Method for loading a self-expanding collapsible heart valve

• US 9,492,274 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Johnson, Michael A., Glazier, Valerie J., Wang, Huisun
• Primary Examiner(s): Cozart, Jermie
• Application Number:
  US14/575,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20150101171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• 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 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9525 using a funnel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0028 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/025 by using heat or cold
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0402 Cleaning, repairing, or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 with prestressing of part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49865 by temperature differential [e.g., shrink fit]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49927 Hollow body is axially joined cup or tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53909 Means comprising hand manipulatable tool

Abstract

An assembly for collapsing a prosthetic heart valve includes a compression member and a pusher member. The compression member has a first open end with a first diameter, a second open end with a second diameter less than the first diameter, and a tapered wall between the first open end and the second open end. The pusher member has a base adapted to engage an end of the valve. The pusher member and the compression member are movable relative to one another between an initial position in which the base of the pusher member is relatively far from the first open end of the compression member and an operative position in which the base of the pusher member is relatively close to the first open end of the compression member. Movement of the pusher and compression members from the initial position to the operative position radially compresses the valve.

Claims

1. A method for loading a self-expanding prosthetic heart valve into a delivery device, the heart valve having a length, a stent portion formed from a material and at least one retaining member at one end thereof, the method comprising:

inserting the heart valve into a funnel having a first open end with a first diameter and a second open end with a second diameter less than the first diameter;

advancing the heart valve through the funnel until the at least one retaining member protrudes out from the second open end of the funnel;

attaching the at least one retaining member to a retaining element of the delivery device;

advancing a distal sheath of the delivery device over the heart valve to collapse a portion of the heart valve less than the length;

cooling the heart valve to a temperature below a transition temperature of the material forming the stent portion of the heart valve; and

further advancing the distal sheath of the delivery device over the heart valve until the entire heart valve is collapsed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the collapsed portion of the heart valve is about one-half of the length of the heart valve.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the collapsed portion of the heart valve is about three-quarters of the length of the heart valve.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling step includes subjecting the heart valve to a temperature of about 0°

Celsius.