Medtronic, Inc.

Mark C Shu

Jeffrey Mendel Gross

Hong S Shim

Louis A Campbell

Chris M Coppin

Luis A Salazar

A suture locking assembly for use with a heart valve repair device. The suture locking assembly including a rim and a suture band. The rim defines a first flange and a second flange spaced from the first flange. The rim is configured to extend at least partially around a periphery of the heart valve repair device. The suture band is maintained between the first flange and the second flange. The suture locking assembly is configured to securely maintain a suture segment that is pulled from a first position to a second position relative the suture locking assembly, the second position being at least partially defined near an outer periphery of the rim.

Suture locking assembly and method of use

An improved artificial mechanical heart valve prosthesis having an improved leaflet hinge mechanism which improves washing of the hinge recess, reduces leaflet closing impact force and decreases noise and wear. A generally annular valve body having an annular interior surface extending between an inflow rim and an outflow rim thereof defines an annular orifice therethrough. A pair of leaflets are supported on said annular valve body for alternately blocking blood flow in an inflow direction when seated against the annular interior side wall in a closed position and then allowing the flow of blood through said annular orifice in a predetermined blood outflow direction when rotated into an open position.

Mechanical heart valve prosthesis

A prosthetic mechanical heart valve, and in particular, a bi-leaflet and/or a trileaflet mechanical valve formed with rigid frame and hinge elements for providing a stable reliable hinge mechanism with flexible leaflets formed of a thin elastomeric material adhering to and extending from the valve frame to form leaflet occluding sections bounded by outer peripheral edges for softening the opening and closing action of the valve leaflets. In one embodiment, the valve leaflet is formed of a rigid pyrolytic carbon frame supporting hinge elements and defining a leaflet pivot axis and a flexible leaflet body attached to the frame and defining a leaflet abutting section extending from one side of the valve frame and an occluding section extending from the other side of the valve frame to an arcuate leaflet seat. In the closing phase of operation, the abutting sections of the leaflet bodies contact one another in an abutting contact band, and the arcuate leaflet seats bear against arcuate seat regions of the valve body The seat regions of the valve body may also be coated with an elastomeric material.

Hybrid mechanical heart valve prosthesis

An implantable prosthetic heart valve with a suturing ring having an impermeable or semi-impermeable coating over at least a portion of the surface thereof to prevent tissue ingrowth in the coated area or areas. The suturing ring is formed of a biocompatible fabric tube of a mesh weave having interstices permeable to tissue ingrowth and first and second axial ends fastened into a torus shaped, suturing ring body having an interior directed minor surface adapted to be fitted against the exterior annular wall of a valve body and an outward directed major surface. An upper ring shaped surface is formed adjacent the upper edge of the valve body and a lower ring shaped surface adjacent the lower edge of the valve body. The intermediate band is intended to be sutured into contact with the heart tissue orifice. First and second impermeable layer of biocompatible material fill the interstices of the mesh weave in the upper and lower ring shaped surface area. A smooth transition is formed at the junction of the suturing ring with the valve body by filling the gaps at the suturing ring/valve body juncture with the same or similar type of blood compatible material.

Heart valve suturing ring with surface coating to inhibit tissue ingrowth

An improved artificial mechanical heart valve prosthesis having an improved leaflet hinge mechanism which improves washing of the hinge recess, reduces leaflet closing impact force and decreases noise and wear. A generally annular valve body having an annular interior surface extending between an inflow rim and an outflow rim thereof defines an annular orifice therethrough. A pair of leaflets are supported on said annular valve body for alternately blocking blood flow in an inflow direction when seated against the annular interior side wall in a closed position and then allowing the flow of blood through said annular orifice in a predetermined blood outflow direction when rotated into an open position. Each leaflet is supported for pivotal movement by a pair of hinge mechanisms comprising a pair of convexly extending leaflet ears that each fit within a hinge recess formed in parallel planar surfaces of the annular interior side wall. A relatively shallow inflow or entrance ramp is achieved in an inflow portion of the hinge recess employing an inwardly curved inflow transition surface from the planar surface at the arcuate inflow end edge into the inflow portion of the leaflet ear bearing surface. An open outflow or exit ramp is achieved employing a curved outflow transition surface of the leaflet ear bearing surface in the outflow portion of the hinge recess meeting the arcuate outflow end edge which itself joins a recessed outflow flat in the planar surface that the hinge recess is formed in. The hinge recess side walls are shaped to minimize blood cell damage. Inflow rim transition zones deflect blood flow centrally through the annular orifice. Planar inflow chamfers extending between the planar surfaces and the inflow rim deflect blood compomnents away from the hinge recesses.

A temporary holder for a physiologic mitral valve includes a structure which releasably clamps the annulus of the valve between the rim of a plate and a snap ring. The structure also includes a pair of papillary head holders which hold the papillary heads of the valve at a predetermined distance and angle from the annulus plate for optimum surgical positioning. The papillary heads are temporarily sutured to their holders and can be released by a simple scalpel stroke.

Physiologic mitral valve implantation holding system

A heart valve prosthesis having an annular valve housing or base and two leaflets supported for pivotable movement within the annular valve housing. Each valve leaflet possesses a composite curvature shape with pivoting hinges being purposely offset to the hydraulic force center of the annular valve housing to provide fast response of the leaflets to flow direction change. The hinge mechanism includes modified serpentine curved hinge recesses in the annular valve housing for receiving elongated leaflet ears allowing the leaflets to change their motion modes approaching the closed position to reduce leaflet-edge tangential velocity and impact of the minor edges against one another and the major edges against the housing seat upon closure. The composite curvature leaflets allow maximal central flow with consequent lower pressure drop during the open phase and minimal regurgitation during the closing phase. The curved leaflet major trailing edges in the open position reduces boundary separation and associated turbulence along the flow stream direction.

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Mission Viego, CA, United States of America

Mark C Shu