US20030120341A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Devices and methods of repairing cardiac valves
Assignee: VALFIX
•
Filing: 2001-12-21
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2021-12-21
Abstract
Abstract Devices and methods are provided for securing leaflets of a cardiac valve together. The subject devices include an assembly having a fastener, means for temporarily securing the fastener to the leaflets and means for permanently securing the fastener to the leaflets and means for anchoring the fastener to the heart wall. The subject methods are characterized by temporarily grasping the leaflets of a valve together at an apposition point, assessing at least one of blood flow and pressure gradient across said valve, determining whether to permanently secure the valve leaflets at said selected apposition point based upon at least one of the measured blood flow and pressure gradient, and performing one of permanently attaching the leaflets together at the apposition site or releasing the grasped leaflets. Also included are assemblies which include a subject device and a delivery device and may include a pressure monitoring member and/or a flow monitoring member. Kits which include the subject devices are also provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Hani Shennib
- 👤 Albert Burdulis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:55
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/02; A61B5/021; A61B5/0215; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2442; A61F2/2454; A61F2/2457; A61B17/00; A61B17/12; A61B17/122; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B2017/00681; A61B2017/00685; A61B2017/00743; A61B2017/00778; A61B2017/00783; A61B17/04; A61B17/0401; A61B2017/0404; A61B2017/0417
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
47 words
1 . An assembly for securing leaflets of a cardiac valve together at a point of apposition between the valve leaflets, said assembly comprising: a fastener; a means for temporarily securing said fastener to said leaflets; and a means for permanently securing said fastener to said leaflets.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
47 words
1 . An assembly for securing leaflets of a cardiac valve together at a point of apposition between the valve leaflets, said assembly comprising: a fastener; a means for temporarily securing said fastener to said leaflets; and a means for permanently securing said fastener to said leaflets.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
2 . The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a delivery sheath for delivering said fastener from outside a patient's body to said valve leaflets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
3 . The assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said sheath is selected from the group consisting of a catheter and a cannula.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
4 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said assembly further includes at least one of a pressure monitoring probe and a flow monitoring probe.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
5 . The assembly according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of said pressure monitoring probe and said flow monitoring probe is configured to be delivered through a lumen of said delivery sheath.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
6 . The assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said delivery sheath comprises said means for temporarily securing said fastener to said leaflets.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
7 . The assembly according to claim 2 wherein said fastener comprises said means for permanently securing said fastener to said leaflets.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
8 . The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising an anchoring mechanism attached to said fastener.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
96 words
9 . A method for securing together leaflets of a cardiac valve of a heart having an apex, said method comprising: (a) temporarily grasping the leaflets of a valve together at a selected apposition point; (b) measuring at least one of blood flow and pressure gradient across said valve; (c) determining whether to permanently secure said valve leaflets at said selected apposition point based upon at least one of said measured blood flow and pressure gradient; and (d) performing one of permanently securing said leaflets together at said selected apposition site or releasing said grasped leaflets.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
96 words
9 . A method for securing together leaflets of a cardiac valve of a heart having an apex, said method comprising: (a) temporarily grasping the leaflets of a valve together at a selected apposition point; (b) measuring at least one of blood flow and pressure gradient across said valve; (c) determining whether to permanently secure said valve leaflets at said selected apposition point based upon at least one of said measured blood flow and pressure gradient; and (d) performing one of permanently securing said leaflets together at said selected apposition site or releasing said grasped leaflets.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
10 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising, prior to said step (a), measuring one of at least blood flow and pressure gradient across said valve to obtain a baseline measurement(s).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein step (c) comprises comparing said measurement(s) of step (b) with said baseline measurement(s).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
12 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising repeating said steps (a) through (d).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein said steps (a) through (d) are repeated until the measurement(s) of step (b) indicates that the functioning of said valve leaflets is sufficiently improved.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
14 . The method according to claim 9 wherein said method is performed using the assembly of claim 1 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
15 . The method according to claim 9 wherein said method is performed by means of an endovascular approach.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
16 . The method according to claim 9 wherein said method is performed by means of a surgical approach.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
17 . The method according to claim 16 further comprising accessing said cardiac valve through an entry site formed within the apex of the heart.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
18 . The method according to claim 9 wherein said method is performed while the heart is beating.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
102 words
19 . A method for repairing a regurgitating cardiac valve having at least two opposing leaflets, said method comprising: (a) providing the assembly of claim 1; (b) delivering said fastener to said leaflets; (c) selecting a point of apposition between said leaflets; (d) temporarily causing said fastener to grasp said leaflets at said selected point of apposition; and (e) assessing at least one of blood flow and pressure gradient across said leaflets; and (f) determining whether to permanently secure said fastener to said leaflets at said selected apposition point based upon at least one of said assessed blood flow and pressure gradient.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
53 words
20 . The method according to claim 19 , upon determining not to permanently secure said fastener to said leaflets at said selected apposition point, further comprising: (g) causing said fastener to release said grasped leaflets; (h) selecting a second point of apposition between said leaflets; (i) repeating steps (d), (e) and (f).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
21 . The method according to claim 19 , further comprising: (g) permanently securing said leaflets together at said selected apposition site.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
22 . The method according to claim 21 , further comprising: (h) repeating steps (a) through (f) for one or more additional selected apposition sites.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
23 . The method according to claim 21 , further comprising: (h) anchoring said fastener to a location on the cardiac anatomy.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
24 . The method according to claim 23 , wherein said fastener is anchored to the ventricle wall.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
25 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein said steps (b), (c) and (d) are performed with the assistance of transesophageal echocardiogram.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
26 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein said blood flow is assessed by means of transesophageal echocardiogram.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
27 . A kit for repairing a cardiac valve, said kit comprising; an assembly according to claim 1; and a plurality of said fasteners.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
28 . The kit according to claim 27 further comprising a fastener delivery sheath configured for endovascularly delivering said fastener to said cardiac valve.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
29 . The kit according to claim 27 further comprising a fastener delivery sheath configured for delivering said fastener to said cardiac valve through a surgical opening within the chest cavity of a patient.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4777951A
Cited
US6269819B1
Cited
US20010005787A1
Cited
US6461366B1
Cited
US6165183A
Cited
US20020013571A1
Cited
US20040049207A1
Cited
US6752813B2
Cited
US20040087975A1
Cited
US6629534B1
Cited
US20040003819A1
Cited
US20040030382A1
Cited
US20040039442A1
Cited
US6312447B1
Cited
US20040093023A1
Cited
US20030083741A1
Cited
US6575971B2
Cited
US20040049211A1
Cited
US20040122448A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.