US 6,425,916 B1 · Methods and devices for implanting cardiac valves

Abstract

The valve implantation system has a valve displacer for displacing and holding the native valve leaflets open in a first aspect of the invention. A replacement valve may be attached to the valve displacer before or after introduction and may be positioned independent of the valve displacer. In another aspect of the invention, the valve displacer and valve are in a collapsed condition during introduction and are expanded to deploy the valve displacer and valve. The valve is a tissue valve mounted to an expandable support structure. The support structure may have protrusions for engaging the valve displacer or barbs for anchoring the valve displacer to the heart or blood vessel. A temporary valve mechanism may be used to provide temporary valve functions during and after deployment of the valve displacer.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of implanting a cardiac valve, comprising the steps of:

introducing a replacement valve and a valve displacer into a patient, the replacement valve and valve displacer being mounted to a catheter and each being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the replacement valve and valve displacer being introduced into the patient in the collapsed position;
positioning the valve displacer between valve leaflets of a native cardiac valve;
expanding the valve displacer to the expanded position after the positioning step, thereby displacing and holding the valve leaflets in an open position;
and
securing the replacement valve at a desired location in the patient wherein the replacement valve is secured to the valve displacer, said replacement valve having sharp elements which penetrate the native valve.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and devices for implanting cardiac valves

Life of this patent

Methods and devices for implanting cardiac valves

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16