St. Jude Medical, Inc.

Darrin J Bergman

William R Holmberg

Terry L Shepherd

Katherine S Tweden

Stephen T Kuehn

Thomas F Hinnenkamp

Kimberly A Anderson

Richard F Schroeder

Matthew Frank Ogle

M William Mirsch, Iii

Scott D Moore

Hallie A Finucane

Donald S Guzik

Guy P Vanney

Michael J Girard

Kurt D Krueger

Deborah A Loch

Stephen A Petersen

David R Elizondo

Mary G Melcoch

Margaret A Wallner

A novel approach to mitral or tricuspid valve repair involves the performance of an edge-to-edge fastening/securing of opposing heart valve leaflets through a catheter entering the heart. Thus, a device is introduced including a leaflet fastener applicator through a cardiac catheter or other suitable catheter. The leaflet fastener applicator and cardiac catheter can be formed into a kit. A gripper can be used to hold the heart valve leaflets while they are fastened.

Mitral and tricuspid valve repair

A variety of new ways can be used for associating antimicrobial elemental metal with a medical article. The associated antimicrobial metal reduces the risk of infection associated with the medical use of the medical article. New medical articles are produced by some of these new approaches. Some of the methods involve ways of adjusting the dissociation rate of associated elemental metal such that desired degrees of antimicrobial activity can be achieved over selected periods of time.

Medical article with adhered antimicrobial metal

An annuloplasty ring includes an elongated main body having a generally partial shape extending between first and second ends. An elongated secondary body also includes first and second ends which couple to, respectively, the first and second ends of the main body. A first cut zone couples the first end of the main body to the first end of the secondary body. A second cut zone couples the second end of the main body to the second end of the secondary body. The annuloplasty ring may be selectively formed generally into a partial annuloplasty ring shape by severing the first and second cut zones and removing the secondary body.

Annuloplasty ring with cut zone

The present invention includes a metallic coating on portions of the prosthesis to enhance the overall acceptability of the implantable device or fabric/sutures used to implant the prosthesis. The preferred metal is silver, which is applied to surfaces which are exposed to the heart tissue. The silver-treated portions of these devices inhibit or greatly reduce colonization of endocarditis-causing bacteria without impacting the overall biocompatibility of the device.

Coated prosthetic cardiac device

A holder for engaging a heart valve prosthesis during implantation includes a holder body and stem. The stem is adapted to receive a handle used to manipulate the prostheses during implantation. The stem is moveable between a standard implantation position and a low profile delivery position.

Holder for heart valve prosthesis

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Shoreview, MN, United States of America

Darrin J Bergman