Commissurotomy catheter apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A commissurotomy catheter comprising(a) an elongated lumen having an inlet end, a first outlet and second outlet;
- (b) first inflatable means and second inflatable means attached to the lumen each positioned so that a fluid may pass from the lumen through an outlet and into the inflatable means, thereby inflating the inflatable means; and
(c) a cutting means connected to and extending between the first inflatable means and the second inflatable means.
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Abstract
A commissurotomy catheter and method for separating fused heart valve leaflets using the catheter is disclosed. The catheter is comprised of a lumen having at least two inflatable balloons at its operational end and at least one cutting edge between the balloons. To separate the fused leaflets the catheter is positioned within the heart so that it extends through the fused leaflets with a balloon on either side of the leaflets. Then the balloons are inflated which forces the cutting edge against the fissure between the fused leaflets and separates them. After separation the balloons are deflated and the catheter is removed.
336 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A commissurotomy catheter comprising
(a) an elongated lumen having an inlet end, a first outlet and second outlet; -
(b) first inflatable means and second inflatable means attached to the lumen each positioned so that a fluid may pass from the lumen through an outlet and into the inflatable means, thereby inflating the inflatable means; and (c) a cutting means connected to and extending between the first inflatable means and the second inflatable means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4)
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3. A commissurotomy catheter comprising:
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(a) an elongated first lumen having an inlet end, and at least one outlet, (b) a first inflatable means attached to the first lumen in a manner so that a fluid may pass from the first lumen through an outlet and into the first inflatable means, thereby inflating the inflatable means, (c) a second inflatable means attached to the first lumen, (d) a second lumen having an inlet end and an outlet end and located within the first lumen so that its outlet end is connected to the first lumen near the outlet of the elongated first lumen, its inlet is near the inlet end of the elongated first lumen and the outlet of the second lumen is positioned so that a fluid may pass from the second lumen through its outlet and into the second inflatable means, thereby inflating the second inflatable means, and (d) a cutting means attached to and extending between the first and second inflatable means. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method for separating the fused leaflets of a heart valve comprising
(a) positioning within the heart a commissurotomy catheter comprised of (i) an elongated lumen having an inlet end, a first outlet and a second outlet, (ii) a first and second inflatable means each positioned so that a fluid may pass from the lumen through an outlet and into the inflatable means, thereby inflating the inflatable means, and (iii) a cutting means connected to the inflatable means so that when the catheter is properly positioned within the heart the first inflatable means is on one side of the leaflets and the second inflatable means is on the other side and the cutting means will extend through the valve, (b) inflating the first inflatable means (c) inflating the second inflatable means to force the fused leaflets apart, (d) deflating the first and second inflatable means, and (e) removing the catheter from the heart.
Specification