CATHETER MOUNTED ARTIFICIAL HEART VALVE FOR IMPLANTING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A DEFECTIVE NATURAL HEART VALVE

• US 3,671,979 A
• Filed: 09/23/1969
• Issued: 06/27/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: Spyridon Moulopoulos
• Inventors: Moulopoulos, Spyridon
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frinks, Ronald L.
• Application Number:
  US04/860,341
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 3/1 128/1,241-246,2.05,245,214,341-345,348-351,2.5D,2.5F
• US Class Current: 623/2.11
• 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 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0059 temporary

Abstract

An artificial heart valve for implantation in close proximity to a malfunctioning or damaged natural aortic or mitral heart valve by remote means without performing an open chest or other major surgical operation. The artificial heart valve comprises a flexible membrane in the form of an umbrella in that the apex of the umbrella resides in the direction that blood flow is to be periodically prevented while the distal end opens sufficiently to contact the inner walls of the vessel to prevent the reverse flow of blood and the membrane collapses about the axis of the umbrella to allow the forward flow of blood.

Claims

1. An artificial heart valve operable in the presence of a malfunctioning natural heart valve and implantable by remote means, said remote means comprising an elongated flexible catheter having a proximal end and a closed imperforate distal end insertable through a blood vessel from a point near an external body surface to a point adjacent a malfunctioning natural heart valve, said artificial heart valve comprising a flexible imperforate membrane affixed at its epicenter to said distal end of said catheter, said membrane being formed generally as a surface of a right circular cone with a cylindrical section extending from the circular base of said conical surface longitudinally in a direction towards said proximal end, the apex of said cone residing in a direction in which said membrane is operable to substantially prevent return flow of blood back through said malfunctioning natural heart valve, said membrane being operable to collapse about said catheter to allow blood flow opposite the direction of said apex, said artificial heart valve being operable solely by blood flow and in the absence of external power means.

2. An artificial heart valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said catheter is hollow and a pressure sensing hole is provided in a wall of said catheter, said hole being located downstream from said reverse flow preventing valve membrane between said apex and the proximal end of said catheter.