Arrangement for preparing natural tissue for implantation
AssigneeHancock Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsWarren D. Hancock, Frederick P. Sattler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An arrangement for preparing natural tissue in the form of a heart valve, vessel or the like for implantation in which tanning fluid under pressure is applied to a portion of the tissue so as to cause said tissue to assume substantially its natural configuration, while additional tanning fluid is applied to the remainder of the tissue, said tanning fluid being so applied for a time sufficient to cause the tissue to become fixed, and, for vessels or the like, a guide may engage the tissue during fixation, whereby said tissue maintains substantially the configuration of the guide.
Claims46
The method of preparing natural heart valve for implantation comprising the steps of
- applying a tanning fluid under pressure in the physiologic range to the downstream end of a natural heart valve so as to cause said valve to assume substantially its natural configuration,
- and simultaneously applying a tanning fluid to the upstream end of said valve at a pressure less than that at said downstream end,
- thereby to cause said valve substantially to maintain said configuration during fixation of the tissue thereof.
The method of preparing a natural heart valve for implantation comprising the steps of
- applying a tanning fluid under pressure within the physiologic range to the downstream end of a natural heart valve so as to cause said valve to assume substantially its natural configuration,
- applying said tanning fluid to the upstream end of said valve while said tanning fluid under pressure is so applied to said valve at the downstream end thereof so that said valve is at a higher pressure at said downstream end than at said upsteam end,
- and maintaining said tanning fluid so applied to said heart valve for a time sufficient to cause said valve to become fixed so as to substantially maintain said configuration.
The method of preparing a natural heart valve for implantation comprising the steps of
- inserting a member having an aperture therethrough into the ascending aorta of a unit that includes a natural heart valve and its ascending aorta,
- attaching said aorta to said member so that said unit and said member define a chamber and said aperture provides access to the interior of said chamber at the downstream end of said valve.
- ligating the arteries of said unit so as to close said chamber,
- introducing a tanning fluid which is pressurized to within the physiologic range of pressure for said valve through said aperture into said chamber so as to inflate said valve and cause said valve to assume substantially its natural configuration,
- applying such tanning fluid to the exterior of said unit while said pressurized tanning fluid is in said chamber with a greater fluid pressure existing in said chamber than on said exterior,
- and maintaining said pressurized tanning fluid and said tanning fluid so applied to the exterior of said unit for a time sufficient to cause the tissue of said valve to become substantially fixed,
- thereby to cause said valve to substantially maintain said configuration.
The method of preparing for implantation natural tissues in a form in which a portion thereof is subjected to pressure within the physiologic range when implanted and which assumes a predetermined configuration as a result of such pressure comprising the steps of
- applying a tanning fluid to said portion of said tissues,
- said tanning fluid so applied being under pressure in the physiologic range so as to cause said tissues to assume substantially said predetermined configuration,
- and simultaneously applying a tanning fluid to remaining parts of said tissues at a pressure less than that of said portion of said tissues,
- thereby to cause said tissues to assume said configuration during fixation of said tissues.
The method of preparing a vessel for implantation comprising the steps of
- subjecting said vessel to a bath of tanning fluid so as to fix said vessel,
- and simultaneously engaging said vessel with a guide member of predetermined contour for causing said vessel to assume substantially said predetermined contour upon fixation thereof,
- said predetermined contour being different from the contour of said vessel in its natural state.
The method of preparing for implantation natural tissues in a form in which a portion thereof is subjected to pressure within the physiologic range when implanted and which assumes a predetermined configuration as a result of such pressure comprising the steps of
- applying a tanning fluid to said portion of said tissues, said tanning fluid so applied being under pressure within the physiologic range so as to cause said tissues to assume substantially said predetermined configuration,
- and applying a tanning fluid to remaining parts of said tissues while said tanning fluid under pressure is so applied to said portion of said tissues,
- so that said tissues experience a higher pressure at said portion thereof than at said remaining parts thereof.
The method as recited in claim 28 in which said predetermined contour is substantially U-shaped.
A natural heart valve for implantation having a generally regular contour, natural shape and size, coaptation of the cusps thereof and relatively high tensile strength prepared by the steps of
- applying a tanning fluid under pressure in the physiologic range to the downstream end of a natural heart valve so as to cause said valve to assume substantially its natural configuration, and simultaneously applying a tanning fluid to the upstream end of said valve at a pressure less than that at said downstream end,
- thereby to cause said valve substantially to maintain said configuration during fixation of the tissue thereof.
A natural heart valve for implantation having a generally regular contour, natural shape and size, coaptation of the cusps thereof and relatively high tensile strength prepared by the steps of
- applying a tanning fluid under pressure within the physiologic range to the downstream end of a natural heart valve so as to cause said valve to assume substantially its natural configuration,
- applying said tanning fluid to the upstream end of said valve while said tanning fluid under pressure is so applied to said valve at the downstream end thereof so that said valve is at a higher pressure at said downstream end than at said upstream end,
- and maintaining said tanning fluid so applied to said heart valve for a time sufficient to cause said valve to become fixed so as to substantially maintain said configuration.
A natural heart valve for implantation having a generally regular contour, natural shape and size, coaptation of the cusps thereof and relatively high tensile strength prepared by the steps of
- inserting a member having an aperture therethrough into the ascending aorta of a unit that includes a natural heart valve and its ascending aorta,
- attaching said aorta to said member so that said unit and said member define a chamber and said aperture provides access to the interior of said chamber at the downstream end of said valve,
- ligating the arteries of said unit so as to close said chamber,
- introducing a tanning fluid which is pressurized to within the physiologic range of pressure for said valve through said aperture into said chamber so as to inflate said valve and cause said valve to assume substantially its natural configuration,
- applying such tanning fluid to the exterior of said unit while said pressurized tanning fluid is in said chamber with a greater fluid pressure existing in said chamber than on said exterior,
- and maintaining said pressurized tanning fluid and said tanning fluid so applied to the exterior of said unit for a time sufficient to cause the tissue of said valve to become substantially fixed,
- thereby to cause said valve to substantially maintain said configuration.
Natural tissues for implantation and in a form in which a portion thereof is subjected to pressure within the physiologic range when implanted and which assumes a predetermined configuration as a result of such pressure, said tissues having full and uniform fixation and a relatively high tensile strength, and prepared by the steps of
- applying a tanning fluid to said portion of said tissues,
- said tanning fluid so applied being under pressure in the physiologic range so as to cause said tissues to assume substantially said predetermined configuration,
- and simultaneously applying a tanning fluid to remaining parts of said tissues at a pressure less than that of said portion of said tissues,
- thereby to cause said tissues to assume said configuration during fixation of said tissues.
A vessel for implanation having a contour different from the contour thereof in its natural state prepared by the steps of
- subjecting said vessel to a bath of tanning fluid so as to fix said vessel,
- and simultaneously engaging said vessel with a guide member of predetermined contour for causing said vessel to assume substantially said predetermined contour upon fixation thereof,
- said predetermined contour being different from the contour of said vessel in its natural state.
Natural tissues for implantation and in a form in which a portion thereof is subjected to pressure within the physiologic range when implanted and which assumes a predetermined configuration as a result of such pressure, said tissues having full and uniform fixation and a relatively high tensile strength, and prepared by the steps of
- applying a tanning fluid to said portion of said tissues,
- said tanning fluid so applied being under pressure within the physiologic range so as to cause said tissues to assume substantially said predetermined configuration,
- and applying a tanning fluid to remaining parts of said tissues while said tanning fluid under pressure is so applied to said portion of said tissues,
- so that said tissues experience a higher pressure at said portion thereof than at said remaining parts thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.