Apparatus and method for treating a regurgitant heart valve
First Claim
1. An apparatus for treating regurgitation of blood flow through a diseased heart valve, the diseased heart valve including an annulus, an anterior valve leaflet, a posterior valve leaflet and a subvalvular structure, said apparatus comprising:
- a substantially annular support member having at least a first intermediate portion, a second intermediate portion, and a posterior end portion extending between said first and second intermediate portions, said posterior end portion being dimensioned for attachment to a posterior portion of the annulus of the diseased heart valve; and
at least one infra-annular support member having a free end and being securely connected to said substantially annular support member at a first location, said at least one infra-annular support member being dimensioned to extend below at least one of the posterior and anterior valve leaflets and across or behind the at least one subvalvular structure wherein the at least one infra-annular support member have a rigid or semi-rigid configuration that can be selectively adjusted to maintains a final shape; and
wherein said infra-annular support member is sized and dimensioned to contact the inferior free edge of the posterior mitral leaflet.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for treating regurgitation of blood flow through a diseased heart valve. The diseased heart valve includes an annulus, anterior and posterior valve leaflets, and a subvalvular apparatus. The apparatus includes a substantially annular support member and at least one infra-annular support member securely connected thereto. The substantially annular support member has at least a first intermediate portion, a second intermediate portion, and a posterior end portion extending between the first and second intermediate portions. The posterior end portion is dimensioned for attachment to a posterior portion of the annulus of the diseased heart valve. The at least one infra-annular support member is securely connected to the substantially annular support member at a first location. The at least one infra-annular support member is dimensioned to extend below at least one of the posterior and anterior valve leaflets and across or behind at least one subvalvular structure.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for treating regurgitation of blood flow through a diseased heart valve, the diseased heart valve including an annulus, an anterior valve leaflet, a posterior valve leaflet and a subvalvular structure, said apparatus comprising:
-
a substantially annular support member having at least a first intermediate portion, a second intermediate portion, and a posterior end portion extending between said first and second intermediate portions, said posterior end portion being dimensioned for attachment to a posterior portion of the annulus of the diseased heart valve; and at least one infra-annular support member having a free end and being securely connected to said substantially annular support member at a first location, said at least one infra-annular support member being dimensioned to extend below at least one of the posterior and anterior valve leaflets and across or behind the at least one subvalvular structure wherein the at least one infra-annular support member have a rigid or semi-rigid configuration that can be selectively adjusted to maintains a final shape; and wherein said infra-annular support member is sized and dimensioned to contact the inferior free edge of the posterior mitral leaflet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for treating regurgitation of blood flow through a diseased heart valve, the diseased heart valve including an annulus, an anterior valve leaflet, a posterior valve leaflet and a subvalvular structure, said method comprising the steps of:
-
providing an apparatus comprising a substantially annular support member and at least one infra-annular support member having a free end and being securely connected thereto at a first location, the infra-annular support member being sized and dimensioned to contact the inferior free edge of the posterior mitral leaflet, the substantially annular support member having at least a first intermediate portion, a second intermediate portion and a posterior end portion extending between the first and second intermediate portions, wherein the at least one infra-annular support member have a rigid or semi-rigid configuration that can be selectively adjusted to maintains a final shape; and attaching the substantially annular support member to the annulus of the diseased heart valve so that the at least one infra-annular support member extends below at least one of the posterior and anterior valve leaflets and across or behind the at least one subvalvular structure to prevent or substantially reduce regurgitation of blood flow through the diseased heart valve. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. An apparatus for treating regurgitation of blood flow through a diseased heart valve, the diseased heart valve including an annulus, an anterior valve leaflet, a posterior valve leaflet and a subvalvular structure, said apparatus comprising:
-
a substantially annular support member having at least a first intermediate portion, a second intermediate portion, and a posterior end portion extending between said first and second intermediate portions, said posterior end portion being dimensioned for attachment to a posterior portion of the annulus of the diseased heart valve; and at least one infra-annular support member having a free end and being securely connected to said substantially annular support member at a first location, said at least one infra-annular support member being dimensioned to extend below at least one of the posterior and anterior valve leaflets and across or behind the at least one subvalvular structure;
wherein the at least one infra-annular support member have a rigid or semi-rigid configuration that can be selectively adjusted to maintains a final shape; andwherein each of said annular support member and said infra-annular support member has a continuous, arc-shaped configuration. - View Dependent Claims (23)
-
Specification