Stents for prosthetic heart valves

• US 7,972,378 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2009
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Brody Rubin, Anne L., Tuchek, J. Michael, Laske, Timothy G., Ryan, Timothy R., Morrow, Joseph C., Tam, Tammy Y., Eberhardt, Carol E., Tabor, Charles, Glynn, Brian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US12/321,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20090287299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.24, 623 217- 218
• US Class Current: 623/2.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/013 Distal protection devices, i.e. devices placed distally in combination with another endovascular procedure, e.g. angioplasty or stenting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• 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 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• 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 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/003 differing in adsorbability or resorbability, i.e. in adsorption or resorption time
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter

Abstract

A stented valve including a stent structure including a generally tubular body portion that has a first end and a second end, wherein an area adjacent the first end has a first stiffness, an area adjacent the second end has a second stiffness, and a central region between the areas at the first and second ends has a third stiffness that is less than the stiffness adjacent the first and second ends, wherein the stent structure can be reconfigured in its central area to match a curved patient anatomical region. The stented valve further includes a valve structure attached within the generally tubular portion.

Claims

1. A stented valve comprising:

a stent structure comprising a generally tubular body portion having an interior area, a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of longitudinally extending wires in a central region of the stent structure, wherein the plurality of wires includes multiple commissure wires and at least one structural wire positioned between each two adjacent commissure wires, wherein each of the commissure wires comprises an attachment portion that extends in a generally parallel direction to the longitudinal axis and that is spaced at a first distance from the longitudinal axis, wherein the structural wires are spaced at a second distance from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance; and

a valve structure comprising a plurality of leaflets, wherein each leaflet comprises a first end, a second end, and a free edge extending between the first and second ends;

wherein a first end of each leaflet is attached to the attachment portion of one of the commissure wires in the central stent region and a second end of each leaflet is attached to the attachment portion of an adjacent commissure wire in the central stent region so that the free edge of each leaflet does not contact the structural wires in the central stent region when the valve is in an open position.

2. The stented valve of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second ends of the stent structure is curved outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis.

3. A stented valve comprising:

a stent structure comprising a generally tubular body portion having an interior area, a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of longitudinally extending wires in a central region of the stent structure, wherein the plurality of wires includes multiple commissure wires spaced at a first distance from the longitudinal axis and at least one structural wire positioned between each two adjacent commissure wires, wherein the structural wires are spaced at a second distance from the longitudinal axis, wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance; and

a valve structure comprising a plurality of leaflets, wherein each leaflet comprises a first end, a second end., and a free edge extending between the first and second ends;

wherein a first end of each leaflet is attached to a commissure wire in the central stent region and a second end of each leaflet is attached to an adjacent commissure wire in the central stent region so that the free edge of each leaflet does not contact the structural wires in the central stent region when the valve is in an open position;

wherein one of the first and second ends of the stent structure is curved inwardly relative to the longitudinal axis.

4. A stented valve comprising:

a stent structure comprising a generally tubular body portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the diameter at one of the ends is different from the diameter at the second end; and

a valve structure attached within the generally tubular body portion,

wherein a central region of the stent structure between the first and second ends has a diameter than is larger than the diameter of both the first and second ends of the stent structure.

5. A stented valve comprising:

a stent structure comprising a generally tubular body portion having a first end and a second end, wherein an area adjacent the first end has a first stiffness, an area adjacent the second end has a second stiffness, and a central region between the areas at the first and second ends has a third stiffness that is less than the stiffness adjacent the first and second ends, wherein the stent structure can be reconfigured in its central area to match a curved patient anatomical region; and

a valve structure attached within the generally tubular body portion.

6. The stented valve of claim 5, wherein the stent structure comprises a wire structure, and wherein the central region of the stent structure has a lower wire density than a wire density adjacent to the first and second ends of the stent.

7. The stented valve of claim 5, wherein the central region comprises a hinge.

8. The stented valve of claim 5, wherein the central region comprises stent graft material.

9. A stented valve comprising:

a stent structure comprising a generally tubular body portion having a first end and a second end, at least one wing extending outwardly relative to a longitudinal axis of the body portion at the first end of the body portion, and at least one intermediate wing extending outwardly relative to a longitudinal axis of the body portion between its first and second ends, wherein the intermediate wing is positioned for engagement with a non-coronary sinus area of a patient'"'"'s heart; and

a valve structure attached within the generally tubular body portion,

wherein the intermediate wing comprises a contoured element extending outwardly from the tubular body portion of the stent structure.

10. The stented valve of claim 9, wherein the intermediate wing extends toward a first end of the body portion.

11. The stented valve of claim 9, wherein the intermediate wing extends toward a second end of the body portion.