Cornell University

University of Pennsylvania

Endovalve, Inc.

Haemonetics Corporation

Tranfusion Technologies Corporation

David G Lamphere

Tuan Anh Nguyen

Robert R Andrews

Jeffrey Milsom

Howard Riina

Clair Strohl

Kevin Thomas Smith

Thomas D Headley

J Frederick Cornhill

Howard C Herrmann

Robert C Gorman

Joseph H Gorman, Iii

Clair L Strohl

J Fredrick Cornhill

Todd C Tomba

Clifford Martin

An expandable substantially spherical structure for deployment in a blood vessel or other body lumen, comprising: an open frame formed out of a closed loop of filament and configured to assume (i) a collapsed configuration in the form of a substantially two-dimensional elongated loop structure so as to facilitate insertion into the blood vessel or other body lumen, and (ii) an expanded configuration in the form of a three-dimensional substantially spherical structure so as to facilitate retention at a site in the blood vessel or other body lumen; and a flow-restricting face carried by the open frame; wherein the open frame is configured so as to permit substantially normal flow therethrough when the open frame is in its expanded configuration, and further wherein the flow-restricting face is configured so as to restrict flow therethrough.

Method and apparatus for restricting flow through an opening in the side wall of a body lumen, and/or for reinforcing a weakness in the side wall of a body lumen, while still maintaining substantially normal flow through the body lumen

An expandable spherical structure for deployment in a blood vessel or other body lumen, comprising: an open frame configured to assume a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; and a closed face carried by the open frame; wherein the open frame is configured so as to permit substantially normal flow therethrough when the open frame is in its expanded configuration, and further wherein the closed face is configured so as to obstruct flow therethrough.

Method and apparatus for sealing an opening in the side wall of a body lumen, and/or for reinforcing a weakness in the side wall of a body lumen, while maintaining substantially normal flow through the body lumen

An expandable substantially spherical structure for deployment in a blood vessel or other body lumen, comprising:

Valve prostheses are disclosed that are adapted for secure and aligned placement relative to a heart annulus. The valve prostheses may be placed in a non-invasive manner, e.g., via transcatheter techniques. The valve prosthesis may include a resilient ring, a plurality of leaflet membranes mounted with respect to the resilient ring, and a plurality of positioning elements movably mounted with respect to the flexible ring. Each of the positioning elements defines respective proximal, intermediate, and distal tissue engaging regions cooperatively configured and dimensioned to simultaneously engage separate corresponding areas of the tissue of an anatomical structure, including respective first, second, and third elongate tissue-piercing elements. The proximal, distal, and intermediate tissue-engaging regions are cooperatively configured and dimensioned to simultaneously engage separate corresponding areas of the tissue of an anatomical structure so as to stabilize a position of the valve prosthesis with respect to the anatomical structure, including wherein for purposes of so simultaneously engaging the separate corresponding areas of tissue, at least one of the first, second, and third elongate tissue-piercing elements is pointed at least partially opposite the direction of blood flow, and at least another thereof is pointed at least partially along the direction of blood flow. The valve prosthesis may also include a skirt mounted with respect to the resilient ring for sealing a periphery of the valve prosthesis against a reverse flow of blood around the valve prosthesis.

Mitral valve system

Valve prostheses are disclosed that are adapted for secure and aligned placement relative to a heart annulus. The valve prostheses may be placed in a non-invasive manner, e.g., via trans-catheter techniques, and may be positioned/repositioned until proper alignment and positioning is achieved. The valve prosthesis may include a resilient ring, a plurality of leaflet membranes mounted with respect to the resilient ring, and a plurality of positioning elements movably mounted with respect to the flexible ring, each of the positioning elements defining a first tissue engaging region and a second tissue engaging region spaced from the first tissue engaging region. The positioning elements are adapted to substantially completely invert by rotating relative to the resilient ring between a first position in which each of the first and second tissue engaging regions is inwardly directed for facilitating positioning of the valve prosthesis within a delivery catheter, and a second position in which each of the first and second tissue engaging regions is outwardly directed for engaging tissue. The valve prosthesis may also include a valve skirt mounted with respect to the resilient ring.

Valve prosthesis systems and methods

A shaped diaphragm as a part of a fluid processing disposable set acting as a centrifuge system rotor. The fluid processing disposable set has a variable-volume chamber and a fluid port. The shaped diaphragm defines a wall of the variable-volume chamber. The chamber is in fluid communication with the fluid port and is defined by a fixed wall and an elastic wall. The elastic wall is formed by the shaped diaphragm. The disposable set may also have a rotary seal coupled to the fluid port and fluidly coupled to the variable-volume chamber. The shaped diaphragm may be convoluted. The convolution may be a single fold and may have a plurality of folds located symmetrically about an axis. The shaped diaphragm may, alternatively, be essentially planar in an unstretched position while varying in thickness along a diaphragm dimension. Centrifuge rotors, systems, and methods for selective harvest of fluid constituents from a whole fluid are detailed.

Shaped diaphragm for a centrifuge system rotor

A reservoir-and filter system for receiving fluid and for removing impurities from fluid is provided in an embodiment of the invention. The system includes a housing with at least two cavities; a first cavity with at least one unfiltered-fluid inlet and a second cavity with at least one filtrate outlet. In this embodiment, a filter member is disposed so as to separate the cavities. In addition, a filtering trap is disposed so as to directly accept fluid as it enters the first cavity, filter it, and minimize clogging of the filter member. A coarse filter shroud providing a funnel shape at the opening of a cup-shaped trap is included in a preferred embodiment. In an embodiment, at least one gas outlet adaptable for connection to a vacuum source is associated with the second cavity. A method for removing impurities from blood within an extracorporeal circuit is also provided in a further embodiment.

Growing community of inventors

Framingham, MA, United States of America

David G Lamphere