Flexible, non-planar annuloplasty rings

• US 7,452,376 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lim, Jyue Boon, Sutton, William M
• Primary Examiner(s): Matthews; William H.
• Application Number:
  US11/126,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20050256569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 623 236- 238
• US Class Current: 623/2.36
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2448 D-shaped rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0029 differing in bending or flexure capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter

Abstract

An annuloplasty ring (for use as a heart valve prosthesis) has a non-planar shape and different lateral flexibilities at different points as one proceeds annularly around the ring. These different lateral flexibilities may be achieved in different ways such as by changing the material and/or cross-sectional size, shape, or other stiffness-imparting characteristics of the cross section.

Claims

1. An annuloplasty ring having a resting shape when not subject to any forces and a longitudinal axis perpendicular to a plane parallel to a plan view of the ring, the ring comprising:

first and second points on the ring that are spaced from one another in an annular direction around the ring, the first and second points lying in the plane parallel to the plan view of the ring;

a first ring segment having a first midpoint and a second ring segment having a second midpoint, each ring segment extending from the first point to the second point, each ring segment arching upwardly out of the plane between the first and second points, and each ring segment including a plurality of annularly spaced portions that have different lateral flexibilities;

a first relatively inflexible wing formed by at least one of the plurality of annularly spaced portions, wherein the first relatively inflexible wing extends from the first point along a portion of the first and second segments between a first end point located between the first point and the first midpoint and a second end point located between the first point and the second midpoint; and

a second relatively inflexible wing formed by at least one of the plurality of annularly spaced portions, wherein the second relatively inflexible wing extends from the second point along a portion of the first and second segments between a third end point located between the second point and the first midpoint and a fourth end point located between the second point and the second midpoint, wherein the first and second points are the lowest points on the ring relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein;

a shape of the ring changes from the resting shape to an other shape in response to application of a transverse force; and

the shape of the ring returns to the resting shape from the other shape when the applied force is removed.

2. The ring defined in claim 1 wherein the portions have different cross sectional size to give them different lateral flexibilities.

3. The ring defined in claim 1 wherein the portions are made of different materials to give them different lateral flexibilities.

4. The ring defined in claim 1 wherein each of the segments includes first through fifth segment portions that are disposed in first through fifth order between the first and second points, and wherein the second and fourth segment portions are more laterally flexible than the first, third, and fifth segment portions.

5. The ring defined in claim 4 wherein the second and fourth segment portions have smaller cross section than the first, third, and fifth segment portions.

6. The ring defined in claim 4 wherein the second and fourth segment portions are made of material that is more laterally flexible than material of which the first, third, and fifth segment portions are made.

7. The ring defined in claim 1 wherein each of the segments includes first through third segment portions that are disposed in first through third order between the first and second points, and wherein the first and third segment portions are more laterally flexible than the second segment portions.

8. The ring defined in claim 7 wherein the first and third segment portions have smaller cross section than the second segment portions.

9. The ring defined in claim 7 wherein first and third segment portions are made of material that is more laterally flexible than material of which the second segment portions are made.

10. The ring defined in claim 1 wherein:

the first segment comprises a first structural member extending axially along the first segment, the first structural member being substantially axially inflexible;

the second segment comprises a second structural member extending axially along the second segment, the second structural member being substantially axially inflexible; and

an elastic body encasing the first and second structural members.

11. The ring defined in claim 10 wherein, in each of the segments, spacing between the first and second structural members in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane varies in a direction along the segment.

12. An annuloplasty ring comprising:

first and second points on the ring that are spaced from one another in an annular direction around the ring, the first and second points lying in a plane parallel to a plan view of the ring; and

first and second ring segments, each extending from the first point to the second point, each arching upwardly out of the plane between the first and second points, and each including a plurality of annularly spaced portions that have different lateral flexibilities, wherein at least three of the annularly spaced ring portions from the first and the second ring segments are disposed around the ring such that two of the at least three ring portions are relatively inflexible relative to a third of the at least three ring portions, wherein the two relatively inflexible ring portions are immediately adjacent to each other and only one of the two relatively inflexible ring portions is immediately adjacent to the third ring portion, and wherein the ring has a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the plane parallel to the plan view of the ring;

the first ring segment having a first midpoint and the second ring segment having a second midpoint; and

the ring further comprises a first relatively inflexible wing formed by at least one of the plurality of annularly spaced portions, wherein the first relatively inflexible wing extends from the first point along a portion of the first and second segments between a first end point located between the first point and the first midpoint and a second end point located between the first point and the second midpoint of the first and second ring segments, and a second inflexible wing formed by at least one of the plurality of annularly spaced portions, wherein the second relatively inflexible wing extends from the second point along a portion of the first and second segments between a third end point located between the second point and the first midpoint and a fourth end point located between the second point and the second midpoint, wherein the first and second points are the lowest points on the ring relative to the longitudinal axis.

13. The ring defined in claim 12 wherein the portions have different cross sectional size to give them different lateral flexibilities.

14. The ring defined in claim 12 wherein the portions are made of different materials to give them different lateral flexibilities.

15. The ring defined in claim 12 wherein each of the segments includes first through fifth portions that are disposed in first through fifth order between the first and second points, and wherein the second and fourth segment portions are more laterally flexible than the first, third, and fifth segment portions.

16. The ring defined in claim 15 wherein the second and fourth segment portions have smaller cross section than the first, third, and fifth segment portions.

17. The ring defined in claim 15 wherein the second and fourth segment portions are made of material that is more laterally flexible than material of which the first, third, and fifth segment portions are made.

18. The ring defined in claim 12 wherein each of the segments includes first through third portions that are disposed in first through third order between the first and second points, and wherein the first and third segment portions are more laterally flexible than the second segment portions.

19. The ring defined in claim 18 wherein the first and third segment portions have smaller cross section than the second segment portions.