Methods and Apparatus for Endovascularly Replacing a Heart Valve

• US 20070010877A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Hildebrand, Daniel, Valencia, Hans, Argento, Claudio, Salahieh, Amr, Dueri, Jean-Pierre, Saul, Tom, Morejohn, Dwight, Brandt, Brian, Haug, Ulrich
• Application Number:
  US11/532,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20070010877A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2409 Support rings therefor, e.g. for connecting valves to tissue annuloplasty rings A61F2/2442
• 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 2/243 Deployment by mechanical expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2439 Expansion controlled by filaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9528 for retrieval of stents
• 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 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 hyperboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/006 modular

Abstract

The invention includes methods of and apparatus for endovascularly replacing a heart valve of a patient. One aspect of the invention provides a method including the steps of endovascularly delivering a replacement valve and an expandable anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve in an unexpanded configuration; and applying an external non-hydraulically expanding or non-pneumatically expanding actuation force on the anchor to change the shape of the anchor, such as by applying proximally and/or distally directed force on the anchor using a releasable deployment tool to expand and contract the anchor or parts of the anchor. Another aspect of the invention provides an apparatus including a replacement valve; an anchor; and a deployment tool comprising a plurality of anchor actuation elements adapted to apply a non-hydraulically expanding or non-pneumatically expanding actuation force on the anchor to reshape the anchor.

Claims

1-93. -93. (canceled)

94. A delivery device for a prosthetic heart valve, comprising:

a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and defining a longitudinal axis, the distal end of said catheter body comprising a gripper having a plurality of elongated restraining members near its distal end, wherein each restraining member extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter and has a proximal portion that is attached to the gripper and a distal portion that is not attached to the gripper, thereby defining a central region located internally of the plurality of restraining members and a longitudinal slot between each adjacent pair of restraining members.

95. The delivery device of claim 94, wherein said gripper comprises three or more restraining members.

96. The delivery device of claim 94, further comprising a prosthetic heart valve retained by the restraining members of said gripper.