Delivery device having a control release shaft for improved positioning of a transcatheter heart valve

A method of delivering a heart valve prosthesis to a treatment site within a body lumen, the method comprising:

• advancing a delivery device having the heart valve prosthesis loaded thereon through a vasculature, the heart valve prosthesis having a first end and a second end, the second end being proximal to the first end when the heart valve prosthesis is loaded onto the delivery device, the delivery device including a control release shaft having a distal end including a collar with a sloped distal edge, wherein the heart valve prosthesis includes a plurality of endmost crowns at the second end thereof, a first connector extending from at least one endmost crown, and a second connector extending from at least one endmost crown, the first and second connectors being coupled to a spindle of the delivery device and wherein the heart valve prosthesis is held in a radially compressed configuration within an outer sheath of the delivery device;
• positioning the heart valve prosthesis at the treatment site;
• retracting the outer sheath of the delivery device to expose the first end of the heart valve prosthesis, thereby allowing the first end of the heart valve prosthesis to radially expand;
• further retracting the outer sheath of the delivery device to expose the second end of the heart valve prosthesis, wherein the collar of the control release shaft radially restrains the endmost crowns and the first and second connectors of the heart valve prosthesis such that the first and second connectors of the heart valve prosthesis remain coupled to the spindle of the delivery device;
• rotating at least one actuator of the delivery device to proximally retract the collar relative to the spindle to release the first connector of the heart valve prosthesis from the delivery device, wherein the collar of the control release shaft radially restrains at least the second connector of the heart valve prosthesis after the first connector is released such that the second connector of the heart valve prosthesis remains coupled to the spindle of the delivery device after the first connector is released;
• and
• further rotating the at least one actuator of the delivery device to proximally retract the collar relative to the spindle to release the second connector of the heart valve prosthesis from the delivery device, thereby allowing the second end of the heart valve prosthesis to radially expand.

A method of delivering a self-expanding prosthesis to a treatment site within a body lumen, the method comprising:

• advancing a delivery device having the self-expanding prosthesis loaded thereon through a vasculature, the self-expanding prosthesis having a first end and a second end, the second end being proximal to the first end when the self-expanding prosthesis is loaded onto the delivery device, the delivery device including a control release shaft having a distal end including a collar with a sloped distal edge, wherein the self-expanding prosthesis includes a plurality of endmost crowns at the second end thereof, a first connector extending from at least one endmost crown, and a second connector extending from at least one endmost crown, the first and second connectors being coupled to a spindle of the delivery device and wherein the self-expanding prosthesis is held in a radially compressed configuration within an outer sheath of the delivery device;
• positioning the self-expanding prosthesis at the treatment site;
• retracting the outer sheath of the delivery device to expose the first end of the self-expanding prosthesis, thereby allowing the first end of the self-expanding prosthesis to radially expand;
• further retracting the outer sheath of the delivery device to expose the second end of the self-expanding prosthesis, wherein the collar of the control release shaft radially restrains the endmost crowns and the first and second connectors of the self-expanding prosthesis such that the first and second connectors of the self-expanding prosthesis remain coupled to the spindle of the delivery device;
• rotating at least one actuator of the delivery device to proximally retract the collar relative to the spindle to release the first connector of the self-expanding prosthesis from the delivery device, wherein the collar of the control release shaft radially restrains at least the second connector of the self-expanding prosthesis after the first connector is released such that the second connector of the self-expanding prosthesis remains coupled to the spindle of the delivery device after the first connector is released;
• and
• further rotating the at least one actuator of the delivery device to proximally retract the collar relative to the spindle to release the second connector of the self-expanding prosthesis from the delivery device, thereby allowing the second end of the self-expanding prosthesis to radially expand.

A method of delivering a self-expanding prosthesis to a treatment site within a body lumen, the method comprising:

• advancing a delivery device having the self-expanding prosthesis loaded thereon through a vasculature, the self-expanding prosthesis having a first end and a second end, the second end being proximal to the first end when the self-expanding prosthesis is loaded onto the delivery device, the delivery device including a control release shaft having a distal end including a collar with a sloped distal edge, wherein the self-expanding prosthesis includes a plurality of endmost crowns at the second end thereof and at least one connector extending from at least one endmost crown, the at least one connector being coupled to a spindle of the delivery device and wherein the self-expanding prosthesis is held in a radially compressed configuration within an outer sheath of the delivery device;
• positioning the self-expanding prosthesis at the treatment site;
• retracting the outer sheath of the delivery device to expose the first end of the self-expanding prosthesis, thereby allowing the first end of the self-expanding prosthesis to radially expand;
• further retracting the outer sheath of the delivery device to expose the second end of the self-expanding prosthesis, wherein the collar of the control release shaft radially restrains the endmost crowns and the at least one connector of the self-expanding prosthesis such that the at least one connector of the self-expanding prosthesis remain coupled to the spindle of the delivery device;
• and
• rotating at least one actuator of the delivery device to proximally retract the collar relative to the spindle to achieve incremental release of the endmost crowns and the at least one connector of the self-expanding prosthesis.