Circulatory valve, system and method

• US 8,828,079 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Thielen, Joseph M., Hill, Jason P., Jenson, Mark L., Drasler, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweet, Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRESTON, REBECCA STRASZHEIM
• Application Number:
  US11/881,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20090030512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,602 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 623/2.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2439 Expansion controlled by filaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2475 Venous valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9665 with additional retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0076 multilayered, e.g. laminated structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for use in a vascular system. The apparatus include a circulatory valve having a valve frame in which frame members define frame cells. Frame cells include joints in opposing relationship, where the joints transition from a first stable equilibrium state through an unstable equilibrium state to a second stable equilibrium state as the joints are drawn towards each other.

Claims

1. A circulatory valve, comprising:

a valve frame having frame members defining a number of frame cells with joints in opposing relationship and a number of frame cells without joints, where the valve frame self-expands to a first stable equilibrium state at a first relative potential energy minimum, and where the joints are capable of reversibly transitioning from the first stable equilibrium state through an unstable equilibrium state at a relative potential energy maximum to a second stable equilibrium state at a second relative potential energy minimum as the joints are drawn towards each other via an application of force external to the valve frame, wherein the frame cells with joints have a different configuration in the first stable equilibrium state than a configuration in the second stable equilibrium state;

where the frame cells with joints are positioned only at a distal end and a proximal end of the valve frame;

where the frame members of the number of frame cells without joints have serpentine bends providing an elastic radial force; and

a valve leaflet coupled to the valve frame.

2. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where the first stable equilibrium state and the second stable equilibrium state are positions that the joints of the frame cells occupy when the unstable equilibrium state is not achieved.

3. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where the frame cells with joints includes a compliant segment that assists in holding the joints in the second stable equilibrium state.

4. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where the frame members of the frame cells without joints define a predefined frame design that extends between the frame cells with joints, where the predefined frame design and the frame cells with joints having a different configuration.

5. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where each frame cell with joints includes a lock mechanism that engages to prevent each frame cell with joints from transitioning from the second stable equilibrium state.

6. The circulatory valve of claim 5, where each lock mechanism includes a first engagement member that extends from a first joint to engage a second engagement member that extends from a second joint of each frame cell as the joints transition from the unstable equilibrium state to the second stable equilibrium state.

7. The circulatory valve of claim 1, where the valve frame in the first stable equilibrium state has a diameter that is eighty (80) to ninety-five (95) percent of a deployed state diameter of the second stable equilibrium state.