Strait Access Technologies Holdings (Pty) Limited

Heather Madeleine Coombes

Peter Paul Zilla

Deon Bezuidenhout

Edward Charles Mudge

Jeremy Douglas Jarman

Michael Alan Cousins

Thomas Gerhardt

Peter Rudi Haw

Preyen Agasthian Perumall

Gary Steven Rowsell

Travis Foster Henchie

A valve leaflet connecting device includes: a base; and first and second followers extending from the base. A first arm extends from the first follower in a direction away from the second follower and away from the base to define an acute angle between the first follower and first arm for capturing a first leaflet there between. A second arm extends from the second follower in a direction away from the first follower and away from the base to define an acute angle between the second follower and second arm for capturing a second leaflet there between, The first and second followers are resiliently deformable between: (i) an open condition, in which: the point from which the first arm extends from the first follower; and the point from which the second arm extends from the second follower, are spaced more than 15 mm; and (ii) a closed condition, in which: the point from which the first arm extends from the first follower; and the point from which the second arm extends from the second follower, are spaced less than 5 mm. Deforming means deform the followers towards the closed condition. A positioner extends from the base, between the first and second followers, and a fastener releasably secured to the positioner, includes first and second fastener jaws. The first and second jaws: extend away from the base; and are movable between: (i) a splayed condition in which leaflets may be received between the first and second fastener jaws; and (ii) a securing condition in which the first and second fastener jaws secure the leaflets there between. In use: (i) the first and second followers may be: passed axially through a valve, between first and second valve leaflets; and resiliently deformed by opening and closing of the valve leaflets; (ii) the first arm may capture the first leaflet between the first arm and the first follower, and the second arm may capture the second leaflet between the second arm and the second follower, with the first and second followers disposed between the first and second leaflets; (iii) the deforming means may deform the first and second followers towards the closed condition, thereby moving the first and second leaflets towards each other; (iv) the fastener may receive the first and second leaflets between the fastener jaws when the fastener jaws are in the spayed condition; and (v) moving the fastener jaws towards the securing condition secures the first and second leaflets to each other. Alternatively, the arms and fastener jaws may extend towards the base.

Valve leaflet connecting device

The invention provides a heart valve leaflet capture device () comprising a cardiac catheter probe having a proximal end for manipulating the device () and a distal end terminating in a transvalve element (). The transvalve element () is configured to pass through a heart valve generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the catheter and includes two or three leaflet gripping elements (). The leaflet gripping elements () are individually movable by operation of an associated actuating mechanism () between a radially retracted position, in which they are withdrawn with respect to the transvalve element (), and a capture position, in which they diverge outwardly at an acute angle from the transvalve element (). In the capture position, each leaflet gripping element () defines a convergent capture zone that is directed towards the edges of a target valve leaflet and in which the target valve leaflet may be captured.

Heart valve leaflet capture device

An orientation device () for use in mitral valve repair surgery is provided and includes a catheter () catheter insertable percutaneously through the mitral valve into a chamber of a heart. At least one pressure sensor () and two generally arcuate commissural arms () are provided at or near the distal end () of the catheter (). The arms () are deployable from a stowed condition, in which the catheter () can be introduced percutaneously into the heart, to an operative condition in which they extend outwardly in generally opposite directions. Each arm () is shaped to be locatable within a mitral valve commissure and has an indentation () shaped to extend, in use, at least partially about a mitral valve commissure to limit movement of the device () relative to the mitral valve in the axial direction of the catheter ().

Orientation device for use in mitral valve repair

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Cape Town, South Africa

Heather Madeleine Coombes