Temperature-control during crimping of an implant

Apparatus for crimping a frame of an implant, the apparatus comprising:

• a crimping device comprising (i) a base, and (ii) a crimping mechanism that defines a crimping aperture;
• and
• a bath (i) having a floor, (ii) defining a receptacle that is shaped to receive a portion of the crimping device, and (iii) having one or more side-walls, the one or more side-walls:
• extending upward from the floor to a side-wall height, and
• including a port-defining side-wall, wherein the port-defining side-wall defines a port between outside of the bath and inside of the bath;
• the apparatus having an assembled state in which:
• the portion of the crimping device has been received by the receptacle,
• the crimping device is held securely by the bath,
• the aperture is below the side-wall height, and
• the port is aligned with the crimping aperture,
• wherein the crimping mechanism has a thickness, and wherein the bath has an internal width that is 16-24 cm greater than the thickness of the crimping mechanism.

Apparatus for crimping a frame of an implant, the apparatus comprising:

• a crimping device comprising (i) a base, and (ii) a crimping mechanism that defines a crimping aperture;
• and
• a bath (i) having a floor, (ii) defining a receptacle that is shaped to receive a portion of the crimping device, and (iii) having one or more side-walls, the one or more side-walls:
• extending upward from the floor to a side-wall height, and
• including a port-defining side-wall, wherein the port-defining side-wall defines a port between outside of the bath and inside of the bath;
• the apparatus having an assembled state in which:
• the portion of the crimping device has been received by the receptacle,
• the crimping device is held securely by the bath,
• the aperture is below the side-wall height, and
• the port is aligned with the crimping aperture,
• wherein:
• the port defines a channel, and comprises a seal that reversibly closes the channel, and
• the channel has an internal diameter of 6-15 mm.

Apparatus for crimping a frame of an implant, the apparatus comprising:

• a crimping device comprising (i) a base, and (ii) a crimping mechanism that defines a crimping aperture;
• a bath (i) having a floor, (ii) defining a receptacle that is shaped to receive a portion of the crimping device, and (iii) having one or more side-walls, the one or more side-walls:
• extending upward from the floor to a side-wall height, and
• including a port-defining side-wall, wherein the port-defining side-wall defines a port between outside of the bath and inside of the bath;
• the apparatus having an assembled state in which:
• the portion of the crimping device has been received by the receptacle,
• the crimping device is held securely by the bath,
• the aperture is below the side-wall height, and
• the port is aligned with the crimping aperture, and
• the port defines a channel, and comprises a seal that reversibly closes the channel;
• and
• a delivery tool that comprises a shaft and a housing at a distal end of the shaft, the delivery tool being advanceable, housing-first, through the port, at least until the housing reaches the aperture, and wherein the seal is configured to maintain sealing as the housing and the shaft pass through the port during the advancing,
• wherein:
• the port comprises an external portion outside of the bath,
• the external portion of the port is dimensioned such that, while the shaft extends through the port, an annular gap is defined around the shaft, between the shaft and the external portion of the port,
• the apparatus further comprises a cap and a plurality of plugs,
• the cap (i) defines an opening through which the housing is advanceable, and (ii) is securable to the external portion of the port,
• the plurality of plugs are shaped to be formable into a ring that circumscribes the shaft, and that fits snugly within the gap.

A method for crimping an expandable frame, the method comprising:

• introducing a cooled liquid into a bath, the bath having a floor and one or more side-walls, at least one of the side-walls being a port-defining side-wall that defines a port from inside the bath to outside the bath;
• inserting at least a part of a delivery tool through the port into the bath,
• inserting the expandable frame, disposed on the part of the delivery tool, to a crimping aperture of a crimping mechanism disposed within and coupled to the bath;
• and
• while (i) the frame remains disposed within the aperture, and (ii) the frame is at least partially submerged in the liquid, crimping the frame onto the delivery tool by actuating the crimping mechanism,
• wherein actuating the crimping mechanism comprises revolving a handle about halfway circumferentially around the crimping mechanism, wherein revolving the handle causes transitioning of the crimping aperture from an open state to a narrowed state.

A method for crimping an expandable frame, the method comprising:

• introducing a cooled liquid into a bath, the bath having a floor and one or more side-walls, at least one of the side-walls being a port-defining side-wall that defines a port from inside the bath to outside the bath;
• inserting at least a part of a delivery tool through the port into the bath,
• inserting the expandable frame, disposed on the part of the delivery tool, to a crimping aperture of a crimping mechanism disposed within and coupled to the bath;
• and
• while (i) the frame remains disposed within the aperture, and (ii) the frame is at least partially submerged in the liquid, crimping the frame onto the delivery tool by actuating the crimping mechanism,
• wherein the crimping mechanism has a first side and a second side, and wherein inserting the expandable frame comprises manually inserting the frame to within the crimping aperture facilitated by placing a first hand within the bath on the first side of the crimping mechanism, and a second hand within the bath on the second side of the crimping mechanism.

A method for crimping an expandable frame, the method comprising:

• introducing a cooled liquid into a bath, the bath having a floor and one or more side-walls, at least one of the side-walls being a port-defining side-wall that defines a port from inside the bath to outside the bath;
• inserting at least a part of a delivery tool through the port into the bath,
• inserting the expandable frame, disposed on the part of the delivery tool, to a crimping aperture of a crimping mechanism disposed within and coupled to the bath;
• and
• while (i) the frame remains disposed within the aperture, and (ii) the frame is at least partially submerged in the liquid, crimping the frame onto the delivery tool by actuating the crimping mechanism,
• wherein the port includes an external portion outside of the bath, and wherein the method further comprises:
• prior to inserting the part of the delivery tool through the port into the bath, passing the part of the delivery tool through a cap;
• and
• subsequently to inserting the part of the delivery tool through the port into the bath, fastening the cap to the external portion of the port.