DEVICE FOR COLLAPSING AND LOADING A HEART VALVE INTO A MINIMALLY INVASIVE DELIVERY SYSTEM

• US 20150135647A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dale, Theodore Paul, Chalekian, Aaron J., Glazier, Valerie J., Wang, Huisun
• Granted Patent: US 9,168,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/436
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9525 using a funnel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49927 Hollow body is axially joined cup or tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53657 to apply or remove a resilient article [e.g., tube, sleeve, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53796 Puller or pusher means, contained force multiplying operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53843 Tube, sleeve, or ferrule inserting or removing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53852 C-frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/539 Plier type means

Abstract

A device is provided for collapsing a stented bioprosthetic valve, including first section and second sections, each spanning between first and second ends of the device. The second section of the device is associated with the first section to at least partially enclose an internal cavity formed by the first and second sections, the internal cavity tapering from an open insertion portion at a first end of the device to an open exit portion at a second end of the device. The insertion portion has a larger dimension than the exit portion. When the first section and second section are substantially enclosing the internal cavity, a stented bioprosthetic valve may be inserted into the insertion portion and collapsed as it is moved toward and through the exit portion. The valve may then be loaded on an apparatus for insertion into the body.

Claims

1. A method of loading a stented bioprosthetic valve onto a minimally invasive delivery system comprising:

crimping the stented bioprosthetic valve from a first condition having a first diameter to a second condition having a second diameter, the second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the crimping being achieved by advancing the stented bioprosthetic valve through a device having a tapered internal cavity, the taper advancing from a first dimension to a second dimension, the second dimension being smaller than the first;

inserting the stented bioprosthetic valve into a collar;

and loading the collar and the bioprosthetic valve onto a minimally invasive delivery system by threading at least a portion of the system into the collar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting of the stented bioprosthetic valve into a collar is performed after crimping.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein inserting of the stented bioprosthetic valve into a collar is performed simultaneously with at least a portion of the crimping.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is comprised of an outer structural shell filled with a cold-sustaining gel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes an insulating exterior component.