Heart valve holder having a locking collar

• US 6,019,790 A
• Filed: 11/03/1997
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Draney, Mary T., Ordonez, Juan Carlos, Hinnenkamp, Thomas F., Holmberg, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SNOW, BRUCE EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US08/962,756
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 623/2, 623/900, 606/99
• US Class Current: 623/2.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation

Abstract

A prosthetic heart valve holder includes a set of jaws. Each jaw includes a distal end adapted for coupling to the prosthetic heart valve and a proximal end. A hinge assembly pivotally couples the jaws together between the distal and proximal ends. The hinge assembly allows movement of the jaws between an engaged position for grasping the prosthetic heart valve and an disengaged position in which the prosthetic heart valve is free from the distal ends. A locking collar is attached to the jaws and is movable between a first position in which the proximal ends are free from the collar, and a second position in which the collar holds the proximal ends of the jaws whereby the distal ends are held in position to engage the prosthetic heart valve.

Claims

1. A prosthetic heart valve holder for holding a prosthetic heart valve, the prosthetic heart valve holder comprising:

a set of jaws, wherein each jaw includes a distal end adapted for coupling to the prosthetic heart valve and a proximal end;

a hinge assembly pivotally coupling the jaws together between the distal and proximal ends and defining an axis of the holder wherein a jaw is positioned on each side of the axis and the axis extends from the proximal ends to the distal ends, the hinge assembly allowing movement of the jaws between an engaged position for grasping the prosthetic heart valve and a disengaged position in which the prosthetic heart valve is free from the distal ends; and

a collar substantially rigid to maintain an aperture therethrough, the collar being movably attached to the jaws and slidable between a first position on the holder in which the proximal ends are free from the collar to pivot and a second position in which the proximal ends extend into the aperture and the collar holds the proximal ends of the jaws whereby the distal ends are held in position to engage the prosthetic heart valve.

2. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 1 wherein the collar is slidable on the jaws.

3. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 2 wherein the collar is slidable on the holder along a line non-parallel to the axis of the holder.

4. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 3 wherein the collar is slidable on the holder along a line substantially perpendicular to the axis of the holder.

5. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 4 wherein the collar includes at least one resilient member selectively engageable with one of the proximal ends of the set of jaws.

6. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 4 wherein the collar comprises a pair of resilient members selectively engageable with the proximal ends of the set of jaws.

7. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 2 wherein the collar is slidable substantially parallel to the axis of the holder.

8. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 7 wherein the collar is rotatable about the axis of the holder.

9. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 7 wherein the collar engages stop surfaces at the first position.

10. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 9 wherein a longitudinal length of a first portion of the collar is shorter than an adjacent portion of the collar to form a recessed stop surface.

11. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 2 wherein the collar includes a bore extending through the collar having a first opening on one end larger than a second opening on the other end.

12. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 2 wherein the collar includes a bore and a resilient member is secured to an inner surface of the collar about at least a portion of the bore.

13. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 1 wherein one of the jaws includes an extending portion, and wherein the locking collar is positioned on the extending portion in the first position.

14. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 1 and a stem having a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the hinge assembly includes a first hinge formed between a first jaw of the set of jaws and the distal end of the stem, and a second hinge formed between a second jaw of the set of jaws and the distal end of the stem.

15. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 14 wherein the locking collar is slidable from the first position on the proximal end of the stem toward the distal end of the stem.

16. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 15 wherein the stem includes an extending flange to limit sliding movement of the locking collar.

17. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 16 and wherein the locking collar includes a recess selectively receiving the extending flange.

18. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 16 wherein a first portion of the locking collar contacts the extending flange in the first position and a second portion of the locking collar contacts the extending flange in the second position.

19. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 1 wherein one of the proximal ends includes an extending flange to limit sliding movement of the locking collar.

20. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 19 wherein the locking collar includes a recess selectively receiving the extending flange.

21. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 1 wherein the locking collar includes a bore and a protrusion extending into the bore and wherein one of the jaws includes a channel to receive the protrusion.

22. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 21 wherein the channel comprises a radial channel to allow the locking collar to rotate about an axis of the holder.

23. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 22 wherein the radial channel is disposed on one of the proximal ends.

24. The prosthetic heart valve holder of claim 22 and wherein the channel includes an axial portion allowing the locking collar to slide parallel to the axis of the holder from the first position to the second position.

25. A prosthetic heart valve holder for holding a prosthetic heart valve, the prosthetic heart valve holder comprising:

a set of jaws, wherein each jaw includes a distal end adapted for coupling to the prosthetic heart valve and a proximal end;

a hinge assembly pivotally coupling the jaws together between the distal and proximal ends and defining an axis of the holder wherein a jaw is positioned on each side of the axis and the axis extends from the proximal ends to the distal ends, the hinge assembly allowing movement of the jaws between an engaged position for grasping the prosthetic heart valve and a disengaged position in which the prosthetic heart valve is free from the distal ends; and

a collar substantially rigid and formed from a single unitary piece to maintain an aperture therethrough, the collar being movably attached to the jaws and slidable between a first position in which the proximal ends are free from the collar to pivot and a second position in which the proximal ends extend into the aperture and the collar holds the proximal ends of the jaws whereby the distal ends are held in position to engage the prosthetic heart valve.