Prosthetic heart valves, scaffolding structures, and systems and methods for implantation of same

• US 8,608,770 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AorTx, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: AorTx, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Forster, David C., Heneveld, Scott, Walsh, Brandon, Ginn, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHILLINGER, ANN M
• Application Number:
  US12/845,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20100305691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 623 111- 126, 606/108, 606/200
• US Class Current: 606/194
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/243 Deployment by mechanical expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2436 Deployment by retracting a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2439 Expansion controlled by filaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0008 Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• 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 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/001 for adjusting a diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/006 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0063 Nested prosthetic parts

Abstract

Prosthetic valves and their component parts are described, as are prosthetic valve delivery devices and methods for their use. The prosthetic valves are particularly adapted for use in percutaneous aortic valve replacement procedures. The delivery devices are particularly adapted for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering a prosthetic heart valve to a body lumen, comprising:

a delivery catheter comprising a tube and a gripper, the tube having a plurality of slots and the gripper having a plurality of fingers;

a prosthetic heart valve having a support structure comprising a plurality of folded panels and being coupled, in a contracted state, with the gripper;

wherein relative rotation between the tube and the gripper causes the plurality of folded panels to move through and radially extend outward from the plurality of slots of the tube,

wherein longitudinal movement of the gripper relative to the tube causes the folded panels to slide out of the slots, and

wherein relative motion between the gripper and the prosthetic heart valve causes the prosthetic heart valve to be released from the fingers of the gripper.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prosthetic heart valve is biased to revert to the expanded state after release from the gripper.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an expansion member for expansion of the prosthetic heart valve after release from the gripper.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the expansion member is a mesh member.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the expansion member comprises a balloon.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sheath slidable over the slots of the tube.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gripper is an elongate member defining a longitudinal axis, and each of the plurality of fingers extends from a first end of the gripper generally parallel to the longitudinal axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handle located at a proximal end of the delivery catheter, the handle adapted to control the relative rotation and the longitudinal motion of the tube and the gripper.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gripper is slidably and rotatable received within the tube.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the delivery catheter comprises an atraumatic nosecone configured to enhance the ability of the delivery catheter to pass through vasculature of the patient.

11. An apparatus for delivering a prosthetic heart valve to a body lumen, comprising:

a delivery catheter comprising a tube and gripper, the tube having a plurality of slots and the gripper having a plurality of fingers;

a prosthetic heart valve having a support structure comprising a plurality of folded panels and being coupled, in a contracted state, with the gripper;

wherein relative rotation between the tube and the gripper causes the plurality of folded panels to move through and radially extend outward from the plurality of slots of the tube,

wherein longitudinal movement of the gripper relative to the tube causes the folded panels to slide out of the slots,

wherein relative motion between the gripper and the prosthetic heart valve causes the prosthetic heart valve to be released from the fingers of the gripper, and

wherein the tube comprises only three slots, the gripper comprises only three fingers, and the prosthetic heart valve comprises only three panels, each panel being metallic.