Transcatheter delivery of a replacement heart valve

• US 20050234546A1
• Filed: 02/07/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Children's Medical Center Corporation
• Original Assignee: Children's Medical Center Corporation
• Inventors: Nugent, Alan, Lock, James E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,470,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0008 Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body

Abstract

A replacement heart valve apparatus. The heart valve apparatus includes a stent and a valve frame having a substantially cylindrical body defining a lumen. The valve frame includes a plurality of curved wire pairs attached to the substantially cylindrical body. Each curved wire pair includes an inner curved wire and an outer curved wire. The wire frame further having a plurality of leaflets. Each leaflet is attached to a respective inner curved wire and extends over a respective outer curved wire, so as to position the body of the leaflet within the lumen of the valve frame.

Claims

1. A replacement heart valve apparatus comprising:

a docking station comprising a stent; and

a valve frame for positioning within the stent, the valve frame comprising a substantially cylindrical body defining a lumen and having a plurality of curved wire pairs attached to the substantially cylindrical body, each curved wire pair comprising an inner curved wire and an outer curved wire, the wire frame further comprising a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet comprising a leaflet body and a leaflet projection, the leaflet projection attached to a respective inner curved wire and the leaflet body extending over a respective outer curved wire, so as to position the body of the leaflet within the lumen of the valve frame.

2. The replacement heart valve of claim 1 wherein the inner curved wire and the outer curved wire are parabolic in curvature.

3. The replacement heart valve of claim 1 wherein one end of the valve frame has a serpentine edge and where in the inner curved wire is attached to a vertex of the serpentine edge and the outer curved wire is attached to a trough of the serpentine edge.

4. The replacement heart valve of claim 1 further comprising a radiopaque marker at each end of the valve frame.

5. A method of replacing a heart valve with a replacement valve comprising:

introducing a docking station into the heart through a catheter;

introducing a valve frame into the docking station through a catheter;

positioning the valve frame within the docking station; and

releasing the valve frame within the docking station.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of determining the position of the valve frame within the docking station under fluoroscopy using radiopaque markers at the ends of the valve frame.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of partially deploying the valve frame within the docking station, determining the position of the valve frame within the docking station under fluoroscopy using radiopaque markers at the ends of the valve frame, and retracting and redeploying the valve frame within the docking station in response to the determination of position of the valve frame.