Staple-based heart valve treatment

• US 8,163,010 B1
• Filed: 06/03/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aesculap AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Cardica Incorporated
• Inventors: Hausen, Bernard A., Knodel, Bryan D., Clauson, Luke W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manahan, Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, Jonathan R
• Application Number:
  US12/132,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.12, 623/1.36, 623/2.36, 623/2.37, 623/2.38, 623/2.4, 623/2.41, 606/75, 606/151
• US Class Current: 623/2.32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0684 having a forming anvil staying above the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00783 Valvuloplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/042 plastically deformed during insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus

Abstract

A medical device for treating a heart valve may include a master staple and a loop fixed to the master staple prior to deployment of the master staple. The heart valve may be treated with that master staple and loop, and a plurality of follower staples that are independent from the loop prior to deployment of the master staple, by closing the master staple into the valve annulus, such that the point of the loop that is fixed to the master staple is fixed relative to the valve annulus, and engaging the loop with a plurality of follower staples after that closing.

Claims

1. A method performed on a heart having a valve with a valve annulus, comprising:

providing a master staple, a loop, and a plurality of follower staples;

connecting said loop to said master staple;

closing said master staple into the valve annulus only after said connecting, such that the point of said loop fixed to said master staple is fixed relative to the valve annulus; and

engaging the valve annulus and said loop with said plurality of follower staples only after said connecting and said closing said master staple;

wherein said follower staples are separate and independent from said loop prior to said closing of said master staple; and

wherein said connecting comprises tying one end of said loop to said master staple before said engaging and tying the other end of said loop to said master staple after said engaging.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising splaying said master staple before said closing.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing an effector configured to hold and deploy said master staple and said follower staples;

and further comprising advancing said master staple relative to said effector after said splaying and before said closing.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an effector configured to hold and deploy said master staple and said follower staples;

and further comprising introducing said effector into the heart interventionally.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said follower staples each include a notched engagement feature, and wherein said engaging includes receiving said loop into each said notch.