Methods of implanting a prosthetic heart valve
First Claim
1. A method of implanting a prosthetic heart valve comprising:
- making an incision in the vasculature of a patient'"'"'s body;
threading one or more sutures through a native annulus of the heart and extending the one or more sutures outwardly through the incision and through a portion of a prosthetic valve having a non-collapsible/non-expandable annular frame;
providing an introducer comprising an elongated body, a central passageway extending through the body, the elongated body having on one side two opposing longitudinal edges that are not connected from the proximal end to the distal end and face each other to form a longitudinally extending gap or slit therebetween;
placing an introducer around the one or more sutures by passing the one or more sutures between the two opposing longitudinal edges in the introducer body and into the central passageway of the introducer;
inserting the introducer into and through the incision such that a distal end and a proximal end of the introducer are on opposite sides of the incision;
sliding the prosthetic valve along the one or more sutures and through the introducer until the prosthetic valve engages the annulus;
removing the introducer from the incision; and
securing the valve to the annulus with the one or more sutures.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure concerns embodiments and methods of use of an introducer that is adapted to facilitate insertion of a prosthetic device, such as a prosthetic heart valve, into a patient'"'"'s vasculature. In one embodiment, the introducer comprises an elongated body defining a central lumen extending between distal and proximal ends of the body. The introducer body can also have a longitudinally extending gap extending along the length of the body between the distal end proximal ends. The gap in the introducer allows a user to place the introducer around implant sutures by passing the sutures through the gap and into the central lumen. Similarly, the gap allows the introducer to be easily removed from the sutures and/or a delivery device by passing them outwardly through the gap.
131 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of implanting a prosthetic heart valve comprising:
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making an incision in the vasculature of a patient'"'"'s body; threading one or more sutures through a native annulus of the heart and extending the one or more sutures outwardly through the incision and through a portion of a prosthetic valve having a non-collapsible/non-expandable annular frame; providing an introducer comprising an elongated body, a central passageway extending through the body, the elongated body having on one side two opposing longitudinal edges that are not connected from the proximal end to the distal end and face each other to form a longitudinally extending gap or slit therebetween; placing an introducer around the one or more sutures by passing the one or more sutures between the two opposing longitudinal edges in the introducer body and into the central passageway of the introducer; inserting the introducer into and through the incision such that a distal end and a proximal end of the introducer are on opposite sides of the incision; sliding the prosthetic valve along the one or more sutures and through the introducer until the prosthetic valve engages the annulus; removing the introducer from the incision; and securing the valve to the annulus with the one or more sutures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of implanting a prosthetic heart valve comprising:
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making an incision in the vasculature of a patient'"'"'s body; threading an array of sutures through a native annulus of the heart and extending the sutures outwardly through the incision and through a portion of a prosthetic valve having a non-collapsible/non-expandable annular frame and a diameter that is larger than a relaxed diameter of the introducer; providing an expandable introducer having a generally tubular body defining a longitudinal passageway from the proximal end to the distal end and two parallel and opposing longitudinal edges in the introducer body; laterally passing the introducer around the array of sutures between the native annulus and the prosthetic valve between the longitudinal edges in the introducer body and into the longitudinal passageway of the introducer; inserting the distal end of the introducer into and through the incision such that the distal end and the proximal end are on opposite sides of the incision connecting an elongated handle to the prosthetic valve; parachuting the prosthetic valve down the array of sutures and through the longitudinal passageway of the introducer until it rests against the native annulus, the prosthetic valve expanding the introducer by spreading apart the longitudinal edges as it passes therethrough; and securing the prosthetic valve to the annulus. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification