Solid Construct Mitral Spacer

• US 20080288061A1
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiosolutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cardiosolutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Wilson, Jonathan E., Maurer, Christopher W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,480,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.36
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/246 Devices for obstructing a leak through a native valve in a closed condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2466 Delivery devices therefor

Abstract

A heart valve implant according to one embodiment may include a shaft extending generally along a longitudinal axis of the heart valve implant having at least one anchor configured to be coupled to a first end of the shaft. A spacer may include a plurality of individual segments each including at least one passageway configured to be disposed about the shaft. The plurality of individual segments may define an outer surface of the spacer which is configured to interact with at least a portion of at least one cusp of a heart valve to at least partially restrict a flow of blood through the heart valve in a closed position. The plurality of individual segments may each having a length and at least one cross-section dimension no larger than an internal cross-section of a lumen of a delivery catheter.

Claims

1. A heart valve implant comprising:

a shaft extending generally along a longitudinal axis of said heart valve implant;

a spacer comprising a plurality of individual segments each including at least one passageway configured to be disposed about said shaft, wherein said plurality of individual segments define an outer surface of said spacer configured to interact with at least a portion of at least one cusp of a heart valve to at least partially restrict a flow of blood through said heart valve in a closed position; and

at least one anchor configured to be coupled to a first end region of said shaft.

2. A heart valve implant according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of individual segments defines at least a portion of said outer surface of said spacer when said plurality of individual segments are assembled about said shaft.

3. A heart valve implant according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of individual segments includes a body portion having a generally circular sector cross-section.

4. A heart valve implant according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of individual segments includes a body portion having a generally circular sector cross-section and wherein said at least one passageway is disposed proximate a centerline of said spacer.

5. A heart valve implant according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of individual segments includes a body portion having a generally circular sector cross-section and wherein said at least one passageway is disposed through said body portion.

6. A heart valve implant according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of individual segments includes a single passageway, wherein each of said passageways are evenly spaced along a longitudinal axis of said plurality of individual segments.

7. A heart valve implant according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of individual segments are configured to move along said longitudinal axis of said shaft.

8. A heart valve implant according to claim 7, wherein at least one of said passageways is configured to rotate about a radial axis of said shaft.

10. A heart valve implant according to claim 7, wherein said at least one of said passageways is configured to be substantially non-rotatable about a radial axis of said shaft.

9. A heart valve implant according to 7 wherein said at least one of said passageways includes an internal cross-section configured to allow said segment to move along a non-linear portion of said longitudinal axis of said shaft.

11. A method of introducing a heart valve implant with respect to a heart valve comprising:

providing a heart valve implant comprising a shaft, a spacer including a plurality of individual segments each including at least one passageway configured to be disposed about said shaft, and at least one anchor configured to be coupled to said shaft;

serially aligning said plurality of individual segments;

percutaneously delivering said aligned plurality of individual segments and said shaft proximate said heart;

arranging said plurality of individual segments about said shaft to define said spacer, wherein said plurality of individual segments define an outer surface of said spacer configured to interact with at least a portion of at least one cusp of said heart valve to at least partially restrict a flow of blood through said heart valve in a closed position; and

securing said heart valve implant within said heart.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein percutaneously delivering said aligned plurality of individual segments and said shaft comprises a catheterization intervention.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein percutaneously inserting said aligned plurality of individual segments and said shaft comprises inserting said aligned plurality of individual segments and said shaft into a lumen of a catheter and delivering said aligned plurality of individual segments and said shaft to said left ventricle via said catheter.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein further comprising aligning said plurality of individual segments substantially along a longitudinal axis of said shaft prior to percutaneously inserting said aligned plurality of individual segments and said shaft.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein percutaneously inserting said aligned plurality of individual segments and said shaft comprises radially rotating at least one of said individual segments about said shaft.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein aligning said plurality of individual segments comprises aligning said plurality of individual segments about said shaft in a predefined relationship with respect to each other.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein aligning said plurality of individual segments comprises moving said plurality of individual segments along a longitudinal axis of said shaft.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein moving said aligned plurality of individual segments along said longitudinal axis of said shaft comprises moving said plurality of individual segments longitudinally along a non-linear portion of said shaft.

19. A heart valve implant system comprising:

a catheter including a lumen; and

a heart valve implant comprising;

a shaft;

a spacer comprising a plurality of individual segments each having a length and at least one cross-section dimension no larger than an internal cross-section of said lumen, wherein said plurality of individual segments are configured to be disposed about at least a portion of said shaft to define an outer surface of said spacer configured to interact with at least a portion of at least one cusp of a heart valve to at least partially restrict a flow of blood through said heart valve in a closed position; and

at least one anchor configured to be coupled to a first end region of said shaft.

20. A heart valve implant system according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of individual segments each include a body portion having a generally circular sector cross-section having a radius which is no larger than an internal diameter of said lumen.

21. A heart valve implant system according to claim 19, wherein said spacer includes at least one cross-sectional dimension which is larger than said internal cross-section of said lumen.