Percutaneously-inserted cardiac valve

• US 5,332,402 A
• Filed: 05/12/1992
• Issued: 07/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George P. Teitelbaum
• Original Assignee: George P. Teitelbaum
• Inventors: Teitelbaum, George P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Randall L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, MARYBETH O
• Application Number:
  US07/881,969
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 623/2, 623/900
• US Class Current: 623/2.42
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2409 Support rings therefor, e.g. for connecting valves to tissue annuloplasty rings A61F2/2442
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2421 with non-pivoting rigid closure members
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2424 Ball valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/006 modular
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/90 Stent for heart valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/904 Heart

Abstract

A cardiac valve implanted within the heart is given where a expansible valve maintained in a collapsed form by cold temperature is percutaneously inserted along a releasable guide wire in a cooled sheath and when positioned is expanded by withdrawing the cold temperature.

Claims

1. A method of implanting an expansible cardiac valve within a heart wherein the expansible cardiac valve is comprised of a recovery metal having memory and which is capable of expanding to a desired shape comprising:

releasably coupling a cardiac valve in a compressed form to a positioning device while maintaining a cool temperature sufficient to maintain the cardiac valve in said compressed form and which is capable of passing through heart within which the cardiac valve is to be implanted;

manipulating the positioning device within the heart so as to position the cardiac valve at a desired location with the heart;

ceasing maintaining cool temperature to effect expansion of the cardiac valve to a desired shape wherein the valve engages the walls of the heart;

disengaging the positioning device from the expanded cardiac valve; and

removing the positioning device to leave the cardiac valve implanted within the heart.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cardiac valve comprises a stent and sliding obturator.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cardiac valve comprises stent and caged ball.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the cardiac valve expands at about body temperature.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the cardiac valve is a mitral valve.

6. A cardiac heart valve comprising a stent and sliding obturator formed of a shaped memory alloy which has a transition temperature of from about 90°

to about 96°

F.

7. The cardiac heart valve of claim 6 wherein the transition temperature is about 95°

F.

8. A mitral cardiac heart valve comprising a stent and ball and cage formed of a shaped memory alloy which has a transition temperature of from about 90°

to about 96°

F.