IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL VALVE

• US 20110202129A1
• Filed: 10/12/2009
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kirk Promotion Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Milux Holding SA
• Inventors: Fofsell, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,452,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6846 specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2403 with pivoting rigid closure members check valves with hinged closure members in general F16K15/03
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2409 Support rings therefor, e.g. for connecting valves to tissue annuloplasty rings A61F2/2442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2475 Venous valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/009 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0091 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0093 Umbrella-shaped, e.g. mushroom-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/139 inside the aorta, e.g. intra-aortic balloon pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/165 implantable in, on, or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/205 Non-positive displacement blood pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/405 the force acting on the blood contacting member being hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/515 Regulation using real-time patient data
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/538 Regulation using real-time blood pump operational parameter data, e.g. motor current
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/873 specially adapted for wireless or transcutaneous energy transfer [TET], e.g. inductive charging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/896 having flexible or resilient parts, e.g. flap valves

Abstract

The invention discloses an artificial valve (10, 20) for implantation in a mammal aorta or heart as an auxiliary aortic valve in addition to an aortic valve. The artificial valve (10, 20) comprises at least a first (12,17) moving part adapted to be able to move to assume an open and a closed position for opening and closing, respectively, of the blood flow through a blood vessel. The artificial valve (10, 20) also comprises a casing (14, 24), and said at least one first (12,17) moving part is movably attached to said casing (14, 24). The artificial valve (10, 20) is adapted to let the at least one moving part initiate its movement to the open position at a level of blood pressure on a blood supplying side of the valve which is at least 5 mm Hg higher than the mammal'"'"'s diastolic aortic blood pressure on the other side of the valve.

Claims

1. An artificial valve (10, 20) for implantation in a mammal aorta or heart as an auxiliary aortic valve in addition to an aortic valve, the artificial valve (10, 20) comprising at least a first (12, 17) moving part which is adapted to be able to move to assume an open and a closed position for opening and closing, respectively, of the blood flow through a blood vessel, the artificial valve (10, 20) also comprising a casing (14, 24), in which artificial valve said at least one first (12,17) moving part is movably attached to said casing (14, 24), the artificial valve (10, 20) being characterized in that it is adapted to let the at least one moving part initiate its movement to said open position at a level of blood pressure on a blood supplying side of the valve which is at least 5 mm Hg higher than the mammal'"'"'s diastolic aortic blood pressure on the other side of the valve.

2. The artificial valve of claim 1, being adapted to let the at least one moving part initiate its movement to said open position at a level of blood pressure on a blood supplying side of the valve which is at least 10 mm Hg higher than the mammal'"'"'s diastolic aortic blood pressure on the other side of the valve.

3. The artificial valve of claim 1, being adapted to let the at least one moving part initiate the movement to the closed position at a point in the mammal'"'"'s heart cycle which is delayed compared to a normal aortic valve by at least ⅓

of the mammal'"'"'s heart'"'"'s diastolic phase.

4. The artificial valve of claim 1, comprising a passive resistance mechanism by means of which a barrier force is created which corresponds to said level of blood pressure, with the at least one moving part (12, 13;

17, 18, 19) being adapted to be opened by the blood flow at said level of blood pressure, the artificial valve being adapted to let said at least one first moving part move freely after the barrier force has been reached.

5. The artificial valve of claim 4, in which the passive resistance mechanism is arranged to offer resistance until said predetermined level of the barrier force is reached.

6. The artificial valve of claim 4, in which the passive resistance mechanism is arranged to only offer resistance in the opening movement of said at least one first moving part.

7. The artificial valve of claim 1, additionally comprising at least a second moving part (12, 17;

13, 18), in which artificial valve the moving parts come together to form a cupola in the closed position of the artificial valve (10, 20).

8. The artificial valve (10, 20) of claim 7, additionally comprising a third moving part (19), in which artificial valve the moving parts come together to form a cupola in the closed position of the artificial valve (10, 20).

9. The artificial valve (10, 20) of claim 1, in which each of said moving parts (12, 13;

17, 18, 19) is movably hinged about respective first (15, 16;

21, 22, 23) and second (15′

, 16′

;

21′

, 22′

, 23′

) hinges in said casing (14, 24), about which hinges each of said moving parts can move to assume a closed and an open position as well as positions in between said open and closed positions, said first (15, 16;

21, 22, 23) and second (15′

, 16′

;

21′

, 22′

, 23′

) hinges of at least one of the moving parts (12, 13;

17, 18, 19) being positioned at or adjacent to a meeting point of two of said parts.

10. The valve (10, 20) of claim 9, in which the first (15, 16;

21, 22, 23) and second (15′

, 16;

21′

, 22′

, 23′

) hinges of at least one of said moving parts are placed at substantially opposite distal ends of said moving part along the casing (14, 24).

11. The valve (10, 20) of claim 7, in which the moving parts (12, 13;

17, 18, 19) are adapted to be closed to the cupola position by the blood flow.

12. The valve (10, 20) of claim 7, in which the moving parts (12, 13;

17, 18, 19) are adapted to be closed to the cupola position by blood pressure of a certain level.

13. The artificial valve of claim 1, in which the first moving part comprises an elongated essentially flat plate (51) which is adapted to, when the valve is arranged in or adjacent to an opening in said blood vessel (52), move in a direction essentially perpendicular to said blood vessel to limit or close the blood flow through said vessel, with at least a portion of said first moving part (51) assuming a position external to said blood vessel in a non-closed position.

14. The artificial valve (50) of claim 13, in which the closing mechanism is housed in the casing (61), with the first moving part (51) being adapted to protrude from the housing (61) in its closing movements.

15. The valve (50) of claim 13, also comprising a biasing mechanism (82) for biasing the plate (51) to an open position.

16. The valve (50) of claim 15, in which said biasing mechanism comprises a spring mechanism (82).

17. The valve (50) of claim 13, in which said first moving part (51) is given a curved or semicircular shape at the end (53) of the part which will be the first to enter said opening in the blood vessel during a closing movement of the first moving part (51), whereby the first moving part is adapted to fit against a distal inner wall of the blood vessel in order to close or limit the passage of blood in said blood vessel.

18. The valve (50) of claim 13, in which an outer wall (62) of the casing (61) is concavely curved to essentially coincide with the outer shape of a blood vessel, said curved outer wall (62) also comprising an opening (63) for the first moving part (51), through which opening it can move in its movements, with the tolerance between the dimensions of the opening and the first moving part being such that the movements are enabled, but also such that leakage of blood between the first moving part and the opening is essentially eliminated.

19. The valve (50) of claim 13, in which the casing (61) also comprises at least a first curved protruding part (64, 65) for surrounding at least part of the circumference of a blood vessel (52), for attachment of the valve to said blood vessel.

20. The valve (50) of claim 13, in which the casing (61) also comprises at least first (64) and second (65) curved protruding parts for surrounding at least part of the circumference of a blood vessel, for attachment of the valve to said blood vessel.

21-134. -134. (canceled)