Replacement heart valve sizing device

• US 20040237321A1
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PLC Medical Systems, Inc. (Viveve Medical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PLC Medical Systems, Inc. (Viveve Medical, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rudko, Robert I., Yeomans, Richard P. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,007,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/512
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2496 Devices for determining the dimensions of the prosthetic valve to be implanted, e.g. templates, sizers

Abstract

A heart valve sizing system featuring a lumen advanceable in vasculature, an inside caliper device at the distal end of the lumen, and a readout for reading the dimension gauged by the inside caliper device. In the preferred embodiment, the inside caliper device includes a four bar linkage with first and second opposing pivot points and third and fourth opposing pivot points and a push rod connected to the second pivot point for alternatively urging the third and fourth pivot points together when extended and urging the third and fourth pivot points apart when retracted to gauge the inside dimension of the vasculature.

Claims

1. A heart valve sizing system comprising:

a lumen advanceable in vasculature;

an inside caliper device at the distal end of the lumen; and

means for reading the dimension gauged by the inside caliper device.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the inside caliper device includes:

a four bar linkage with first and second opposing pivot points and third and fourth opposing pivot points, and

a push rod connected to the second pivot point for alternatively urging the third and fourth pivot points together when extended and urging the third and fourth pivot points apart when retracted to gauge the inside dimension of the vasculature.

3. The system of claim 2 in which the means for reading the dimension gauged by the caliper device includes:

a member connected on one end to the push rod,

a mechanism at the other end of the member which advances and retracts the member,

a position sensor which senses the position of the member, and

a readout device responsive to the position sensor which correlates the position of the member to the dimension gauged by the four bar linkage.

4. The system of claim 3 in which the position sensor is a potentiometer.

5. The system of claim 3 in which the readout device is a digital readout.

6. The system of claim 3 in which the member is a cable located inside the lumen.

7. The system of claim 2 in which the push rod is retractable into the lumen.

8. The system of claim 2 in which the four bar linkage is retractable into the lumen.

9. The system of claim 3 in which the lumen is attached to a handle including the mechanism, the position sensor, and the readout device.

10. The system of claim 9 in which the mechanism is a turning knob threaded into the handle and connected to the member.

11. A heart valve sizing system comprising:

a lumen advanceable in vasculature;

an inside caliper device at the distal end of the lumen including a four bar linkage; and

means for reading the dimension gauged by the four bar linkage when extended.

12. The system of claim 11 in which one pivot point of the four bar linkage is connected to a push rod.

13. The system of claim 12 in which the means for reading the dimension gauged by the four bar linkage includes:

a member connected on one end to the push rod,

a mechanism at the other end of the member which advances and retracts the member,

a position sensor which senses the position of the member, and

a readout device responsive to the position sensor which correlates the position of the member to the dimension gauged by the four bar linkage.

14. A heart valve sizing system comprising:

a lumen advanceable in vasculature;

an inside caliper device at the distal end of the lumen;

a member connected to the inside caliper device advanceable and retractable within the lumen;

a position sensor which senses the position of the member; and

a readout device responsive to the position sensor which correlates the position of the member to the dimension gauged by the inside caliper device.

15. The system of claim 14 in which the inside caliper device includes:

a four bar linkage with first and second opposing pivot points and third and fourth opposing pivot points, and

a push rod connected to the second pivot point for alternatively urging the third and fourth pivot points together when extended and urging the third and fourth pivot points apart when retracted to gauge the inside dimension of the vasculature.

16. A heart valve sizing system comprising:

a catheter advanceable in vasculature;

a handle at the proximal end of the catheter;

an inside caliper device at the distal end of the catheter;

means for extending the inside caliper device to gauge the inside dimension of the vasculature and for retracting the inside caliper device to advance the inside caliper device in the vasculature; and

means, at the handle, for detecting the extent of extension of the inside caliper device to measure the inside dimension of the vasculature.

17. The system of claim 16 in which the inside caliper device is a four bar linkage.

18. The system of claim 17 in which the means for extending and retracting includes a push rod connected to one pivot point of the four bar linkage.

19. The system of claim 18 in which the means for extending and retracting further includes a member connected on one end to the push rod and extending to the handle.

20. The system of claim 19 in which the means for extending and retracting further includes a knob connected to the member.

21. The system of claim 19 in which the means for detecting includes a sensor in the handle configured to sense the position of the member.

22. The system of claim 21 in which the means for detecting further includes a readout on the handle responsive to the sensor.

23. A method of percutaneously sizing a heart valve, the method comprising:

advancing a lumen with a distal inside caliper device within vasculature to the site of a valve;

activating the inside caliper device to gauge the dimension measured by the inside caliper device; and

reading the dimension gauged by the inside caliper device.

24. The method of claim 23 in which the inside caliper device is advanced within the vasculature in a collapsed state and activating the inside caliper device includes extending the inside caliper device.

25. The method of claim 23 in which the inside caliper device includes:

a four bar linkage with first and second opposing pivot points and third and fourth opposing pivot points, and

a push rod connected to the second pivot point for alternatively urging the third and fourth pivot points together when extended and urging the third and fourth pivot points apart when retracted to gauge the inside dimension of the vasculature.