Apparatus for endovascularly replacing a heart valve

• US 9,393,114 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Sutton, Benjamin, Brandt, Brian D., Paul, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan V
• Assistant Examiner(s): IGBOKO, CHIMA U
• Application Number:
  US13/721,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20130158656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 623/2.11, 623/2.14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9505 having retaining means other than an outer sleeve, e.g. male-female connector between stent and instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives

Abstract

An apparatus for endovascular replacement of a heart valve may include first and second members which are releasably attached to each other such that the second member participates in engaging the first member with a locking element which cooperates with the first member to lock an expandable anchor of the replacement heart valve in a deployed configuration. Prior to locking and removal of the second member, the locking element may be prevented from engaging the first member by a portion of the second member. Following locking, the second member may be removed.

Claims

1. Apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient'"'"'s heart valve comprising:

a delivery sheath;

a deployment tool comprising a plurality of anchor actuating elements;

an expandable anchor adapted to be disposed within the sheath and expanded by the deployment tool following deployment of the expandable anchor from the sheath,

a replacement valve adapted to be disposed within the sheath for delivery to the vicinity of a heart valve;

wherein the plurality of anchor actuating elements are adapted to apply a proximally directed force to a distal portion of the expandable anchor;

a plurality of first members attached to the distal portion of the expandable anchor;

a plurality of second members individually releasably attached to the first members; and

a plurality of lock elements fixedly attached to a proximal portion of the expandable anchor and adapted to engage the plurality of first members to lock the expandable anchor in a deployed shape,

wherein each of the first members is adapted to support the replacement valve within the expandable anchor,

further wherein the plurality of second members each have a first position adapted to prevent release of the first member from the releasably attached second member and a second position adapted to permit release of the first member from the releasably attached second member,

wherein a second member of the plurality of second members is attached to one of the plurality of anchor actuating elements of the deployment tool;

wherein each first member of the plurality of first members further comprises a longitudinal lumen disposed within the proximal portion of the first member, said lumen being adapted to releasably receive one of the plurality of second members;

wherein the lumen within the proximal portion of the first member includes one or more recesses formed within the lumen;

wherein in the first position, one or more projections associated with the second member are contained within the first member,

wherein the one or more recesses are adapted to releasably receive the one or more projections associated with the second member when the second member is in the first position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a lock element of the plurality of lock elements is fixedly attached to a proximal portion of the expandable anchor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second member includes a first projection biased to expand radially outward to engage with the one or more recesses formed within the lumen within the proximal portion of the first member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second member further includes a second projection biased to expand radially outward to engage with the one or more recesses formed within the lumen within the proximal portion of the first member.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second member includes a slidable element adapted to occupy a first position between the first projection and the second projection thereby preventing the first projection and the second projection from withdrawing from the one or more recesses formed within the lumen within the proximal portion of the first member and to occupy a second position in which the slidable element is not between the first projection and the second projection thereby allowing the first projection and the second projection to be withdrawn from the one or more recesses formed within the lumen within the proximal portion of the first member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the second member is removed from the lumen within the proximal portion of the first member the lock element locks the expandable anchor in the deployed shape.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of lock elements includes a lumen which may receive one of the plurality of first members and a pawl which is biased to enter the lumen and adapted to engage a feature of the received first member thereby preventing distal motion of the first member relative to the lock element when the first member is received within the lumen of the lock element.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the feature of the first member which the pawl may engage is a recess adapted to receive a portion of the pawl.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projection associated with the second member is adapted to engage with the one or more recesses included within the lumen within the proximal portion of the first member in a first rotational position and to disengage from the one or more recesses included within the lumen of the proximal portion of the first member in a second rotational position.