Holder for flexible heart valve
First Claim
1. A holder for attaching to and holding a flexible heart valve, the heart valve having multiple leaflets joined together at a periphery of the valve at valve commissures that are generally axially aligned and evenly disposed about a valve axis, the valve commissures each being disposed between adjacent curvilinear valve cusps along the periphery of the valve, the holder comprising:
- a plurality of cusp supports arranged around an axis to contact the heart valve generally along the valve cusps; and
a plurality of commissure supports connected to and intermediate each two cusp supports and arranged to abut the valve commissures.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A holder for a highly flexible tissue-type heart valve is disclosed that maintains an implant shape to the valve. The holder may have cusp and commissure contacting supports, and may be attached at all six such supports, or only three. The holder may be flexible to permit inward flexing of the heart valve during implant for greater visibility when implanting using a running suture method. The holder may be formed of flexible wires such as Nitinol, and shaped to resist excessive axial and torsional deformation of the valve. A short handle connector suitable for manual grasping may be attached and stored with the valve, with the handle connector having a coupling for receiving a longer delivery handle. A two stage holder may be utilized to accommodate different implant methods.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A holder for attaching to and holding a flexible heart valve, the heart valve having multiple leaflets joined together at a periphery of the valve at valve commissures that are generally axially aligned and evenly disposed about a valve axis, the valve commissures each being disposed between adjacent curvilinear valve cusps along the periphery of the valve, the holder comprising:
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a plurality of cusp supports arranged around an axis to contact the heart valve generally along the valve cusps; and
a plurality of commissure supports connected to and intermediate each two cusp supports and arranged to abut the valve commissures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
a central hub with a plurality of radially outward upper legs connected to the commissure supports, and a plurality of lower legs angled downward and outward connected to the cusp supports.
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14. A holder for attaching to and holding a heart valve, the heart valve having multiple leaflets joined together at a periphery of the valve at valve commissures that are generally axially aligned and evenly distributed about a valve axis at an outflow end thereof, the valve commissures each being disposed between adjacent curvilinear valve cusps evenly distributed about the periphery of the valve generally at an inflow end thereof, the holder comprising:
a plurality of relatively rigid cusp supports arranged around a holder axis that coincides with the valve axis when the holder and valve are attached, the cusp supports being adapted to contact and attach to the heart valve along the valve cusps. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
Specification