Mitral valve leaflet clip
AssigneeSt. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.
InventorMelinda K. Kovach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clip used to repair the tissue of a heart valve leaflet may include a shaft having a barb and a plurality of legs connected to the shaft. The plurality of legs may extend away from the barb in a first condition, and may extend towards the barb in a use condition. The clips may be delivered to the heart valve leaflet and applied to the same in a minimally invasive procedure using a transcatheter device. The device may be used to apply a single clip to the leaflet tissue or multiple clips.
Claims20
A clip for attachment to tissue of a heart valve leaflet, comprising:
- a shaft having first and second ends;
- a sharpened tip on the first end of the shaft;
- and
- a plurality of legs, each leg having one end connected to the shaft at a point of connection spaced from the sharpened tip and a free end, the plurality of legs being biased to contract from an at least partially open condition to a use condition for application to the leaflet tissue.
A system for attaching a clip to tissue of a heart valve leaflet, comprising:
- a delivery device including a catheter assembly extending in a longitudinal direction;
- and
- a clip contained in the delivery device for attachment to the leaflet tissue, the clip including:
- a shaft having first and second ends;
- a sharpened tip on the first end of the shaft;
- and
- a plurality of legs, each leg having one end connected to the shaft at a point of connection spaced from the sharpened tip and a free end,
- wherein the clip is restrained in the delivery device in an at least partially open condition and is biased to contract to a use condition upon deployment from the delivery device.
A transcatheter method of gathering tissue, the method comprising:
- inserting an elongated catheter assembly to a position adjacent the tissue, the catheter assembly extending in a longitudinal direction and including a capture tool and a clip, the capture tool being moveable between a retracted position and an extended position in which a portion of the capture tool protrudes from a distal end of the catheter assembly, and the clip including:
- a shaft having first and second ends;
- a sharpened tip on the first end of the shaft;
- and
- a plurality of legs, each leg having one end connected to the shaft at a point of connection spaced from the sharpened tip and a free end;
- moving the capture tool from the retracted position to the extended position;
- engaging the capture tool with the tissue;
- and
- deploying the clip from the distal end of the catheter assembly, whereupon the sharpened tip punctures the tissue and the plurality of legs move from an at least partially open condition to a use condition about the tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.