Latest Low-Pressure Gradient Designs for Prosthetic Heart Valves

Prosthetic heart valve with modified structure to reduce pressure drop across the valve. The valve has a support frame with undulating inflow cusps and outflow commissure posts that angle outward to widen the outflow orifice. The flexible leaflets attach to the cusps and coapt in the middle. When the valve opens, the leaflets spread outward to provide an outflow orifice area at least as large as the maximum flow orifice area. This prevents flow restriction. The angled commissures provide a larger exit orifice than entrance orifice to induce laminar flow and reduce pressure drop.

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Minimally invasive replacement mitral valve with an expandable self-orienting frame that can be delivered through small incisions. The frame has a ventricular anchor, central portion, and atrial anchor that flare out when expanded. The atrial anchor is secured to the central portion but not integral. Couplers extend through aligned apertures to join the parts. The separate atrial and ventricular anchors allow flexibility. The frame collapses for delivery and expands to secure the valve. The separate atrial anchor enables customization for different anatomies.

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A prosthetic heart valve that improves chamber hemodynamics by injecting fluid into the valve during systole to enhance blood flow. The valve has angularly positioned injectors around the inner wall that strike the wall during systole, creating a vortex effect. This injected fluid accelerates blood flow and reduces the energy required for transport. The valve also has tether lines to secure it during diastole but allow movement during systole to accommodate the vortex. The injector angles and fluid volumes are optimized for chamber-specific benefits. The valve can be implanted in native or replaced valves to improve overall chamber performance.

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Prosthetic heart valve design to prevent paravalvular leakage, which is blood flow around the valve rather than through it. The valve has a support structure with multiple layers, including an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer. The outer layer has a tissue liner on the inside surface to prevent leakage. The valve assembly attaches to the inner layer and may have a tissue skirt on the inside or outside surface. The liner on the outer layer extends through gaps in the support structure. This prevents blood flow between the valve and annulus. The middle layer may also have a tissue ring.

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Blood pump for intravascular ventricular assistance that reduces blockage in the artery when deflated during systole to prevent complications. The pump has a balloon with a central region that flattens when deflated, promoting laminar flow in the artery. This prevents excessive blockage compared to conventional pumps that round when deflated. The flat shape reduces turbulence and energy losses, improving blood flow efficiency.

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Adjustable intra-atrial shunt to treat heart failure by customizing the blood flow through the shunt to optimize therapeutic effect. The shunt has a retainer with anchors to hold it in place in the atrial septum. A removable/replaceable insert inside allows adjustable blood flow rates. The insert can be swapped for larger or smaller sizes to tailor flow based on patient hemodynamics. This allows gradual adjustment instead of sudden shunt enlargement that could worsen failure. The insert can also absorb to decrease flow over time. The shunt can be closed, expanded, collapsed, or exchanged to further customize treatment.

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Minimally invasive treatment for mitral and tricuspid valve insufficiency that avoids open-heart surgery. The treatment involves implanting valves in the veins leading into the atrium to prevent regurgitation into those veins. The valves prevent blood flow backward into the veins during ventricular contraction when the native valve leaks. This allows treating mitral/tricuspid insufficiency without replacing the native valve. The valves are delivered minimally invasively via catheters into the veins near the atrium.

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A pump system for blood circulation assistance that can be percutaneously inserted into an artery. The system has a balloon pump inside an expandable cannula. In one phase, the balloon draws blood into the cannula from the artery. In the next phase, the balloon pumps blood out of the cannula and back into the artery. This allows continuous blood flow without needing input or output valves. The expandable cannula can be compressed for insertion, then expanded inside the artery to hold the balloon pump in place.

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Minimally invasive technique for implanting heart valves without using a rigid stent. The valve has an inflatable structure that is deflated during delivery. It is advanced to the valve site and the distal portion is inflated to anchor against the native valve. The proximal portion is then inflated to deploy the valve. This allows the valve to be implanted without a pre-shaped rigid stent. After deployment, the valve is secured by stapling or suturing to nearby tissue. The inflatable structure is then deflated and removed.

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Venous valve replacement or augmentation device for minimally invasive procedures to treat venous insufficiency. The device has a frame that can be inserted into a vein and secured in place. The frame has valve leaflets attached to it that close together to prevent backward blood flow. The leaflets are designed to not contact the vessel wall when closed to prevent thrombosis and leaflet sticking. The frame and leaflet configuration allows for minimal invasive implantation and improved blood flow compared to conventional valve devices. The device can also have features to inhibit cell growth and prevent thrombosis.

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A total artificial heart system that auto-regulates flow and pressure balance without electronic control. The system uses continuous flow pumps connected to an atrial reservoir that mimics the Frank-Starling mechanism of the human heart. The atrial reservoir has inlets and outlets to connect to the cardiovascular system. Fluid pressure between the atrial chambers transmits to balance flow and pressure across the left and right sides of the body without electronic sensors or controllers.

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A cardiac valve prosthesis designed to overcome the limitations of traditional mechanical and biological valves, particularly in the pulmonary position. The prosthesis has an annulus body with a tapered passage that narrows towards the downstream end. This configuration promotes unidirectional blood flow during systole and diastole, reducing retrograde flow. It also allows the valve to collapse for delivery and expand in situ. The prosthesis can be coated with drugs to prevent thrombosis and pannus growth. The valve can be mounted on expandable stents for anchoring.

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Implantable device to improve heart function in conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy. The device involves a pouch placed inside the enlarged ventricle with an inflow valve connecting to the atrium and an outflow conduit to the aorta. This restricts the volume of blood in the ventricle, promoting remodeling. Blood can also be drained from the space between the pouch and heart wall to further reduce volume. The device aims to reduce chamber size and improve pumping efficiency by leveraging La Place's law.

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Heart valve implant with integrated sensors and wireless communication for remote monitoring. The device has sensors to detect physiological parameters like blood pressure and flow, and transmits the data wirelessly to a remote device. This allows real-time monitoring of heart valve function without invasive procedures. The sensors are inside the valve or surrounding it.

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