Surgical device for connecting soft tissue
First Claim
1. A method for percutaneously attaching valve leaflets, said method comprising:
- percutaneously introducing a device through a patient'"'"'s vasculature into a heart chamber;
capturing a first valve leaflet;
capturing a second valve leaflet separately from the first valve leaflet;
drawing the first and second captured leaflets together; and
attaching the first valve leaflet to the second valve leaflet.
6 Assignments
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention comprises a surgical instrument including an external tube (2) and two elongated members (4) positioned in said tube (2), each of which includes a distal end (10a) for capturing one of the two tissue zones (M1,M2) to be attached. The instrument (1) may further comprise a catching member (22, 25) for each tissue (M1, M2) to be attached; a rod (15, 16) linked to each catching member (22, 25) enabling tension to move axially, said rod (15, 16) being separable from said catching member (22, 25) when a tension is exerted on it beyond a certain threshold; and a member (17a) forming a stop for locking axially each catching member (22, 25) during said tension.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for percutaneously attaching valve leaflets, said method comprising:
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percutaneously introducing a device through a patient'"'"'s vasculature into a heart chamber;
capturing a first valve leaflet;
capturing a second valve leaflet separately from the first valve leaflet;
drawing the first and second captured leaflets together; and
attaching the first valve leaflet to the second valve leaflet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for percutaneously attaching valve leaflets, said method comprising:
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percutaneously introducing a device through a patient'"'"'s vasculature into a heart chamber;
said device carrying a clipping system including first and second elements;
drawings the first element upwardly to engage the leaflets from below;
positioning the second element over the leaflets to capture said leaflets between said members; and
leaving the elements in the heart to hold the leaflets together. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
capturing a first valve leaflet with the first elongate element;
capturing a second valve leaflet separately from the first valve leaflet with the second elongate element; and
drawing the first and second captured leaflets together prior to capturing the leaflets between the first and second elements.
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17. A method as in claim 16, wherein capturing the first leaflet comprises piercing the leaflet with a harpoon-shaped tip.
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18. A method as in claim 16, wherein capturing the first leaflets comprises applying a vacuum to the leaflet.
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19. A method as in claim 16, wherein capturing the second valve leaflet comprises advancing a second elongate member from the device and securing the second leaflet to the second elongate member.
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20. A method as in claim 19, wherein capturing the second leaflet comprises piercing the leaflet with a harpoon-shaped tip.
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21. A method as in claim 19, wherein capturing the second leaflet comprises applying a vacuum to the leaflet.
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22. A method as in claim 13, wherein the valve leaflets are mitral valve leaflets.
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23. A method as in claim 22, wherein percutaneously introducing the devices comprises advancing the device through the vena cava, through the intra-atrial septum, and into the left atrium above the mitral valve.
Specification