HEART VALVE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF IMPLANTING IN THE BODY

• US 3,579,642 A
• Filed: 04/15/1968
• Issued: 05/25/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bart T. Heffernan, Efrem M. Ostrowsky
• Original Assignee: Bart T. Heffernan, Efrem M. Ostrowsky
• Inventors: Heffernan, Bart T., Ostrowsky, Efrem M.
• Application Number:
  US04/721,360
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2409 Support rings therefor, e.g. for connecting valves to tissue annuloplasty rings A61F2/2442
• 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: Y10T 137/788 Having expansible port

Abstract

A CHECK VALVE FOR USE IN A HUMAN HEART OR THE LIKE IN WHICH THE BODY PORTION CONTAINS CHECK VALVE MEANS ON THE INSIDE THEREOF AND IN WHICH THE OUTER WALL PORTIONS CONTAIN A GROOVE AROUND THE PERIPHERY THEROF TO RECEIVE A FASTENER IN THE FORM OF A SNAP RING OR THE LIKE. A METHOD IS DESCRIBED IN WHICH A MEMBRANE IS OPENED, A STIFF BUT RESILIENT FASTENER SUCH AS A SNAP RING IS SEWN IN PLACE THEREIN, CLOSELY ADJACENT THE EDGES OF THE MEMBRANE WHICH DEFINE THE OPENING THEREIN, AND A CHECK VALVE SUCH AS THAT DESCRIBED IS NAPPED INTO PLACE IN THE OPENING IN THE MEM-

BRANE AS THE RING IS OPENED AND CLOSED OVER THE VALVE, IN REGISTRY WITH THE GROOVE. PREFERABLY, THE VALVE IS A PLASTIC MATERIAL AND THE RING IS STAINLESS STELL OR STILL SILICONE RUBBER. THE VALVE AND METHOD MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO IMMOBILIZE THROMBOGENIC MATERIALS RESULTING FROM THE INCLUSION OF A HEART VALVE OR THE LIKE IN THE BODY.

Claims