Apparatus and method for heart valve repair

• US 9,532,874 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Griffin, Mark, Morris, Benjamin E., Bielefeld, Eric E., Furnish, Gregory R., Johnson, Wayne Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Eastwood, David C
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANNAN, MIKAIL A
• Application Number:
  US14/127,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20140128970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• Field of Search: 814/18, 814/19
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00429 with a roughened portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0647 having one single leg, e.g. tacks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2926 Details of heads or jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2487 Devices within the heart chamber, e.g. splints

Abstract

A device 10 for repairing mitral valve leaflets 2, 3 includes a jaw mechanism 15 that may be positioned adjacent a mitral valve leaflet 2, 3. The jaw mechanism 15 may move between an open position and a closed position by pivoting a first jaw relative 16 to a second jaw 18. The first jaw 16 may include a rivet 28 that may move from a stored position to an application position projecting away from the first jaw 16 when the jaw mechanism 15 is moved from the closed to the open position. Closing the jaws 16, 18 about a valve leaflet 2, 3 causes the rivet 28 to pierce the leaflet. The jaw mechanism 15 may then be rotated to wind the leaflet 2, 3 thereabout and again pierce the leaflet. The rivet 28 may then be released from the jaw mechanism 25 and the device 10 removed from the patient.

Claims

1. A device for repair of a heart valve leaflet, the device comprising:

an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end;

a jaw mechanism on the distal end of the elongated body, the jaw mechanism including a first jaw and a second jaw operable to pivot relative to one another between an open position and a closed position, the jaw mechanism in the open position defining a receiving space between the first jaw and the second jaw, the second jaw including a slot forming a forked edge at a distal end of the second jaw and at least one sharpened structure projecting laterally from the second jaw configure to provide traction for the jaw mechanism when the jaw mechanism is rotated against the tissue of the heart valve leaflet; and

a rivet mounted to the first jaw and movable from a stored position to an application position, the rivet in the application position projecting away from the first jaw toward the second jaw, the rivet having a sharp free end adapted to pierce the heart valve leaflet,

wherein movement of the jaw mechanism from the open position to the closed position with the heart valve leaflet in the receiving space and the rivet in the application position causes the rivet to pierce the heart valve leaflet, the slot being sized to receive the sharp free end of the rivet between the forked edge when the rivet is in the application position and the second jaw is in the closed position.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first jaw is fixed relative to the elongated body and the second jaw is pivotable relative to the first jaw.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising an operating mechanism for pivoting the second jaw into the open position.

4. The device of claim 2, further comprising a actuator attached to the jaw at a position distal to a pivot pin, the actuator being configured to pivot the second jaw between the open position and the closed position.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a spring element interposed between the rivet and the first jaw for biasing the rivet towards the application position.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the spring element includes at least one torsion spring.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the jaw mechanism further includes a includes a structure arranged to cooperate with a tab structure on the rivet in order to limit rotation of the rivet and achieve the application position.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first jaw has a compartment for receiving the rivet in the stored position, and the second jaw is configured to overlie at least a portion of the compartment in order to hold the rivet in the compartment when the secured jaw is in the closed position.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the slot includes an open end between the prongs of the forked edge and an opposite closed end, a length of the slot between the closed end and the open end being less than a length of the compartment measured at a surface of the first jaw, the length of the compartment being greater than the width of the compartment measured at the surface of the first jaw.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first jaw has a tissue grasping surface and the second jaw has a tissue grasping surface, the tissue grasping surfaces of the first and second jaws being arranged to confront one another in the closed position, at least one of the tissue grasping surfaces being textured.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the jaw mechanism is formed from an echogenic material.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the second jaw has a thickness between a first surface facing toward the first jaw and a second surface opposite the first surface; and

the rivet has a length greater than the thickness of the second jaw so that the rivet protrudes beyond the second surface of the second jaw when the second jaw is in the closed position.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the rivet is configured to be deployed from the first jaw and the slot is sized to allow the deployed rivet to slide through and out of the slot between prongs of the forked edge.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sharpened structures projecting laterally from an outer edge of the second jaw, the plurality of sharpened structures being configured to provide traction for the jaw mechanism when the jaw mechanism is rotated against the tissue of the heart valve leaflet, the sharpened structure being one of the plurality of sharpened structures.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw include complementary curved surfaces arranged to contact one another in the closed position.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the forked edge includes a pair of pong structures between which the slot is arranged, at least one of the pair of prong structures including the sharpened structure.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the first jaw includes a second slot forming a second forked edge at a distal end of the first jaw.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the second forked edge includes a first pair of pong structures between which the second slot is arranged, at least one prong of the first pair of prong structures including a second sharpened structures extending laterally from the first jaw.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the forked edge includes a second pair of pong structures between which the slot is arranged, at least one prong of the second pair of prong structures including the sharpened structure.