Heart valve repair apparatus and methods

• US 7,166,126 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2003
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Lead Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Paul A. Spence
• Inventors: Ortiz, Mark, Spence, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott; Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matthews; William H
• Application Number:
  US10/695,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 623/2.1, 623/2.14, 623/2.17, 623/2.18, 623 236- 238
• US Class Current: 623/2.36
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2448 D-shaped rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2454 Means for preventing inversion of the valve leaflets, e.g. chordae tendineae prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2457 Chordae tendineae prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2466 Delivery devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0091 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type

Abstract

Valve repair apparatus and methods for ensuring proper coaptation and operation of the leaflets of a heart valve. Main aspects of the disclosure relate to devices including a support member configured for attachment to the heart valve annulus, a post extending from the support member away from the plane of the annulus and a connector coupled with the post and configured for attachment to at least one of the leaflets. The various embodiments may include a replacement heart valve connected with the support member for facilitating full replacement as opposed to near repair of an existing native heart valve. Various other devices include support structure and one or more posts connected to opposite sides of the support structure and extending from one side of the valve annulus to another to modify the shape of the annulus.

Claims

1. An annuloplasty device for surgical repair of a mitral valve, the mitral valve having a valve annulus, the valve annulus having an annulus anterior portion and an annulus posterior portion, the annulus anterior portion spanning between left and right anterior ends, the annulus posterior portion spaced apart from the annulus anterior portion in an anterior-posterior direction to define a mitral valve opening therebetween, the annulus posterior portion having a generally arcuate shape between the left and right anterior ends, the mitral valve having an anterior valve leaflet attached to the annulus anterior portion and a posterior valve leaflet attached to the annulus posterior portion, the anterior and posterior leaflets having respective anterior and posterior free margins, the anterior and posterior leaflets movable between a closed systolic configuration in which the free margins are in an approximated spatial relationship, and an open diastolic configuration in which the free margins are spaced apart to allow blood flow through the mitral valve opening generally along a valve-flow axis, said annuloplasty device comprising:

an anterior section, said anterior section configured with first and second anterior ends, said anterior section adapted for attachment to the annulus anterior portion, said first and second ends being adapted for placement respectively proximate to the left and right anterior ends of the annulus anterior portion, and

a posterior section coupled to said anterior section, said posterior section adapted for attachment to the annulus posterior portion and spaced apart from said anterior section to define an annuloplasty device space therebetween, said posterior and anterior sections divided along a first axis, said annuloplasty device having a maximum width dimension along said first axis, said posterior section having a generally curvilinear shape, said generally curvilinear shape being permanently formed to be non-planar when viewed in a direction generally parallel to said first axis, wherein said non-planar generally curvilinear shape is retained after fixation of the annuloplasty device to the valve annulus to improve coaptation of the leaflet free margins in the systolic configuration by fixing the annulus posterior portion into a non-planar configuration.

2. The annuloplasty device of claim 1, wherein said device posterior section is configured to span in close proximity and alignment with the annulus posterior portion of the valve annulus.

3. The annuloplasty device of claim 2, wherein said device posterior section is permanently formed to be asymmetric relative to a second axis bisecting said annuloplasty device along said first axis, said first and second axes being perpendicular to each other.

4. The annuloplasty device of claim 1, wherein said non-planar shape includes a bend adapted to extend in the direction of normal blood flow along the valve-flow axis when the device is fixed to the mitral valve annulus.

5. The annuloplasty device of claim 1, wherein said posterior section is permanently formed to be symmetric relative to a second axis, said second axis bisecting said annuloplasty device along said first axis, and said first and second axes being perpendicular to each other.

6. The annuloplasty device of claim 1, wherein said posterior and anterior sections together form a ring-shaped member.

7. The annuloplasty device of claim 6, wherein said ring shaped member is substantially “

D”

shaped when viewed in a direction parallel to the valve-flow axis, said anterior section being configured to form a substantially straight portion of said “

D”

-shape, and said posterior section being configured to form a substantially arcuate portion of said “

D”

-shape.

8. The annuloplasty device of claim 7, wherein said ring-shaped member is asymmetric about a second axis, said second axis bisecting said annuloplasty device along said first axis, and said first and second axes being perpendicular to each other.