Prosthetic Heart Valve Delivery Routes

Prosthetic heart valve delivery systems that improve access to the heart and maneuverability during implantation. The systems have features like collapsible nose cones, inner tubes, and guidewires to reduce trauma and improve steerability. The nose cones can retract to avoid contact with heart structures. Inflatable components like balloons and chambers help stabilize the catheter tip and expand the valve. The systems also have retractable sheaths, flexible catheter tips, and position sensors.

Source

Delivery systems for prosthetic heart valves and methods to deliver and deploy them in the body. The systems have features like compactable tethers, retention mechanisms, and controllable deflection to facilitate implantation through narrow access points. The prosthetic valves themselves have features like expandable frames, retention tethers, and disintegration assemblies to aid implantation and securement. The delivery systems also have features like deflection actuators, pull tethers, and spacer bodies to enable controlled deployment in complex anatomies.

Source

Delivery system for a collapsible transcatheter heart valve that allows delivering a prosthetic heart valve with a high-volume outer sealing cuff without increasing the delivery device profile. The delivery device has a compartment for the valve and a retraction sheath over it. The sheath retracts to expose the valve cuff during implantation, leaving it uncovered by the sheath. A distal tip with a ring section contacts the valve inflow end. The tip stays fixed while the sheath retracts, so the valve expands against the native tissue with the cuff uncovered. This allows the high-volume cuff to fill space without increasing device profile. The exposed cuff seals against the native annulus.

Source

Catheter system for precise, sequential placement of prosthetic heart valves using a delivery catheter that allows controlled step-by-step expansion and release of the valve. The catheter has separate sleeves and a stent holder to retain the valve. It has a manipulator with a protrusion that unlocks and moves sleeves to release the valve in stages. This allows sequential expansion and detachment of the valve after insertion. The catheter also has features like alignment markers and springs to aid positioning and release.

Source

Less invasive method for delivering and implanting heart valves using a tethered anchor system. The method involves encircling the native valve leaflets and chords with an anchor, attaching a tether to it, and advancing a guidewire through the valve annulus. A compressed valve prosthesis is then delivered over the guidewire and expanded inside the anchor. The tether is released after anchor deployment. This allows the anchor to secure the valve in place while avoiding multiple catheters and access sites.

Source

Delivering side-deliverable transcatheter prosthetic heart valves using one or more supra-annular supports and/or actuators such as one or more tethers to stabilize and actuate the valve during deployment. The valve is removably coupled to a control device and supra-annular support at the proximal and distal ends, respectively. The valve is delivered compressed through a catheter and released in the atrium. The supra-annular support transitions to lock the valve in place. The control device decouples and the valve seates in the annulus. The supports stabilize the valve during deployment and prevent collapse.

Source

A flexible, collapsible heart valve adapter that allows compact delivery, precise implantation, and retrievability of replacement heart valves. The adapter secures and manages the position of the new valve in the native valve annulus. It has collapsible anchors and flanges that can be retracted to remove the adapter if needed. This enables replacing a failing valve years after implantation without damaging surrounding tissue. The adapter also has a receiver to hold the new valve. The collapsible design allows lower profile delivery and easier implantation compared to rigid frames.

Source

Prosthetic heart valve delivery system and method to reduce paravalvular leakage during implantation. The system allows crimping the valve onto a deflated balloon catheter tip, then expanding the balloon to deploy the valve. This prevents calcified annulus misalignment. The balloon expands asymmetrically with a larger distal section to flare the valve outward. An outer cuff threads around the stent and balloon beyond the valve ends. This helps seal the annulus during expansion.

Source

A transcatheter heart valve replacement that can be delivered through a catheter and implanted without open heart surgery. The valve has an asymmetric wire frame with angled flanges, a collapsible flow control sleeve, and folding tabs with anchors to secure the valve in place. The asymmetric frame design allows compact delivery and expansion. The collapsible sleeve reduces calcification. The anchors engage annular tissue. The valve can be compressed to fit within a 22-34Fr catheter diameter.

Source

Safe and controlled replacement of heart valves using expandable prosthetic valves that can be precisely delivered and secured in place. The method involves expanding the prosthetic valve inside a support structure positioned on the native valve. This frictionally secures the leaflets between the support and prosthetic valves. The support structure can be delivered separately or as part of the prosthetic valve delivery catheter. The support structure is expandable and can have features like peaks that align with native valve leaflet tips to facilitate securement. This prevents the prosthetic valve from ejecting quickly and allows precise positioning. It also prevents further valve dilatation. The support structure is later disconnected from the delivery catheter once secured.

Source

Delivery system and method for implanting prosthetic heart valves like mitral valves that allow controlled expansion and securing inside the native valve to prevent trauma and leakage. The system uses a nested delivery catheter with a compacted prosthetic valve inside. It has a tether to radially restrain the valve during delivery. The catheter is retracted to allow the valve to expand inside an outer cover. The tether prevents valve movement until the catheter is fully retracted. This prevents contact with tissue as the valve expands. The valve has anchors that flip directions during expansion to secure the valve in place.

Source

Delivery system for implanting prosthetic heart valves through catheters to minimize the profile of the valve during delivery, improve positioning accuracy, and better retain the valve position during advancement through sheaths. The system allows precise control over the position of the balloon relative to the crimped valve and vice versa. This involves adjusting devices that can move the balloon and valve independently. This enables more precise placement of the valve at the implant site by fine-tuning the balloon position relative to the valve position. It also helps retain the valve position during catheter advancement.

Source

Delivery system for implanting prosthetic valves, like pulmonary valves, that allows better control and maneuverability during implantation. The system has a handle, a first shaft, a second shaft, and a gripper. The second shaft connects to the gripper and can slide inside the first shaft. The gripper and second shaft move together relative to the handle and first shaft. This allows the prosthetic valve, mounted on the second shaft, to be advanced and retracted independently of the handle. It also enables compacting the delivery system for insertion through narrow vasculature. The handle may have locking mechanisms to secure the shafts during implantation. The gripper and second shaft can be symmetrically positioned relative to the handle bottom.

Source

Catheter for minimally invasive implantation of heart valves using self-expanding anchoring systems. The catheter has a curved shape to navigate the aorta with a small radius of curvature. This allows the catheter to negotiate the bend in the aorta without damaging the vessel wall. The curved catheter reduces the risk of complications during insertion compared to a straight catheter. The self-expanding anchoring system helps ensure accurate placement and secure anchoring of the prosthetic heart valve. The curved catheter shape improves safety during the initial insertion phase of the procedure.

Source

A medical device delivery system for expandable prosthetic heart valves that prevents valve misalignment during deployment through a unique frame design. The system has an inner member, a fixed distal stop, a fixed proximal stop, a flexible member around the inner member, and an inflatable balloon over the flexible member. The flexible member compresses centrally when a valve is crimped on it, expanding the proximal and distal regions radially to prevent valve axial movement. This keeps the valve stationary on the inner member during curved path delivery. The frame design allows steering flexibility while preventing valve shifting.

Source

Transcatheter valve delivery system for recapturing partially deployed prosthetic heart valves during implantation. The system has a delivery catheter with a funnel-shaped device to capture and compress the valve brim if it protrudes during retrieval. This prevents the valve from expanding and catching in the vasculature during removal. The funnel inverts the valve brim over the capsule and collapses it to recapture the entire valve. This allows complete retrieval if necessary.

Source

Delivery system and method for implanting prosthetic heart valves using a delivery catheter that can flex and contort to navigate complex anatomies. The system has a bendable catheter tip that can be manipulated to steer the prosthetic valve through tortuous pathways. The catheter tip has an inner shaft that can flex independently of an outer shaft. This allows the tip to bend in different directions to conform to the body anatomy. The valve is secured on the catheter with tethers that can be released to detach the valve once it reaches the implantation site. The catheter can also have a handle with a gear system to translate the inner shaft axially to expose or cover the valve tethers. This enables controlled deployment of the valve without trauma to the native valve tissue.

Source

Reducing contact between prosthetic heart valve apices and a delivery sheath during transcatheter delivery to minimize damage to the sheath and patient anatomy. The prosthetic valve has padding elements covering the distal valve apexes to prevent abrasion during delivery. The delivery device has a conical tip with a sliding cover that can be advanced distally to protect the valve apexes as they pass through the sheath. This prevents sheath degradation and reduces friction.

Source

A prosthetic heart valve assembly and delivery catheter that accurately deploy the valve without obstructing the heart anatomy and eliminating the need for post-surgery pacemakers. The valve mimics the natural heart valve shape with specific dimensions to avoid obstruction and maintain blood flow. The delivery catheter has components like a balloon, stoppers, and shaft to precisely position the valve during deployment. The catheter balloon expands the valve at the target location, and the stoppers ensure accurate placement. The valve's similar shape and the catheter's components enable precise implantation without complications.

Source

Accessory for compressing a transcatheter heart valve prosthesis without damaging the leaflets during crimping for delivery. The accessory has flexible guide fingers that contact the leaflets and hold them in a predetermined state during crimping. This prevents irregular folding and damage to the leaflets. The fingers are removed after crimping before encapsulating the valve in the delivery system. This allows the leaflets to fold into a compact shape with a smaller delivery profile.

Source

Delivery system for delivery of a prosthetic (i.e., replacement) heart valve to a native valve site within the human vasculature. The system includes a delivery catheter having one or more extendable positioning limbs configured to be selectively and radially extended from the catheter body.

Source

Delivery system and method for implanting a docking device at a native heart valve to secure and center a prosthetic valve. The system has a quill that covers the docking device, a push rod inside the quill, and a handle assembly. The quill retracts to expose the docking device after deployment. The push rod flushes lumens and provides irrigation. The quill and push rod are within an outer shaft. The flushing and irrigation flow paths separate and connect lumens. This allows continuous flushing while maintaining irrigation. The docking device has a covered coil shape with stabilizing turns at the native valve commissure. The covered docking device is positioned at the valve annulus using the delivery system.

Source

A method for replacing native heart valves with prosthetic valves that can be used to treat conditions like aortic insufficiency where the native valve has soft leaflets that can't securely anchor a balloon-expandable prosthetic valve. The method involves delivering a support structure like a stent or band to the native valve location and expanding it. Then, a prosthetic valve is delivered into the support structure and expanded to secure the native leaflets between them. This allows the prosthetic valve to be accurately positioned and anchored without compressing the native valve. The support structure is later disconnected from the delivery catheter.

Source

Minimally invasive method and device for delivering and expanding prosthetic heart valves through the vasculature without fully occluding the lumen during expansion. The device has an expandable frame with movable distal and proximal ends that can be configured to separate and then join together. When the ends are separated, the frame expands radially outwards to deliver and expand the prosthetic valve without fully occluding the lumen. This reduces blockage during implantation compared to expanding a balloon to deliver the valve.

Source

Delivery system for implanting prosthetic heart valves that provides controlled expansion during deployment. The system uses a delivery sheath with an integrated balloon that surrounds the collapsed prosthetic valve during delivery. The balloon expands to slow down the valve's self-expansion when released, preventing excessive force on the native heart tissue. The balloon can be detached or left in place after valve deployment. This allows precise and controlled expansion of the implanted valve.

Source

A clamping device for securing a prosthetic heart valve within a natural heart valve, allowing expandable valves to be used in conditions where the natural valve leaflets are too soft to support a balloon-expandable valve. The clamping device has an expandable ring frame with peaks and valleys around its periphery. It expands to surround the natural valve leaflets, with the prosthetic valve expanding inside to clamp the leaflets between the clamping device and the prosthetic valve. This provides a tight fixation without compressing the natural valve annulus. The clamping device can be delivered through a single entry point using a delivery system. The prosthetic valve and clamping device expand simultaneously to deploy the valve in place.

Source

Delivery system for transcatheter implantation of heart valves to reduce the crossing profile of the delivery device, facilitate precise positioning, and minimize vascular damage. The system has a serially loadable delivery assembly with a distal carrier and proximal sheath. The distal carrier encloses the valve anchor and frame in a compact state. The frame can be slidably interconnected to the anchor via a link mechanism. The anchor expands first, then the frame is slid to capture the link. This limits frame movement until the anchor is fully expanded. The link mechanism enables independent anchor and frame positioning. The serially loadable design reduces the crossing profile compared to a single tube. It also allows precise positioning of the anchor before expanding the frame.

Source

Delivery device for minimally invasive implantation of transcatheter heart valves. The device allows compact delivery of the valve prosthesis components through narrow blood vessel access points. It has a proximal sheath to enclose the anchoring component and a distal carrier assembly with enclosures for the valve frame. The frame and anchor are loaded serially to reduce profile. The anchor can be expanded independently, then the frame is expanded and released. A plunger biases the frame out. This allows precise positioning of the anchor before expanding the frame.

Source

Transcatheter prosthetic heart valves that can be delivered laterally through a catheter into the heart. The valves have a compressed size for delivery and expand when released. The valve frame has distal and proximal anchoring tabs that can be inserted into the native valve annulus before deployment. The proximal tab transitions position after deployment to secure the valve. This allows the valve to be positioned and anchored in the annulus without requiring large delivery diameters.

Source

Artificial heart valve and delivery system that allows minimally invasive implantation with reduced profile for patients with difficult access. The artificial valve has an outer stent and detachable inner stent. During delivery, the inner stent is inside the outer stent. This allows the valve to be compressed for delivery through a small sheath. After implantation, the inner stent is released to expand the valve and anchor it in place. The detachable inner stent allows a smaller initial profile compared to a fully enclosed valve.

Source

Low-profile, side-deliverable prosthetic heart valve that can be delivered through a catheter and expanded in place without enlarging the catheter size. The valve has a compressible frame with a central lumen and a flow control component. The frame has anchoring elements on the distal, proximal, and septal sides that extend through the annulus during delivery. The septal anchoring element extends below the annulus to stabilize the valve when expanded. This allows the valve to be seated in the annulus without fully expanding first. The compact delivery size allows side catheter access, reducing the risk of valve damage and patient discomfort compared to traditional orthogonal delivery.

Source

Delivering and securing expandable prosthetic heart valves in patients with native valves that don't have calcified leaflets. The method involves using a support structure like a stent or band to frictionally secure the native valve leaflets between the support and the prosthetic valve. This prevents the prosthetic valve from ejecting rapidly from the delivery catheter and helps prevent valve dilatation. The support structure is delivered first to the valve site, then the prosthetic valve is advanced into it. The support is disconnected once the native leaflets are secured. This allows precise, controlled delivery of the prosthetic valve without compressing it during catheterization.

Source

Two-stage prosthetic heart valve replacement system for quickly and easily replacing a heart valve while minimizing time on extracorporeal circulation. The system involves delivering a pre-expanded base stent to anchor against the valve annulus first, then a separate valve component with an expandable coupling stent that connects to the base stent. This allows faster initial anchoring compared to sutures, reducing extracorporeal circulation time. The valve component expands inside the pre-anchored base stent to join them and complete the valve implant.

Source

Side-deliverable transcatheter prosthetic heart valves that can be delivered through narrow vessels like the inferior or superior vena cava to access the heart chambers, and then expanded in place. The valves have a unique frame design with a compressible outer frame that can be rolled up for delivery, and a fixed inner frame with leaflets. The outer frame has a supra-annular section, a subannular section, and a transannular section connecting them. After deployment, the supra-annular section expands to anchor in the atrium, while the subannular section expands to anchor in the ventricle. This secures the valve in place without additional anchors or sutures. The valves can be delivered using a catheter and released to expand, and then transitioned to their final seated position.

Source

A percutaneous delivery system for replacing a failing prosthetic heart valve without requiring a separate step to fracture the old valve before implanting the new one. The system has a catheter with a balloon that can be adjusted to fracture the old valve in situ. This eliminates the need for a separate balloon catheter and step to fracture the old valve before replacing it. The balloon can be positioned relative to the replacement valve using an adjustment control on the catheter handle. The balloon fractures the old valve without interfering with the new valve.

Source

Reducing the size of catheters needed to deliver transcatheter valve replacement devices by inverting the valve during delivery. The valve is attached upside down at the proximal end of the stent. Fingers grip the stent proximal end to hold the inverted valve during delivery. The valve rightside out when expanded in place. This allows smaller catheter sizes by reducing the overall thickness of the loaded valve assembly.

Source

Valve replacement prosthesis for the heart that can be delivered percutaneously and expanded at the native valve site. The prosthesis has a compressible tubular frame with leaflets, an outer frame with legs, and a fixation mechanism between the frames. Compressing the tubular frame reduces circumference and moves the legs longitudinally. Expanding the tubular frame increases circumference and moves the legs back. This allows percutaneous delivery with minimal radial expansion. The outer frame engages the native tissue as the tubular frame expands, securing the prosthesis. The legs engage tissue during compression to prevent radial gaping.

Source

Delivery system and prosthetic heart valve design to enable precise and controlled deployment of self-expanding valves in the heart. The delivery system allows controlled expansion of the valve from the sheath to prevent jumping out during implantation. The valve has a curved stent shape with reduced diameter at the annulus and flared ends to retain in place. The delivery apparatus has a rotatable shaft that moves the sheath relative to the valve to expand. A retaining mechanism secures the valve after expansion for adjustment. The sheath design allows unsheathing by moving the sheath relative to the catheter.

Source

A delivery system for a transcatheter heart valve that can consistently deliver the valve with aligned commissures for easier coronary reaccess after valve replacement. The system has a catheter housing the valve, an elongated member with an accessory for aligning the valve commissures during delivery, and a rotational member to rotate the accessory and valve together. The accessory has components based on the native or prosthetic valve anatomy to align the new valve commissures with the existing ones. This reduces the risk of obstruction or interference with coronary arteries after valve implantation.

Source

Side-deliverable transcatheter prosthetic heart valves that can be compressed and delivered through a catheter and then expanded and anchored in place inside the heart. The valves have anchoring elements like tabs that can capture and secure native valve leaflets and chordae during deployment. This prevents the valve from moving during expansion and allows precise positioning. The anchoring elements can extend on guide wires, then contract to hold the valve in place. This avoids the need for large delivery catheters and enables side delivery through small incisions.

Source

Transcatheter prosthetic heart valves that can be delivered through a smaller diameter catheter compared to traditional valves. The valves have a compressed configuration for delivery that allows side delivery through a catheter with a diameter smaller than the expanded valve size. The valves have an inner flow control component that elastically deforms from a cylindrical shape to a flattened shape during compression. This allows the valve to be compactly inserted into the catheter and then expand after release to restore proper valve function.

Source

Loading assembly for collapsible prosthetic heart valves into minimally invasive delivery devices that reduces the risk of damage during loading and allows easy loading of valves with dual cuffs. The loading assembly has a support member with a recess to hold the collapsed valve. The recess has an inlet port and multiple outlet ports. Fluid is injected through the inlet to deair the valve and force the cuffs together. This prevents edges catching on the delivery device during loading. The valve is then pushed into the device while deaired, reducing the risk of damage.

Source

Delivery assembly and method for transcatheter prosthetic heart valves that improve control during implantation, repositioning, and retrieval. The assembly has an annular stent with radial expansion and axial foreshortening capability. Sutures connect to the stent apices and can be tightened to converge the ends. This allows controlled radial compression and expansion of the stent. A shaft with movable manifolds houses the stent and sutures. By retracting the shaft manifolds, the stent expands. By advancing the manifolds, the stent compresses. This provides fine-tuned control over stent expansion during implantation and allows retrieval without engaging the native annulus. The stent can also be expanded further for improved sealing. The assembly is advanced to the implant site, then the stent is expanded and sutures released. The shaft manif

Source

A low profile, side delivered, implantable prosthetic heart valve that can be delivered using a catheter through a small incision rather than open heart surgery. The valve has a compressible frame that can be expanded after delivery. It also has a flow control component with leaflets and a tension arm for anchoring. The side delivery approach avoids perforating the heart and reduces trauma compared to transapical valves. The valve can be delivered through a catheter inserted into the atrium and expanded in place.

Source

Delivery system for positioning and repositioning a collapsible heart valve prosthesis using wires that can be manipulated to move the valve after deployment. The valve is collapsed inside a catheter and deployed in the heart chamber. Non-looped wires connect to the valve frame and looped wires connect between the non-looped wires. After deployment, the wires can be pulled proximally or pushed distally to adjust the valve position. This allows fine-tuning of the valve placement without recapturing and reexpanding the entire valve. The wires are then withdrawn.

Source

Catheter-based prosthetic heart valves with collapsible frames that minimize trauma and risks associated with implantation compared to open-chest surgery. The valves have leaflet structures with commissures attached to inwardly protruding posts or struts on the frame. This allows the leaflets to open with the movable portions spaced inwardly from the frame to prevent abrasion. The frame collapses for delivery and expands in place. The inwardly mounted commissures reduce valve size for easier catheter delivery and minimize leaflet-frame contact during valve operation.

Source

Percutaneously deliverable artificial heart valve system that can be implanted without open-heart surgery. The system has a collapsible artificial heart valve and collapsible stent that can be delivered on a catheter. The valve has interconnected segments and posts that compress together during delivery. Tensioning strings expands the segments into a functional valve. A locking mechanism prevents string retraction. The stent expands independently. After deployment, the valve engages the stent. A sealing member compresses the valve against the stent. The system can be mounted on a catheter, delivered, expanded, and retracted as a unit.

Source

Delivery system and method for percutaneous implantation of expandable stented prosthetic heart valves. The system has a delivery sheath with a tapered funnel loading cone at the proximal end. The prosthetic valve is compressed into the cone during insertion. The sheath is advanced into the patient's vasculature and the valve remains contained until it's pushed past the distal end, allowing self-expansion. This prevents valve damage during delivery. The sheath has a sliding mechanism to transition from compressed to deployed state. An introducer device establishes access.

Source

Minimally invasive procedure to replace a heart valve without open heart surgery. The procedure involves implanting a prosthetic valve into the aortic annulus through a puncture in the left ventricle wall, without stopping the heart. A balloon catheter with a crimped valve is inserted through an introducer sheath into the left ventricle. The valve is expanded at the aortic annulus using the balloon. This allows valve replacement without opening the chest or using cardiopulmonary bypass.

Source

Delivery devices for transcatheter heart valve implantation that use adjustable sutures to compress and expand the valve during delivery. The devices allow precise control of valve compression for navigating through the body and releasing the valve at the implant site. The sutures wrap around the valve and can be tightened or loosened to adjust compression. This allows delivering a compact valve through small vessels and then expanding it at the implant site.

Source