Method and Apparatus for Compressing/Loading Stent-Valves

• US 20150297381A1
• Filed: 05/03/2012
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Medical Device Limited (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Medical Device Limited (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Essinger, Jacques, Delaloye, Stephane, Hefti, Jean-Luc, Mantanus, Luc, Paris, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,335,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/005 with a lid or cover
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/3008 having multiple compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/3014 waterproof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0095 Packages or dispensers for prostheses or other implants for intraocular lenses A61F2/1691; for dental surgery A61C19/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• 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 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• 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: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9505 having retaining means other than an outer sleeve, e.g. male-female connector between stent and instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/002 Packages specially adapted therefor combined with means for introducing catheters, e.g. dispensers, A61M25/0113; catheter kit packages for surgical articles A61B50/30

Abstract

Apparatus (40) for compressing a transcatheter cardiac stent-valve (10) comprises: a hollow channel (42) having an interior surface (50) shaped for progressively compressing the stent-valve in response to longitudinal advancement of the stent-valve within the channel; a driver (46) threadedly engaged on the exterior of the channel for generating a longitudinal driving force in response to rotation; a mover (44) having limbs (56) that project through slots (58) in the channel wall to transmit the driving force to the stent-valve within the channel; and a channel extension (48) removably attachable at the exit (54) to provide a generally cylindrical containment bore (66).

Claims

1-46. -46. (canceled)

47. An apparatus for compressing a transcatheter cardiac stent-valve, the apparatus comprising:

a hollow channel having an interior surface shaped for progressively compressing the stent-valve in response to longitudinal advancement of the stent within the hollow channel, the hollow channel comprising at least one slot through a wall thereof; and

a mover comprising a portion fitting outside the circumferential periphery of the hollow channel and a portion slidable in the slot and projecting therethrough for engaging the stent-valve within the hollow channel, for applying to the stent-valve a longitudinal driving force from outside the hollow channel.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the hollow channel comprises a plurality of said slots, and wherein the mover comprises a corresponding number of portions slidable in the slots and projecting therethrough for engaging the stent-valve within the channel.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the portion of the mover fitting outside the circumferential periphery of the hollow channel, interconnects radially outside the hollow channel, the portions being slidable in the slots.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the portion of the mover external to the hollow channel comprises a ring, and wherein the portions slidable in the slots comprise respective limbs extending inwardly from the ring.

51. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the portion of the mover slidable in the slot is shaped as a blade having a thin leading edge or surface that advances within the slot, and a long edge or surface that slides against the edge of the slot.

52. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the mover is configured to apply to the stent-valve a longitudinal driving force from radially outside the hollow channel.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a diverted or mountable radially outside the hollow channel, and operable to generate the longitudinal driving force relative to the hollow channel and apply the longitudinal driving force from radially outside the channel, through the mover, to a stent-valve within the hollow channel.

54. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising a driver coupled by a screw thread to the exterior of the hollow channel, for generating the longitudinal driving force in response to rotation of the driver.

55. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the hollow channel has an entrance and an exit, the entrance having a larger bore diameter than the exit, and the apparatus further comprising a loading tube usable at, or insertable at least partly into, the exit, the loading tube having a bore for receiving (i) at least a portion of a sheath of a delivery catheter to be loaded with the stent-valve;

and/or (ii) at least a portion of the stent-valve.

56. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the hollow channel has an entrance and an exit, the entrance having a larger bore diameter than the exit, and the apparatus further comprising a loading tube removably attachable to the hollow channel, the loading tube having a bore therein about equal in diameter to the bore diameter at the exit of the hollow channel to define an extension thereof.

57. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the portion of the mover fitting outside the circumferential periphery of the hollow channel is dimensioned such that said portion remains outside the circumferential periphery at least along the entire length of the slot.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the portion of the mover fitting outside the circumferential periphery of the hollow channel has a dimension in a circumferential direction that is greater than a circumferential width of the slot.

59. A method of compressing a transcatheter cardiac stent-valve, comprising in any order the steps of:

providing the apparatus of claim 47;

inserting a stent-valve at the entrance of the channel; and

radially applying a longitudinal driving force from outside the channel to advance the stent-valve within the channel towards the exit.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein radially applying the longitudinal driving force comprises rotating a driver relative to the hollow channel.

61. The method of claim 59, further comprising the steps of:

coupling a portion of the stent-valve emerging at the exit to a stent-holder of a delivery catheter;

re-applying the driving force to the stent-valve to further advance the stent-valve within the hollow channel; and

translating a containment sheath of the delivery catheter to capture there within a portion of the stent-valve emerging at the exit as a result of re-applying the driving force.

62. The method of claim 61, further comprising repeating steps the re-applying steps and the translating steps sequentially.

63. The method of claim 59, wherein at least one of the steps is carried out while the stent-valve is immersed in a bath of liquid, and wherein the method further comprises a step of removing air trapped by liquid within the delivery catheter.