Catheter delivery system for heart valve prosthesis

• US 9,878,127 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2013
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V., JenaValve Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V., JenaValve Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Damm, Christoph, Kamm, Andreas, Litzenburger, Michael, Tllner, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN VAN
• Application Number:
  US14/400,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20150148894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/243 Deployment by mechanical expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0136 Handles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires

Abstract

The invention relates to an operating handle (10-1, 10-2) for manipulating a catheter tip (80-1, 80-2) of a catheter delivery system. The operating handle (10-1, 10-2) comprises a hand grip (11) designed to be held by a user, and a manipulating part (12) axially aligned with the hand grip (11). The manipulating part (12) is rotatable relatively to the hand grip (11) about a longitudinal axis (L) defined by the operating handle (10-1, 10-2). The operating handle (10-1, 10-2) comprises at least one sliding member (30, 40) operatively linked with the manipulating part (12) by means of a cam mechanism (50) such that, upon rotation of the manipulating part (12) relative to the hand grip (11), the at least one sliding member (30, 40) moves axially in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L).

Claims

1. Operating handle for manipulating a catheter tip of a catheter delivery system, the operating handle comprising:

a hand grip designed to be held by a user; and

a manipulating part axially aligned with the hand grip, wherein the manipulating part is rotatable relative to the hand grip about a longitudinal axis defined by the operating handle; and

a first sliding member and a second sliding member, each being operatively coupled to the manipulating part via a cam mechanism that comprises;

a cylindrical member connected with the manipulating part, the cylindrical member comprising a first cam groove and a second cam groove;

a first pin member having a first end portion connected with the first sliding member, and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, the second end portion of the first pin member engaging the first cam groove such that, upon rotation of the manipulating part relative to the hand grip, the first pin member follows a cam profile defined by the first cam groove;

a second pin member having a first end portion connected with the second sliding member, and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, the second end portion of the second pin member engaging the second cam groove such that, upon rotation of the manipulating part relative to the hand grip, the second pin member follows a cam profile defined by the second cam groove;

wherein upon rotation of the manipulating part relative to the hand grip independently from each other, the first and second sliding members are axially moved along the longitudinal axis.

2. The handle according to claim 1, wherein the cam mechanism is integrated into the handle and is configured to transform rotation of the manipulating part relative to the hand grip into a linear motion of at least one of the first sliding member or the second sliding member relative to the hand grip.

3. The handle according to claim 1, wherein the manipulating part comprises a rotating wheel designed to be gripped by a first hand of a user while a second hand of the user holds the hand grip.

4. The handle according to claim 3, wherein the rotating wheel has a diameter greater than the diameter of the cylindrical member of the cam mechanism.

5. The handle according to claim 1,

wherein the hand grip is formed as a jacket,

wherein the cylindrical member of the cam mechanism is at least partly disposed concentrically and coaxially with the hand grip, and

wherein the cylindrical member of the cam mechanism is rotatable relative to the hand grip.

6. The handle according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical member of the cam mechanism is at least partly hollow and comprises a body member disposed concentrically and coaxially with the hollow cylindrical member, wherein the body member comprises a cylindrical portion having a diameter less than an inner diameter of the hollow cylindrical member, the cylindrical portion being at least partly received in the interior of the hollow cylindrical member such that the hollow cylindrical member is rotatable relative to the body member.

7. The handle according to claim 6, wherein the body member is provided with at least one flange for preventing axial movement of the manipulating part relative to the body member.

8. The handle according to claim 6, wherein the body member is at least partly hollow, and wherein the at least one sliding member is received within the body member such that the first and second sliding member is axially movable relative to the body member.

9. The handle according to claim 8, wherein the body member is provided with a first and a second elongated hole each being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the operating handle, wherein the first pin member extends through the first elongated hole and the second pin member extends through the second elongated hole.

10. The handle according to claim 6, wherein the body member further comprises a portion fixed to the hand grip.

11. The handle according to claim 6, wherein the body member comprises a portion fixed to the hand grip that is cylindrical and has a diameter equal to or substantially equal to the outer diameter of the hollow cylindrical member, wherein the hand grip is at least partly disposed around the cylindrical portion of the body member such as to be concentrically and coaxially with the cylindrical portion.

12. The handle according to claim 6, wherein a surface of the cylindrical member guides an axial movement of the at least one sliding member relative to the body member.

13. The handle according to claim 1, wherein the operating handle is provided with a locking mechanism for subdividing a maximal available turning movement of the manipulating part when rotated relative to the hand grip.

14. The handle according to claim 6, wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least one locking recess provided in the cylindrical member of the cam mechanism and at least one engaging piece operatively connected with the body member, the at least one engaging piece being adapted to releasably engage with the at least one locking recess thereby preventing continuous rotation of the cylindrical member relative to the body member.

15. The handle according to claim 14, wherein the locking mechanism comprises an actuator for disengaging the engaging piece when the engaging piece engages with the at least one locking recess.

16. The handle according to claim 15, wherein the engaging piece is spring-loaded and wherein the actuator comprises a spring-loaded push-button operatively connected with the engaging piece, the push-button being designed to be pushed by the user for disengaging the engaging piece.

17. The handle according to claim 16, wherein the actuator further comprises a lever connected with the push-button for pressing the engaging piece down when the push-button is pushed down by the user.

18. The handle according to claim 17, wherein the actuator further comprises a driving piece having a first end section coupled to the lever by a pin such as to be pivotable in a plane perpendicular to the direction of pushing of the push-button, and further having a second end section for pressing the engaging piece down when the push-button is pushed down by the user.

19. The handle according to claim 18, wherein the driving piece is coupled to the lever, such that the driving piece swings out relative to the lever from a first position to a second position when the push-button is pushed down by the user and when the cylindrical member is simultaneously rotated relative to the body member, wherein the second end section of the driving piece loses contact with the engaging piece when the driving piece swings out relative to the lever to the second position.

20. The handle according to claim 19, wherein the actuator is configured to return the driving piece to the first position when the push-button is released.