Rotatably positionable heart valve and method
First Claim
1. An implantable heart valve having a valve body and an exterior suturing ring within which the valve body may be rotatably adjusted following suturing of the ring to a natural heart tissue orifice, the valve body having an exterior annular wall with the suturing ring disposed circumferentially of the wall, the valve including slip ring means interposed between the suturing ring and the wall and circumferential binding means binding the suturing ring and slip ring to the valve body wall, at least one of the binding means and slip ring means being heat-relaxed under controlled conditions to reduce the initial binding force of the binding means to thereby facilitate controlled rotational positioning of the valve body within the suturing ring.
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Abstract
An implantable heart valve including a suturing ring within which the body of the valve may be rotatably positioned following surgical implantation. The suturing ring is held to the valve body by binding means, such as an annular band or series of cord wraps. In one embodiment, the binding means may be heat-relaxed after the suturing ring has been bound to the valve body, thereby facilitating rotation of the valve body in the suturing ring. Slip ring means may be interposed between the suturing ring and the valve body to facilitate rotation. The slip ring means may be shaped to permit the binding means to hold the suturing ring tightly at its edges to the valve body to prevent the suturing ring from separating from the valve body at their mutually adjacent edges. The slip ring means may comprise a single ring or a pair of concentric slip rings having a mutual low-friction interface.
44 Citations
24 Claims
- 1. An implantable heart valve having a valve body and an exterior suturing ring within which the valve body may be rotatably adjusted following suturing of the ring to a natural heart tissue orifice, the valve body having an exterior annular wall with the suturing ring disposed circumferentially of the wall, the valve including slip ring means interposed between the suturing ring and the wall and circumferential binding means binding the suturing ring and slip ring to the valve body wall, at least one of the binding means and slip ring means being heat-relaxed under controlled conditions to reduce the initial binding force of the binding means to thereby facilitate controlled rotational positioning of the valve body within the suturing ring.
- 7. An implantable heart valve having a valve body and an exterior suturing ring within which the valve body may be rotatably adjusted following suturing of the ring to a natural heart tissue orifice, the valve body having an exterior annular wall and spaced, annular flanges extending generally radially outwardly of the wall to define with the latter an annular groove, slip ring means disposed within the groove and having peripheral edges respectively spaced from confronting flanges to define annular spaces at the edges of the slip ring means, a suturing ring carried circumferentially of the slip ring means, and binding means binding the suturing ring and slip ring to the valve body wall, the binding means including means securely retaining circumferential portions of the suturing ring within the annular spaces.
- 15. A method for providing prosthetic devices such as heart valves with suturing rings within which the devices may be rotatably positioned, the method comprising binding a suturing ring to the prosthesis with heat-relaxable binding means, and controllably heating the binding means under predetermined conditions to at least partially relax the same and reduce the binding force exerted by it to facilitate rotation of the prosthesis.
- 17. An implantable heart valve having a valve body and an exterior suturing ring within which the valve body may be rotatably adjusted following suturing of the ring to a natural heart orifice, the valve body having an exterior annular wall, slip ring means circumferentially mounted about the annular wall of the valve body, the slip ring means comprising at least one stiff, rigid ring having abutting ends, a suturing ring carried circumferentially of the slip ring means, and binding means binding the suturing ring and slip ring to the valve body wall.
- 21. An implantable heart valve having a valve body and an exterior suturing ring within which the valve body may be rotatably adjusted following suturing of the ring to a natural heart orifice, the valve body having an exterior annular wall, slip ring means circumferentially mounted about the annular wall of the valve body, the slip ring means comprising at least one stiff, rigid ring having spaced ends, a suturing ring carried circumferentially of the slip ring means, and binding means binding the suturing ring and slip ring to the valve body wall.
Specification