Valve holder for tricuspid heart valve

A valve holder comprising a centrally positioned cylindrical support element having one open end, a coaxial hub extending from the other end of said cylindrical support element and joined together by a radial flange;

• coaxial thread collecting means encircled by said cylindrical support element and rotatably secured thereto;
• at least three circumferentially spaced valve support legs extending radially from said cylindrical element, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof;
• and
• thread passage means in said cylindrical element in registry with each of said valve support legs.

In combination, a porcine tissue heart valve and a valve holder;

• said valve including a stent comprising a sewing cushion and three fabric covered, axially extending commissure support struts;
• said valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means associated with said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs;
• said central support member comprising a hub and annular flange extending therefrom, said hub being adapted for association with said thread collecting means, said thread collecting means of said valve holder comprising an axle rotatable in said hub of said central support member, said valve holder being positioned on the sewing cushion of said valve with valve support legs in registry with said commissure support struts and attached to said sewing cushion by means of threads, each of said threads being attached at one end to the distal end of a valve support leg and passing therefrom through said sewing cushion, thence through the fabric cover at a tip of the corresponding commissure support strut, thence extending to the next adjacent commissure support strut and passing through the fabric cover at the tip thereof, thence passing through sewing cushion and through the thread guiding means in the distal end of the corresponding valve support leg, and thereupon extending to and being attached to said thread collecting means, whereupon the tips of the commissure support struts are drawn toward one another as said threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs are collected by rotating said axle to wind said threads together.

In combination, a tricuspid prosthetic heart valve and a valve holder;

• said valve including a stent comprising a sewing cushion and three fabric covered, axially extending commissure support struts;
• said valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means rotatably mounted with respect to said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs;
• said valve holder being positioned on the sewing cushion of said valve with the valve support legs in registry with said commissure support struts and attached to said sewing cushion by means of threads, each of said threads being attached at one end to the distal end of a valve support leg and passing therefrom through said sewing cushion, thence through the fabric cover at a tip of the corresponding commissure support strut, thence extending to the next adjacent commissure support strut and passing through the fabric cover at the tip thereof, thence passing through sewing cushion and through the thread guiding means in the distal end of the corresponding valve support leg, and thereupon extending to and being attached to said thread collecting means, whereupon the tips of the commissure support struts are drawn toward one another as said threads are collected by said thread collecting means.