Heart valve prosthesis
AssigneeJC Medical, Inc.
InventorsJi ZHANG, Brandon G. WALSH, Cheng Yong YANG, Jinhua ZHU, Dennis McMahon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heart valve prosthesis can have a leaflet clipping mechanism that is used to engage the prosthesis within a prosthetic or native heart valve structure. The prosthesis can include a valve anchor with U-shaped members that each have base portions and engagement structures extending from each base portion. The prosthesis can also include an expandable valve frame and a link mechanism interconnecting the valve anchor with the valve frame. The U-shaped members and the valve frame can collectively form a clipping mechanism that is configured to engage valve leaflets of the prosthetic or native heart valve therebetween.
Claims20
A system for manipulating a clipping mechanism of a heart valve prosthesis, the system comprising:
- a valve anchor comprising a plurality of U-shaped members, each U-shaped member having a peak portion and a base portion configured to engage a sinus of a native heart valve or an existing heart valve prosthesis, and an engagement structure extending from the base portion;
- a delivery apparatus comprising one or more graspers configured to releasably couple to the engagement member of each U-shaped member;
- an expandable valve frame;
- and
- a link mechanism interconnecting the valve anchor with the expandable valve frame, the U-shaped members and the expandable valve frame collectively forming the clipping mechanism configured to engage a valve leaflet therebetween, the valve leaflet comprising either a native valve leaflet or a prosthetic valve leaflet of an existing heart valve prosthesis.
A method of manipulating a clipping mechanism of a heart valve prosthesis at a heart valve of a patient, the method comprising:
- providing a valve anchor comprising a plurality of U-shaped members, each U-shaped member having a base portion configured to engage a sinus of the heart valve and an engagement structure extending from the U-shaped member;
- manipulating a position of the valve anchor relative to a valve sinus using one or more graspers of a delivery apparatus that are coupled to the engagement structures of the valve anchor;
- expanding a valve frame within a lumen of the valve anchor, the valve frame and the valve anchor collectively forming the clipping mechanism to engage a valve leaflet of a native heart valve or an existing valve prosthesis therebetween;
- and
- disengaging the graspers from the engagement structures after the valve anchor is secured in position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.