US4851001A — Prosthetic valve for a blood vein and an associat…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 174 words

A method of implanting a prosthetic valve within a blood vessel comprising the steps of: providing a prosthetic valve including (a) a support ring positionable within said blood vessel and having an outer surface which includes an outwardly facing annular groove, and (b) leaflet means connected to said support ring in a manner permitting substantially unidirectional flow through said ring; forming an opening in the blood vessel at a location therealong spaced from the location at which said valve is desired to be implanted; inserting said prosthetic valve through the formed opening to such desired location at which said valve is to be implanted and orienting said valve so that said support ring thereof is generally in a radial plane of said blood vessel; providing cord means; tightening the cord means about the outer wall of the blood vessel such that the proximate portion of the blood vessel is caused to assume the contour of said groove: and holding such tigntened cord means so that said support ring is held in such desired position.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 174 words

A method of implanting a prosthetic valve within a blood vessel comprising the steps of: providing a prosthetic valve including (a) a support ring positionable within said blood vessel and having an outer surface which includes an outwardly facing annular groove, and (b) leaflet means connected to said support ring in a manner permitting substantially unidirectional flow through said ring; forming an opening in the blood vessel at a location therealong spaced from the location at which said valve is desired to be implanted; inserting said prosthetic valve through the formed opening to such desired location at which said valve is to be implanted and orienting said valve so that said support ring thereof is generally in a radial plane of said blood vessel; providing cord means; tightening the cord means about the outer wall of the blood vessel such that the proximate portion of the blood vessel is caused to assume the contour of said groove: and holding such tigntened cord means so that said support ring is held in such desired position.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming an opening includes the further step of cutting the blood vessel for a substantial distance around, but not all of, the circumference of said blood vessel.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 2 wherein the step of cutting includes the further step of incising the blood vessel so that the incision formed therein is oriented generally within a radial plane of said blood vesel.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 55 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of orienting said support ring in the radial plane of the blood vessel includes the further step of arranging the valve within the blood vessel so that the direction in which flow is permitted through the valve corresponds to the direction of flow through the blood vessel.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of holding is followed by the additional step of: closing the formed opening in the blood vessel.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 5 wherein said step of closing the formed opening includes the steps of: positioning opposite sides of the opening adjacent one another: and stitching such opposite together.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 183 words

A prosthetic valve adapted to be inserted into a blood vessel and held in a desired position therein without suturing the same, comprising: an annular thin-walled support ring having a substantially-constant wall thickness and having an undulating longitudinal cross-section extending between first and second annular end faces, said ring having an outer surface which includes an annular first convex surface joining said first end face, an outwardly-facing annular groove, and a second annular convex surface joining said second end face, said ring having an inner surface extending between said end faces, said inner surface having an inwardly-extending bulge to accommodate the contour of said groove; and leaflet means mounted on said support ring for movement toward and away from said bulge to permit only unidirectional flow through said support ring; whereby said valve may be inserted into said blood vessel such that the longitudinal axis of said support ring is substantially coincident with the axis of elongation of said blood vessel, and held in such position by means of a tightened cord holding a proximate portion of said blood vessel in said groove.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 183 words

A prosthetic valve adapted to be inserted into a blood vessel and held in a desired position therein without suturing the same, comprising: an annular thin-walled support ring having a substantially-constant wall thickness and having an undulating longitudinal cross-section extending between first and second annular end faces, said ring having an outer surface which includes an annular first convex surface joining said first end face, an outwardly-facing annular groove, and a second annular convex surface joining said second end face, said ring having an inner surface extending between said end faces, said inner surface having an inwardly-extending bulge to accommodate the contour of said groove; and leaflet means mounted on said support ring for movement toward and away from said bulge to permit only unidirectional flow through said support ring; whereby said valve may be inserted into said blood vessel such that the longitudinal axis of said support ring is substantially coincident with the axis of elongation of said blood vessel, and held in such position by means of a tightened cord holding a proximate portion of said blood vessel in said groove.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

A prosthetic valve as set forth in claim 7 wherein the outer surface of said support ring is generally sinusoidal in a longitudinal direction between said end faces.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 25 words

A prosthetic valve as set forth in claim 8 wherein the axial length of said support ring outer surface occupies a period of about 540°.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 17 words

A prosthetic valve as set forth in claim 7 wherein said support ring outer surface is roughened.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 32 words

A prosthetic valve as set forth in claim 7 wherein said leaflet means includes at least one leaf pivotally mounted on said support ring for movement toward and away from said bulge.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 30 words

A prosthetic valve as set forth in claim 11 wherein said leaflet means includes two leaves pivotally mounted on said support ring for movement toward and away from said bulge.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 19 words

A prosthetic valve as set forth in claim 11 wherein each leaf is arranged to selectively abut said bulge.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

A prosthetic valve as set forth in claim 11, and further comprising: a shaft extending substantially diametrically across said ring with its end faces engaging said bulge.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 20 words

A prosthetic valve as set forth in claim 14 wherein said shaft is press-fit into engagement with said support ring.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

A prosthetic valve as set forth in claim 14 wherein each leaf has a barrel portion encircling said shaft.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 52 words

A prosthetic valve as set forth in claim 7 wherein said valve means is positioned within a blood vessel, and further comprising: cord means adapted to be tightened about said blood vessel and valve for causing a proximate portion of said blood to assume the contour of said support ring outer surface.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-07-24	1993-01-23	1993-07-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-07-24	1997-01-23	1997-07-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-07-24	2001-01-23	2001-07-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Prosthetic valve for a blood vein and an associated method of implantation of the valve

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