Method of positioning a minimally-invasive heart valve with cusp positioners
First Claim
1. A method of positioning a prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
- coupling a proximal end portion of a prosthetic heart valve to a distal end portion of an attachment mechanism of a delivery apparatus, wherein a distal end portion of the prosthetic heart valve extends distally beyond the attachment mechanism, the delivery apparatus includes a plurality of deflectable arms, and a plurality of releasable attachment structures extending through the deflectable arms and the prosthetic heart valve;
delivering the prosthetic heart valve through a patient'"'"'s vasculature to or adjacent the patient'"'"'s native aortic valve with the prosthetic heart valve retained in a first compressed configuration within a delivery tube of the delivery apparatus;
deploying the prosthetic heart valve from the delivery tube of the delivery apparatus;
allowing radial expansion of the prosthetic heart valve from the first compressed configuration to an expanded configuration at a first position in the patient'"'"'s body such that the prosthetic heart valve contacts the patient'"'"'s aortic valve; and
radially constricting the prosthetic heart valve from the expanded configuration to a second compressed configuration greater than the first compressed configuration to disengage the prosthetic heart valve from the patient'"'"'s aortic valve.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A prosthetic heart valve having an internal support frame with a continuous, undulating leaflet frame defined therein. The leaflet frame has three cusp regions positioned at an inflow end intermediate three commissure regions positioned at an outflow end thereof. The leaflet frame may be cloth covered and flexible leaflets attached thereto form occluding surfaces of the valve. The support frame further includes three cusp positioners rigidly fixed with respect to the leaflet frame and located at the outflow end of the support frame intermediate each pair of adjacent commissure regions. The valve is desirably compressible so as to be delivered in a minimally invasive manner through a catheter to the site of implantation. Upon expulsion from catheter, the valve expands into contact with the surrounding native valve annulus and is anchored in place without the use of sutures.
155 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of positioning a prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
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coupling a proximal end portion of a prosthetic heart valve to a distal end portion of an attachment mechanism of a delivery apparatus, wherein a distal end portion of the prosthetic heart valve extends distally beyond the attachment mechanism, the delivery apparatus includes a plurality of deflectable arms, and a plurality of releasable attachment structures extending through the deflectable arms and the prosthetic heart valve; delivering the prosthetic heart valve through a patient'"'"'s vasculature to or adjacent the patient'"'"'s native aortic valve with the prosthetic heart valve retained in a first compressed configuration within a delivery tube of the delivery apparatus; deploying the prosthetic heart valve from the delivery tube of the delivery apparatus; allowing radial expansion of the prosthetic heart valve from the first compressed configuration to an expanded configuration at a first position in the patient'"'"'s body such that the prosthetic heart valve contacts the patient'"'"'s aortic valve; and radially constricting the prosthetic heart valve from the expanded configuration to a second compressed configuration greater than the first compressed configuration to disengage the prosthetic heart valve from the patient'"'"'s aortic valve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24)
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15. A method of positioning a prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
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coupling a proximal end portion of a prosthetic heart valve to a distal end portion of a holder of a delivery apparatus, wherein the holder comprises a plurality of radially deflectable arms with apertures formed therein and that are circumferentially aligned with and coupled to respective commissures of a support frame of the prosthetic heart valve, and wherein releasable attachment structures extend through the commissures of the support frame and apertures in the deflectable arms; delivering the prosthetic heart valve through a patient'"'"'s vasculature to or adjacent the patient'"'"'s native aortic valve with the prosthetic heart valve retained in a fully radially compressed configuration within a delivery tube of the delivery apparatus; deploying the prosthetic heart valve from the delivery tube of the delivery apparatus; allowing radial expansion of the prosthetic heart valve from the fully compressed configuration to an expanded configuration such that the prosthetic heart valve contacts the patient'"'"'s aortic valve; and radially constricting the prosthetic heart valve from the expanded configuration to a partially compressed configuration greater than the fully compressed configuration. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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25. A method of positioning a prosthetic heart valve in a native aortic annulus, comprising:
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coupling a proximal end portion of a prosthetic heart valve to a plurality of radially deflectable arms that are disposed at a distal end portion of a delivery apparatus; delivering the prosthetic heart valve through a patient'"'"'s vasculature to or adjacent the patient'"'"'s native aortic valve with the prosthetic heart valve and the deflectable arms retained in a fully radially compressed configuration within a delivery tube of the delivery apparatus; deploying the prosthetic heart valve and the deflectable arms from the delivery tube of the delivery apparatus; and allowing radial expansion of the prosthetic heart valve and the deflectable arms from the fully compressed configuration to an expanded configuration, wherein the deflectable arms are configured to spring radially outwardly to facilitate the radial expansion of the prosthetic heart valve; wherein the delivery apparatus comprises a shaft and a holder, and wherein the holder comprises the deflectable arms, extends from a distal end of the shaft, and retains a proximal end portion of the prosthetic heart valve axially-spaced from the distal end of the shaft during the acts of delivering and deploying the prosthetic heart valve.
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26. A method of positioning a prosthetic heart valve in a native aortic annulus, comprising:
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coupling a proximal end portion of a prosthetic heart valve to a distal end portion of a delivery apparatus, wherein the prosthetic heart valve includes a frame comprising nitinol, wherein the distal end portion of the delivery apparatus includes a plurality of radially deflectable arms comprising nitinol, and wherein the prosthetic heart valve and the deflectable arms are biased to an expanded configuration and are compressible to one or more compressed configurations; radially compressing the prosthetic heart valve and the deflectable arms from the expanded configuration to a fully radially compressed configuration; delivering the prosthetic heart valve through a patient'"'"'s vasculature to or adjacent the patient'"'"'s native aortic valve with the prosthetic heart valve and the deflectable arms retained in the fully radially compressed configuration within a delivery tube of the delivery apparatus; deploying the prosthetic heart valve from the delivery tube of the delivery apparatus; and allowing radial expansion of the prosthetic heart valve and the deflectable arms from the fully compressed configuration to an expanded configuration. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification