Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090319037 | RETAINING MECHANISMS FOR PROSTHETIC VALVES - Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems used to deliver a prosthetic heart valve to a deficient valve. In one embodiment, for instance, a support stent is delivered to a position on the surface of the outflow side of a native heart valve of a patient, the support stent defining a support-stent interior. An expandable prosthetic heart valve is delivered into the native heart valve from the inflow side of the native heart valve and into the support-stent interior. The expandable prosthetic heart valve is expanded while the expandable prosthetic valve is in the support-stent interior and while the support stent is at the position on the surface of the outflow side of the heart valve, thereby causing one or more of the native leaflets of the native heart valve to be frictionally secured between the support stent and the expanded prosthetic heart valve. | 12-24-2009 |
20100161041 | ADJUSTABLE REPAIR CHORDS AND SPOOL MECHANISM THEREFOR - A method is provided, including implanting, at an intraventricular site of a ventricle of a patient, a spool coupled to a first end portion of a longitudinal member, and coupling a second end portion of the longitudinal member to a portion of tissue facing a lumen of the ventricle. Other embodiments are also described. | 06-24-2010 |
20100161042 | IMPLANTATION OF REPAIR CHORDS IN THE HEART - A method is provided, including positioning, at an intraventricular site of a ventricle of a patient, a spool coupled to a first end portion of a longitudinal member and coupling a second end portion of the longitudinal member to a portion of tissue facing a lumen of the ventricle. Other embodiments are also described. | 06-24-2010 |
20100161043 | IMPLANTATION OF REPAIR CHORDS IN THE HEART - Apparatus is provided for adjusting at least one dimension of an implant, including a rotatable structure having first and second openings and a channel extending between the first and second openings. The channel allows passage therethrough of an elongate tool. The second end of the structure has a lower surface having one or more recesses along a circumference thereof. A mechanical element provides a protrusion that is disposed within one of the recesses of the rotatable structure during a resting state of the mechanical element, in a manner that restricts rotation of the rotatable structure. The mechanical clement comprises a depressible portion coupled to the protrusion disposed in communication with the second opening of the lower surface, and configured to dislodge the protrusion from within the recess in response to a force applied thereto by the elongate tool. Other applications are also described. | 06-24-2010 |
20100280604 | OVER-WIRE ROTATION TOOL - Apparatus is provided that includes an implant structure, which includes a contracting mechanism, which includes a rotatable structure, arranged such that rotation of the rotatable structure contracts the implant structure. A longitudinal member is coupled to the contracting mechanism. A tool for rotating the rotatable structure is configured to be guided along the longitudinal member, to engage the rotatable structure, and to rotate the rotatable structure in response to a rotational force applied to the tool. Other embodiments are also described. | 11-04-2010 |
20110184510 | TRICUSPID VALVE REPAIR USING TENSION - A method is provided, including implanting at least a first tissue-engaging element in a first portion of tissue in a vicinity of a heart valve of a patient, implanting at least a second tissue-engaging element in a portion of a blood vessel that is in contact with an atrium of a heart of the patient, and drawing at least a first leaflet of the valve toward at least a second leaflet of the valve by adjusting a distance between the portion of the blood vessel and the first portion of tissue in the vicinity of the heart valve of the patient. Other applications are also described. | 07-28-2011 |
20110282361 | Delivery tool for implantation of spool assembly coupled to a helical anchor - Apparatus is provided, including a tissue-adjusting member configured to be coupled to tissue of a patient, a rotatable structure that is configured to adjust a tension of the tissue-adjusting member, a tissue anchor coupled to the tissue-adjusting member and configured to screw into the tissue of the patient, and a delivery tool reversibly coupleable to the rotatable structure. The delivery tool comprises a first actuating element configured to rotate the tissue anchor so as to facilitate screwing of the tissue anchor into the tissue of the patient while not facilitating rotation of the rotatable structure, and a second actuating element configured to rotate the rotatable structure while not facilitating rotation of the tissue anchor. Other applications are also described. | 11-17-2011 |
20120035712 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRICUSPID VALVE REPAIR USING TENSION - Apparatus is provided, including a radially-expandable percutaneous implant, a tissue anchor, and a connecting element shaped so as to provide an annular loop surrounding a proximal portion of the tissue anchor in a manner which enables rotation of the anchor about a central longitudinal axis thereof when surrounded by the annular loop. The apparatus also includes a flexible longitudinal member coupled at a first portion thereof to at least a portion of the percutaneous implant and at a second portion to the connecting element. The annular loop of the connecting element facilitates rotation of the tissue anchor about the central longitudinal axis such that the anchor can rotate about the central longitudinal axis with respect to the annular loop, the flexible longitudinal member, and the percutaneous implant. Other applications are also described. | 02-09-2012 |
20130018459 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRICUSPID VALVE REPAIR USING TENSION - Apparatus is provided including a first tissue-engaging element, a first flexible longitudinal member coupled at a first end portion thereof to at least a portion of the first tissue-engaging element, and a first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to the first flexible longitudinal member at a second end portion of the first flexible longitudinal member. Apparatus includes a second tissue-engaging element, a second flexible longitudinal member coupled at a first end portion thereof to at least a portion of the second tissue-engaging element, and a second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to the second flexible longitudinal member at a second end portion of the second flexible longitudinal member, the first and second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling elements being couplable to couple together the first and second flexible longitudinal elements. Other applications are also described. | 01-17-2013 |
20130046380 | TRICUSPID VALVE REPAIR USING TENSION - Apparatus is provided including a stent, which is configured to assume compressed and expanded states. The stent includes one or more elongated members, and two or more rings, which are coupled together by the one or more elongated members and by no other elements of the stent. The rings define respective planes that are generally perpendicular to the elongated members when the stent is in its expanded state. A longitudinal member, having a proximal end and a distal end, is coupled to the stent at the proximal end of the longitudinal member. A tissue anchor is coupled to the distal end of the longitudinal member. Other applications are also described. | 02-21-2013 |
20130325115 | LOCKING CONCEPTS - Techniques are described for use with one or more sutures. For some applications, techniques are described for fixedly-coupling two or more sutures to each other. For some applications, such techniques are used for treating a heart valve of a subject. Techniques are also described for treating a heart valve of a subject by coupling leaflets of the heart valve to a support using tissue-piercing elements. Other embodiments are also described. | 12-05-2013 |