Claims
- 1. A method of surgically or endoscopically implanting a valve prosthesis, which comprises the steps of:
(a) surgically or endoscopically providing access to a patient's vasculature; (b) advancing a first balloon dilatation catheter having distal and proximal ends and having a deflated first dilatation balloon adjacent the catheter distal end into the patient's vasculature to position said first dilatation balloon within to a stenotic valve and annulus; (c) inflating said first dilatation balloon to dilate the stenotic valve; (d) deflating said first dilatation balloon and withdrawing said deflated balloon in the proximal direction; (e) advancing a second dilatation catheter having distal and proximal ends and having a second deflated dilatation balloon adjacent the catheter distal end, wherein said second balloon has a valve prosthesis arranged circumferentially around said second dilatation balloon, into the patient's vasculature to position said second dilatation balloon and said valve prosthesis adjacent to the previously dilated stenotic valve; (f) inflating said second dilatation balloon to cause said valve prosthesis to adhere to said aortic valve and annulus; and (g) deflating said second dilatation balloon and withdrawing said second catheter in the proximal direction.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to step (b), a guidewire having a distal end is advanced distally into the patient's vasculature until the guidewire distal end is adjacent or distal to the stenotic valve.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein in steps (b) and (e) the first and second balloon catheters, respectively, are advanced over the guidewire.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (c) the first dilatation balloon is inflated to a high pressure.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the pressure is greater than 4 atm.
- 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first dilatation balloon is inflated maximally up to the balloon's bursting point.
- 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the inflation lasts only a few seconds.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein inflating the dilatation balloon in step (c) tests the stenotic aortic valve for efficacy of the procedure and creates an aperture in the valve.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (f) the second dilatation balloon is inflated to a high pressure.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second dilatation balloon is inflated to a pressure less than the pressure to which the first dilatation balloon is inflated.
- 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the pressure is less than 4 atm and does not damage the valve prosthesis.
- 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the inflation lasts only a few seconds.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the valve prosthesis needs only a light pressure for its own expansion.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient's vasculature is accessed surgically and a thoracotomy is performed.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient's vasculature is accessed endoscopically.
- 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the IV is introduced through a trocar or cannula.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein an artery is accessed.
- 18. The method of claim 1, wherein a vein is accessed.
- 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the valve is an aortic valve.
- 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the subclavian artery is accessed.
- 21. The method of claim 1, wherein no cardiopulmonary bypass is used.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
96402929.2 |
Dec 1996 |
EP |
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/139,741, filed May 2, 2002, which in turn is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/795,803, filed Feb. 28, 2001, which in turn is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/345,924, filed Jun. 30, 1999, now abandoned, which is a National Phase filing of PCT patent application No. PCT/EP 97/07337, filed Dec. 31, 1997 and designating the United States, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Continuations (2)
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09795803 |
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10139741 |
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09345924 |
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09795803 |
Feb 2001 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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10202458 |
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