US6176877B1 — Two piece prosthetic heart valve

Claim 1

Independent Claim 81 words

A prosthetic heart valve for implantation in a heart, comprising: an outer orifice ring; an attachment mechanism comprising at least one helical screw on the outer orifice ring adapted to couple the outer orifice ring to a tissue annulus of the heart; an inner orifice ring having an occluding mechanism carried therein; and a ring coupling mechanism adapted to couple the outer orifice ring to the inner orifice ring after the outer orifice ring has been coupled to the tissue annulus.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 81 words

A prosthetic heart valve for implantation in a heart, comprising: an outer orifice ring; an attachment mechanism comprising at least one helical screw on the outer orifice ring adapted to couple the outer orifice ring to a tissue annulus of the heart; an inner orifice ring having an occluding mechanism carried therein; and a ring coupling mechanism adapted to couple the outer orifice ring to the inner orifice ring after the outer orifice ring has been coupled to the tissue annulus.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 1 including a plurality of helical screws substantially evenly placed around a circumference of the outer orifice ring.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 56 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 1 wherein the ring coupling mechanism comprises a locking ridge formed on a circumference of one of the rings and a locking recess formed on a circumference of the other of the rings, wherein the locking ridge snap fits in the locking recess to thereby secure the two rings together.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 35 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 3 wherein the locking ridge extends around an inner circumference of the outer orifice ring and the locking recess extends around an outer circumference of the inner orifice ring.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 47 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 1 wherein the occluding mechanism comprises a pair of moveable leaflets pivotably carried in a lumen through the inner orifice ring, the leaflets being moveable between an open position allowing blood flow therethrough and a closed position blocking blood flow therethrough.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 1 wherein the at least one helical screw comprises a cobalt-nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 41 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 1 wherein the inner orifice ring secures the attachment mechanism and shields the outer orifice ring and the attachment mechanism from blood flow when the inner orifice ring is coupled to the outer orifice ring.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 33 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 1 wherein the ring coupling mechanism allows limited rotational movement about an axis of the inner orifice ring relative to an axis of the outer orifice ring.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 1 including a seal between the outer orifice ring and the inner orifice ring to provide a fluidic seal therebetween.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 125 words

A prosthetic heart valve for implantation in a heart, comprising: an outer orifice ring including a plurality of preformed holes formed therein and arranged around the ring to define suture locations, the holes extending in a direction which is generally perpendicular to an axis of the outer orifice ring; an attachment mechanism comprising a suture on the outer orifice ring, the suture shaped to extend through the holes in the outer orifice ring and couple the outer orifice ring to a tissue annulus of the heart; an inner orifice ring having an occluding mechanism carried therein; and a ring coupling mechanism configured to couple the outer orifice ring to the inner orifice ring after the outer orifice ring has been coupled to the tissue annulus.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 125 words

A prosthetic heart valve for implantation in a heart, comprising: an outer orifice ring including a plurality of preformed holes formed therein and arranged around the ring to define suture locations, the holes extending in a direction which is generally perpendicular to an axis of the outer orifice ring; an attachment mechanism comprising a suture on the outer orifice ring, the suture shaped to extend through the holes in the outer orifice ring and couple the outer orifice ring to a tissue annulus of the heart; an inner orifice ring having an occluding mechanism carried therein; and a ring coupling mechanism configured to couple the outer orifice ring to the inner orifice ring after the outer orifice ring has been coupled to the tissue annulus.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 56 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 10 wherein the ring coupling mechanism comprises a locking ridge formed on a circumference of one of the rings and a locking recess formed on a circumference of the other of the rings, wherein the locking ridge snap fits in the locking recess to thereby secure the two rings together.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 35 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 11 wherein the locking ridge extends around an inner circumference of the outer orifice ring and the locking recess extends around an outer circumference of the inner orifice ring.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 47 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 10 wherein the occluding mechanism comprises a pair of moveable leaflets pivotably carried in a lumen through the inner orifice ring, the leaflets being moveable between an open position allowing blood flow therethrough and a closed position blocking blood flow therethrough.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 34 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 10 wherein the inner orifice ring shields the outer orifice ring attachment mechanism from blood flow when the inner orifice ring is coupled to the outer orifice ring.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 33 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 10 wherein the ring coupling mechanism allows limited rotational movement about an axis of the inner orifice ring relative to an axis of the outer orifice ring.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 27 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 10 wherein the outer orifice ring includes a recess formed on an inner annulus, the recess adapted to cover the suture.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 33 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 10 including a suture cuff carried on an outer annulus of the outer orifice ring and wherein the suture is adapted to extend through the suture cuff.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 26 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 10 including a seal between the outer orifice ring and the inner orifice ring to provide a fluidic seal therebetween.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 149 words

A prosthetic heart valve for implantation in a heart, comprising: an outer orifice ring including a plurality of preformed holes arranged around the ring to define suture or screw locations; an attachment mechanism on the outer orifice ring adapted to couple the outer orifice ring to a tissue annulus of the heart; an inner orifice ring having an occluding mechanism carried therein; a ring coupling mechanism configured to couple the outer orifice ring to the inner orifice ring after the outer orifice ring has been coupled to the tissue annulus; and wherein the ring coupling mechanism comprises a locking ridge formed on a circumference of one of the rings and a locking recess formed on a circumference of the other of the rings, wherein the locking ridge snap fits in the locking recess to thereby secure the two rings together, the locking recess configured to cover the attachment mechanism.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 149 words

A prosthetic heart valve for implantation in a heart, comprising: an outer orifice ring including a plurality of preformed holes arranged around the ring to define suture or screw locations; an attachment mechanism on the outer orifice ring adapted to couple the outer orifice ring to a tissue annulus of the heart; an inner orifice ring having an occluding mechanism carried therein; a ring coupling mechanism configured to couple the outer orifice ring to the inner orifice ring after the outer orifice ring has been coupled to the tissue annulus; and wherein the ring coupling mechanism comprises a locking ridge formed on a circumference of one of the rings and a locking recess formed on a circumference of the other of the rings, wherein the locking ridge snap fits in the locking recess to thereby secure the two rings together, the locking recess configured to cover the attachment mechanism.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 17 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 19 wherein the attachment mechanism comprises at least one helical screw.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 24 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 20 including a plurality of helical screws substantially evenly placed around a circumference of the outer orifice ring.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 16 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 20 wherein the at least one helical screw comprises platinum-iridium.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 35 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 19 wherein the locking ridge extends around an inner circumference of the outer orifice ring and the locking recess extends around an outer circumference of the inner orifice ring.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 47 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 19 wherein the occluding mechanism comprises a pair of moveable leaflets pivotably carried in a lumen through the inner orifice ring, the leaflets being moveable between an open position allowing blood flow therethrough and a closed position blocking blood flow therethrough.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 39 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 19 wherein the inner orifice ring secures the attachment mechanism and shields the outer orifice ring attachment mechanism from blood flow when the inner orifice ring is coupled to the outer orifice ring.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 33 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 19 wherein the ring coupling mechanism allows limited rotational movement about an axis of the inner orifice ring relative to an axis of the outer orifice ring.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 14 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 19 wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a suture.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 33 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 27 including a suture cuff carried on an outer annulus of the outer orifice ring and wherein the suture is adapted to extend through the suture cuff.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 27 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 27 wherein the outer orifice ring includes a recess formed on an inner annulus, the recess adapted to receive the suture.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 25 words

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 27 including a seal between the outer orifice and the inner orifice ring to provide a fluidic seal therebetween.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-01-23	2004-07-24	2005-01-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-01-23	2008-07-24	2009-01-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-01-23	2012-07-24	2013-01-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Two piece prosthetic heart valve

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