Other

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

Robert W Frater

Alain F Carpentier

Stefan G Schreck

Richard S Rhee

Shlomo Gabbay

Diana Nguyen-Thien-Nhon

Hung Ly Lam

Eli Seifter

William J Recktenwald

Dirk A Frater

A highly flexible tissue-type heart valve is disclosed having a structural stent in a generally cylindrical configuration with cusps and commissures that are permitted to move radially. The stent commissures are constructed so that the cusps are pivotably or flexibly coupled together at the commissures to permit relative movement therebetween. The stent may be cloth-covered and may be a single element or may be made in three separate elements for a three cusp valve, each element having a cusp portion and two commissure portions; adjacent commissure portions for each pair of adjacent stent element combining to form the stent commissures. If the stent has separate elements their commissure portions may be pivotably or flexible coupled, or may be designed to completely separate into independent leaflets at bioresorbable couples. The cloth covering may have an outwardly projecting flap that mates with valve leaflets (e.g., pericardial leaflets) along the cusps and commissures. A connecting band may be provided that follows the cusps and commissures and extends outwardly. The valve is connected to the natural tissue along the undulating connecting band using conventional techniques, such as sutures. The connecting band may be a cloth-covered silicon member and attaches to the underside of the valve at the cusps to provide support to the stent and to the outer side of the valve at the commissures. The connecting band includes commissure portions defining generally axial gaps that help permit flexing of the valve.

Flexible heart valve and associated connecting band

System for mounting bolster material on tissue staplers

A method of treating aldehyde-tanned biological tissue minimizes in vivo calcification and reduces cytotoxicity without impairing the mechanical strength of the tanned tissue. The method includes the step of treating the aldehyde-tanned biological tissue with at least one liquid polyol having the formula: ##STR1## where R is CH.sub.2 OH or an alkyl group, and R' is H, an alkyl group or an O-acyl where the acyl is C.sub.2 -C.sub.9 or a carboxyalkyl; or ##STR2## where R is H or an alkyl group, and R' is H, an alkyl group, O-alkyl or O-carboxyalkyl. Preferred polyols are propylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 2,3-butylene glycol and glycerol, and the polyol is preferably a diol.

Anticalcification treatment for aldehyde-tanned biological tissue

Mitral heart valve replacements

A plurality of organizers each formed with an arcuate support member upon which a selected number of suture holding devices are positioned in spaced relationship one to the other, are each designed to be disposed proximate an area of a body upon which surgery is to be performed to faciliate speedy and orderly control of interrupted sutures and needles utilized during the surgical procedure. Each holding device includes a pair of spaced wall members and a resilient holding member disposed in compression therebetween in such a manner that sutures can be releasably held between the resilient member and the adjacent wall member surface. Additional valuable time for surgical procedures involving insertion of artificial heart valves can be saved by utilizing a heart valve holder having a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs, to which an artificial heart valve can be releasably held by sutures. The legs which depend from an internally threaded holder formed for co-action with a rod slidably positioned in a holding disk which carries spring clips about its circumferential edge for releasable coaction with the sutures utilized to secure the valve in place.

Suture organizer, prosthetic device holder, and related surgical

Growing community of inventors

Bronxville, NY, United States of America

Robert W Frater