Percutaneously deliverable heart valve

• US 20050165477A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3F Therapeutics Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: 3F Therapeutics Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Tu, Hosheng, Quijano, Rodolfo C., Anduiza, James Peter
• Application Number:
  US11/083,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20050165477A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2475 Venous valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

This invention discloses a percutaneously deliverable heart valve and delivery means thereof, wherein the percutaneously deliverable heart valve is a foldable heart valve prosthesis to replace a diseased valve of a patient comprising: a support structure with a diameter, wherein the support structure is foldable to a smaller diameter, the support structure comprising a plurality of crossbar frames, wherein each crossbar frame has a plurality of crossbars connected at an end of each crossbar; a flexible tissue heart valve with a plurality of valvular leaflets attached to the support structure; and a plurality of slidable ring connectors, wherein at least a slidable ring connector encircles a first crossbar from a first crossbar frame and a second crossbar from a second crossbar frame configured to coupling the first and the second crossbars.

Claims

1. A foldable heart valve prosthesis comprising:

a foldable support structure having a plurality of crossbar frames, the support structure being sized to fit within a catheter in a folded state and being sized to fit within an aortic orifice when said support structure is in an expanded state;

an artificial heart valve attached to said support structure; and

a plurality of slidable connectors connected to said support structure.

2. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the support structure further comprises a plurality of crossbar frames.

3. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the crossbar frames further comprise a plurality of crossbars connected at an end of each crossbar.

4. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 2, wherein at least one crossbar frame further comprises a recess on the first cross bar.

5. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the slidable connectors are made of an elastic material.

6. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the slidable connectors are made of a shape-memory material.

7. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 6, wherein the shape-memory material is either a plastic shape-memory material or a Nitinol shape-memory material.

8. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the slidable connectors are made of a coil spring material.

9. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the artificial heart valve is an atrioventricular valve.

10. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the artificial heart valve is an aortic valve.

11. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the artificial heart valve is a pulmonary valve.

12. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the artificial heart valve is chemically treated with a chemical selected from a group consisting of glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, dialdehyde starch, and polyepoxy compounds.

13. The foldable heart valve prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the support structure is self-expandable.

14. A method for minimally invasively delivering a foldable heart valve prosthesis into a patient, a foldable support structure having a plurality of crossbar frames, the support structure being sized to fit within a catheter in a folded state and being sized to fit within an aortic orifice when said support structure is in an expanded state;

delivering said delivery apparatus to a valvular annulus of a patient;

unfolding the foldable heart valve prosthesis; and

placing the foldable heart valve within the valvular annulus of a patient.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the delivery apparatus comprises a cannula.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the delivery apparatus comprises a catheter.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the delivery step further comprises the placement of the delivery apparatus

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step of removing at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s heart valve by means of a cutting tool introduced through the percutaneous intercostal penetration and through an internal penetration on a cardiac wall before the unfolding step.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of removing is carried out by providing radio frequency energy to the cutting tool.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step of fastening the unfolded heart valve within the valvular annulus by means of an instrument introduced through the percutaneous intercostal penetration and through an internal penetration on a cardiac wall after the unfolding step.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the artificial heart valve is an aortic valve.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the artificial heart valve is a pulmonary valve.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the artificial heart valve is an atrioventricular valve.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the unfolding step is carried out by an inflatable balloon on a catheter.