HEART VALVE PROSTHESIS

• US 20170290659A1
• Filed: 04/06/2017
• Published: 10/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biotronik AG (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Biotronik AG (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Ulmer, Jens, Degen, Nicolas
• Granted Patent: US 10,682,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0008 Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0083 using hook and loop-type fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0034 D-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0036 differing in thickness

Abstract

A heart valve prosthesis (1), including: a stent framework (2), which can be transferred from a collapsed state into an expanded state, in which the stent framework (2) extends along an axis (A′), wherein the stent framework (2) has a plurality of struts (20, 24), which form a plurality of cells (21a, 21b, 25) connected to one another; and a heart valve (3), which is fixed to the stent framework (2). In accordance with the invention, the thickness (d′) of the struts varies in the peripheral direction (U) of the expanded stent framework (2).

Claims

1. A heart valve prosthesis (1), comprising:

a stent framework (2), which can be transferred from a collapsed state into an expanded state, in which the stent framework (2) extends along an axis (A′

), wherein the stent framework (2) has a plurality of struts (20, 24), which form a plurality of cells (21a, 21b, 25) connected to one another, and

a heart valve (3), which is secured to the stent framework (2),

characterized in that the thickness (d′

) of the struts varies in a peripheral direction (U).

2. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the heart valve prosthesis (1) is configured to take on a function of a native mitral valve (M), wherein the heart valve (3) of the heart valve prosthesis (1) is a mitral valve (3).

3. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness (d, d′

) of the struts (20, 24) varies in the peripheral direction (U), in such a way that the stent framework (2) in the expanded and implanted state has a peripheral cross-sectional contour (23) which is adapted to the mitral valve annulus (Ma) of the mitral valve (M) that is to be replaced.

4. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 3, characterized in that a cross-sectional contour (23) consists essentially of a flattened first portion (23a) and an arcuate second portion (23b) connected thereto, wherein the flattened portion (23a) extends from a left fibrous trigone (Tr1) to a right fibrous trigone (Tr2), based on the expanded and implanted state of the stent framework (2).

5. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the stent framework (2) comprises first struts (20), which come to lie in a region of a left fibrous trigone (Tr1) and in a region of a right fibrous trigone (Tr2), based on an expanded and implanted state of the stent framework (2), wherein the first struts (20) have a smaller thickness (d′

) than second struts (24) of the stent framework (2), which come to lie on a mitral valve annulus (Ma) further away from the left fibrous trigone (Tr1) and the right fibrous trigone (Tr2).

6. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 5, characterized in that the first struts (20) have a thickness (d′

) which lies in a region of 0.5 times to 0.9 times the thickness (d) of the second struts (24), wherein the thickness (d′

) of the first struts (20) is optionally 0.8 times the thickness (d) of the second struts (24).

7. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 5, characterized in that the first struts (20) form two cells (21a) of the stent framework, which are arranged adjacently in a direction of the axis (A′

) and are connected to one another via a connection region (26a), wherein the two cells (21a) come to lie in the region of the left fibrous trigone (Tr1), based on the expanded and implanted state of the stent framework (2).

8. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 7, characterized in that the connection region (26a) has a first and a second edge portion (210, 211), wherein the two edge portions (210, 211) lie opposite one another in the peripheral direction (U), wherein a recess (212) is formed in each edge portion (210, 211), and wherein the two recesses (212) are arranged offset relative to one another in the direction of the axis (A).

9. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 5, characterized in that the first struts (20) form two further cells (21b) of the stent framework (2), which are arranged adjacently in a direction of the axis (A′

) and are connected to one another via a further connection region (26b), wherein the two further cells (21b) come to lie in the region of the right fibrous trigone (Tr2), based on the expanded and implanted state of the stent framework (2).

10. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 9, characterized in that the further connection region (26b) has a first and a second edge portion (210, 211), wherein the two edge portions (210, 211) lie opposite one another in the peripheral direction (U), wherein a recess (212) is formed in each edge portion (210, 211), and wherein the two recesses (212) are arranged offset relative to one another in the direction of the axis (A′

).

11. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the stent framework (2), in order to allow blood to flow out, defines an outflow tract (27), wherein the stent framework (2) at the outflow tract (27) has loops (28, 29) for anchoring the heart valve prosthesis (1) at anterior and posterior cusps (A, P) of a native mitral valve (M), wherein two anterior loops (28) are optionally provided, which are configured to anchor the heart valve prosthesis (1) at the anterior cusp (A) of the native mitral valve (M), and a posterior loop (29) is optionally configured to anchor the heart valve prosthesis (1) at the posterior cusp (P) of the native mitral valve (M), wherein the posterior loop (29) is shorter than the two anterior loops (28) for the anterior cusp (A).

12. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the stent framework (2) has cells (30) at an outflow tract (27) for anchoring the heart valve prosthesis (1), wherein the cells (30) are curved outwardly.

13. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the stent framework (2) has shortened cells (33) on a peripheral edge (310) of an inflow tract (31) of the stent framework (2), wherein the length of the shortened cells (33) is shorter in a direction of the axis (A′

) than the length of peripheral cells (34) that are adjacent in the peripheral direction (U), wherein the shortened cells (33) are configured to come to lie in a region of an aortic peak (AP) of a native mitral valve (M) in the expanded and implanted state of the stent framework (2).

14. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the stent framework (2) is expandable, optionally self-expanding.

15. The heart valve prosthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the heart valve prosthesis (1) is configured to be implanted by means of a catheter.