contacting the circumferential plane opposite the fourth member in the closed position.

19. A support frame suitable for prosthetic implantable valves comprising:

(a) a support frame having a proximal annular member longitudinally spaced from a distal annular member axially aligned with the proximal annular member around a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of paired longitudinal connecting members extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis from the proximal annular member to the distal annular member and defining a circumferential plane around an outer surface of the support frame and a tubular lumen around the longitudinal axis and extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the support frame;

the plurality of paired longitudinal connecting members consisting of (n) pairs of closely spaced member pairs including a first closely-spaced member pair opposably positioned across the lumen from a circumferentially adjacent second closely spaced member pair, and (n−

2) pairs of closely spaced members circumferentially positioned between the first member pair and the second member pair, where (n) is an integer of 3 or more; and

(b) a valve member attached to the support frame and moveable within the lumen to regulate fluid flow therein.

20. The frame of claim 19, where (a) the integer (n) is 3, (b) the support frame includes a third closely spaced member pair positioned symmetrically between the first closely spaced member pair and the second member pair, the support frame having a first circumferential distance between the first closely spaced member pair and the third closely spaced member pair that is substantially equal to a second circumferential distance between the third closely spaced member pair and the second closely spaced member pair;

(c) the circumferential distance between each pair of closely spaced members is less than about 10% of the longitudinal length of the members; and

(d) the valve member is attached to the first member and is moveable across the lumen between an open position permitting fluid flow through the lumen from the proximal end to the distal end, and a closed position substantially preventing fluid flow through the lumen, the valve member contacting the circumferential plane opposite the third closely spaced member pair in the closed position.