The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 02, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 05, 1998
Joseph P Ritz, Austin, TX (US);
Medical Carbon Research Institute, LLC, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A sewing ring for a heart valve prosthesis to allow the valve to be sutured into operative position in association with a region of a human heart from which a defective valve has been excised. The generally cylindrical exterior surface of a valve body of circular cross-section is provided with either an encircling groove or a protruding annular band. To interconnect with such groove or band, a metal split sleeve is provided which has either a radially inward directed projection or an annular cavity for mating, respectively, with the groove or band of the valve body. A tubular fabric sleeve from which a sewing cuff is constructed is first fitted about the valve body, and a central portion of such fabric sleeve is sandwiched between the split sleeve and the valve body so that it is entrapped and preferably compressed between the interconnecting elements. A continuous locking ring, e.g. a rigid tubular metal sleeve, is frictionally fit about the exterior surface of the split sleeve to lock the fabric sleeve in place, which is then fashioned into a sewing cuff. The components may be sized so that the cuff is rotatable on the valve body or non-rotatable, as desired.