BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Valvular heart disease, and specifically aortic and mitral valve disease, is a significant health issue in the United States. Valve replacement is one option for treating heart valve diseases. Prosthetic heart valves include surgical heart valves, as well as collapsible and expandable heart valves intended for transcatheter aortic valve replacement or implantation (“TAVR” or “TAVI”) or transcatheter mitral valve replacement (“TMVR”). Surgical or mechanical heart valves may be sutured into a native annulus of a patient during an open-heart surgical procedure, for example. Collapsible and expandable heart valves may be delivered into a patient via a delivery apparatus such as a catheter to avoid a more invasive procedure such as full open-chest, open-heart surgery. As used herein, reference to a “collapsible and expandable” heart valve includes heart valves that are formed with a small cross-section that enables them to be delivered into a patient through a catheter in a minimally invasive procedure, and then expanded to an operable state once in place, as well as heart valves that, after construction, are first collapsed to a small cross-section for delivery into a patient and then expanded to an operable size once in place in the valve annulus.
Collapsible and expandable prosthetic heart valves typically take the form of a one-way valve structure (often referred to as a valve assembly) mounted within an expandable frame (the terms “stent” and “frame” may be used interchangeably herein). In general, these collapsible and expandable heart valves include a self-expanding, mechanically-expandable, or balloon-expandable frame, often made of nitinol or another shape-memory metal or metal alloy (for self-expanding frames) or steel or cobalt chromium (for balloon-expandable frames). The one-way valve assembly mounted to/within the stent includes one or more leaflets and may also include a cuff or skirt. The cuff may be disposed on the stent's interior or luminal surface, its exterior or abluminal surface, and/or on both surfaces. A cuff helps to ensure that blood does not just flow around the valve leaflets if the valve or valve assembly is not optimally seated in a valve annulus. A cuff, or a portion of a cuff disposed on the exterior of the stent, can help prevent leakage around the outside of the valve (the latter known as paravalvular or “PV” leakage).
Balloon expandable valves are typically delivered to the native annulus while collapsed (or “crimped”) onto a deflated balloon of a balloon catheter, with the collapsed valve being either covered or uncovered by an overlying sheath. Once the crimped prosthetic heart valve is positioned within the annulus of the native heart valve that is being replaced, the balloon is inflated to force the balloon-expandable valve to transition from the collapsed or crimped condition into an expanded or deployed condition, with the prosthetic heart valve tending to remain in the shape into which it is expanded by the balloon. Typically, when the position of the collapsed prosthetic heart valve is determined to be in the desired position relative to the native annulus (e.g. via visualization under fluoroscopy), a fluid (typically a liquid although gas could be used as well) such as saline is pushed via a syringe (manually, automatically, or semi-automatically) through the balloon catheter to cause the balloon to begin to fill and expand, and thus cause the overlying prosthetic heart valve to expand into the native annulus.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
In some embodiments, a prosthetic heart valve includes a collapsible and expandable stent comprising a plurality of commissure attachment features, a valve assembly coupled to the collapsible and expandable stent, the valve assembly comprising a cuff and a plurality of leaflets, and a suture pattern coupling at least one of the plurality of leaflets to at least one of the cuff and the collapsible and expandable stent, the suture pattern comprising a reverse-running stitch having a first leg and a second leg.
In some embodiments, a prosthetic heart valve includes a collapsible and expandable stent comprising a plurality of commissure attachment features, a valve assembly coupled to the collapsible and expandable stent, the valve assembly comprising a cuff and a plurality of leaflets, and a suture pattern pre-assembled to each of the plurality of leaflets, the suture pattern including a reverse-running stitch having a first leg and a second leg.
In some embodiments, a prosthetic heart valve includes a collapsible and expandable stent comprising a plurality of commissure attachment features, a valve assembly coupled to the collapsible and expandable stent, the valve assembly comprising a cuff and a plurality of leaflets, a first suture pattern coupling at least one of the plurality of leaflets to at least one of the cuff and the collapsible and expandable stent, the first suture pattern comprising a first reverse-running stitch having a first leg and a second leg, and a second suture pattern comprising a second reverse-running stitch having a third leg and a fourth leg.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a prosthetic heart valve.
FIG. 2 is a front view of an example of a section of the frame of the prosthetic heart valve of FIG. 1, as if cut longitudinally and laid flat on a table.
FIG. 3 is a front view of an example of a prosthetic leaflet of the prosthetic heart valve of FIG. 1, as if laid flat on a table.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the prosthetic heart valve of FIG. 1 mounted on an example of a portion of a delivery system.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the handle of the delivery system shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a distal end of the delivery system shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a top view of an example of a balloon catheter when the balloon is inflated.
FIG. 8 is a top view of an example of an inflation system for use with a delivery system similar to that shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 9 is a side view of the inflation system of FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a connection between the inflation system of FIGS. 8-9 and the handle of the delivery system of FIG. 4.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing exemplary steps in a procedure to implant the prosthetic heart valve of FIG. 1 into a patient using the delivery system of FIG. 4.
FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of one example of a suture pattern for coupling a leaflet to another component.
FIG. 13 is a schematic illustration of a leaflet having a pre-assembly suture pattern according to one embodiment.
FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of the suture pattern of FIG. 13 and a leaflet attachment line extending through the suture pattern.
FIG. 15 is a schematic illustration of a suture pattern having multiple independent suture lines.
FIG. 16 is a schematic illustration of a suture pattern having multiple suture lines and bridging stitches.
FIGS. 17A-17D are schematic perspective illustrations showing a method of attaching a pair of tabs of adjoining leaflets to form a commissure.
FIG. 18 is a schematic illustration showing free tails of sutures that have joined the tabs of commissures.
FIG. 19 is a schematic illustration showing running stitches along the belly of a leaflet.
FIG. 20 is a schematic illustration showing reverse-running stitches along the belly of a leaflet.
FIG. 21 is a partial schematic illustration of the final leaflet sub-assembly.
FIG. 22 is a schematic illustration showing whip stitches along the belly of a leaflet.
FIG. 23 is a partial schematic illustration of a leaflet sub-assembly after forming the whip stitches.
FIG. 24A-24B illustrate two methods of forming whip stitches along the belly of a leaflet.
FIG. 25 is a schematic illustration showing a variation in which two running stitches are formed in opposite directions.
FIG. 26 is a schematic illustration showing a variation in which hybrid running stitch and whip stitch patterns are used to couple a leaflet.
FIG. 27 is a schematic illustration showing an optional coupling of the leaflet to a strut of a stent.
FIG. 28 is a schematic illustration showing running stitches that go through both the leaflet tissue and fabric cuff.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
As used herein, the term “inflow end” when used in connection with a prosthetic heart valve refers to the end of the prosthetic valve into which blood first enters when the prosthetic valve is implanted in an intended position and orientation, while the term “outflow end” refers to the end of the prosthetic valve where blood exits when the prosthetic valve is implanted in the intended position and orientation. Thus, for a prosthetic aortic valve, the inflow end is the end nearer the left ventricle while the outflow end is the end nearer the aorta. The intended position and orientation are used for the convenience of describing valves disclosed herein. However, it should be noted that the use of the valve is not limited to the intended position and orientation but may be deployed in any type of lumen or passageway. For example, although prosthetic heart valves are described herein as prosthetic aortic valves, those same or similar structures and features can be employed in other heart valves, such as the pulmonary valve, the mitral valve, or the tricuspid valve. Further, the term “proximal,” when used in connection with a delivery device or system, refers to a position relatively close to the user of that device or system when it is being used as intended, while the term “distal” refers to a position relatively far from the user of the device. In other words, the leading end of a delivery device or system is positioned distal to the trailing end of the delivery device or system, when the delivery device is being used as intended. As used herein, the terms “substantially,” “generally,” “approximately,” and “about” are intended to mean that slight deviations from absolute are included within the scope of the term so modified. As used herein, the prosthetic heart valves may assume an “expanded state” and a “collapsed state,” which refer to the relative radial size of the stent.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one example of a prosthetic heart valve 10. Prosthetic heart valve 10 may be a balloon-expandable prosthetic aortic valve, although in other examples it may be a self-expandable or mechanically-expandable prosthetic heart valve, intended for replacing a native aortic valve or another native heart valve. Prosthetic heart valve 10 is shown in an expanded condition in FIG. 1. Prosthetic heart valve 10 may extend between an inflow end 12 and an outflow end 14. Prosthetic heart valve 10 may include a collapsible and expandable frame 20, an inner cuff or skirt 60, an outer cuff or skirt 80, and a plurality of prosthetic leaflets 90. As should be clear below, prosthetic heart valve 10 is merely one example of a prosthetic heart valve, and other examples of prosthetic heart valves may be suitable for use with the concepts described below.
FIG. 2 is a front view of an example of a section of the frame 20 of prosthetic heart valve 10, as if cut longitudinally and laid flat on a table. The section of frame 20 in FIG. 2 may represent approximately one-third of a complete frame, particularly if frame 20 is used in conjunction with a three-leaflet prosthetic heart valve. In the illustrated example, frame 20 is a balloon-expandable stent and may be formed of stainless steel or cobalt-chromium, and which may include additional materials such as nickel and/or molybdenum. However, in some embodiments the stent may be formed of a shape memory material such as nitinol or the like. The frame 20, when provided as a balloon-expandable frame, is configured to collapse upon being crimped to a smaller diameter and/or expand upon being forced open, for example via a balloon within the frame expanding, and the frame will substantially maintain the shape to which it is modified when at rest.
Frame 20 may include an inflow section 22 and an outflow section 24. The inflow section 22 may also be referred to as the annulus section. In one example, the inflow section 22 includes a plurality of rows of generally hexagon-shaped cells. For example, the inflow section 22 may include an inflow-most row of hexagon-shaped cells 30 and an outflow-most row of hexagon-shaped cells 32. The inflow-most row of hexagonal cells 30 may be formed of a first circumferential row of angled or zig-zag struts 21, a second circumferential row of angled or zig-zag struts 25, and a plurality of axial struts 23 that connect the two rows. In other words, each inflow-most hexagonal cell 30 may be formed by two angled struts 21 that form an apex pointing in the inflow direction, two angled struts 25 that form an apex pointing in the outflow direction, and two axial struts that connect the two angled struts 21 to two corresponding angled struts 25. The outflow-most row of hexagonal cells 32 may be formed of the second circumferential row of angled or zig-zag struts 25, a third circumferential row of angled or zig-zag struts 29, and a plurality of axial struts 27 that connect the two rows. In other words, each outflow-most hexagonal cell 32 may be formed by two angled struts 25 that form an apex pointing in the inflow direction, two angled struts 29 that form an apex pointing in the outflow direction, and two axial struts that connect the two angled struts 27 to two corresponding angled struts 29. It should be understood that although the term “outflow-most” is used in connection with hexagonal cells 32, additional frame structure, described in more detail below, is still provided in the outflow direction relative to the outflow-most row of hexagonal cells 32.
In the illustrated embodiment, assuming that frame 20 is for use with a three-leaflet valve and thus the section shown in FIG. 2 represents about one-third of the frame 20, each row of cells 30, 32 includes twelve individual cells. However, it should be understood that more or fewer than twelve cells may be provided per row of cells. Further, the inflow or annulus section 22 may include more or fewer than two rows of cells. Still further, although cells 30, 32 are shown as being hexagonal, the some or all of the cells of the inflow section 22 may have other shapes, such as diamond-shaped, chevron-shaped, or other suitable shapes. In the illustrated embodiment, every cell 30 in the first row is structurally similar or identical to every other cell 30 in the first row, every cell 32 in the second row is structurally similar or identical to every other cell 32 in the second row, and every cell 30 in the first row is structurally similar or identical (excluding the aperture 26) to every cell 32 in the second row. However, in other examples, the cells in each row are not identical to every other cell in the same row or in other rows.
An inflow apex of each hexagonal cell 30 may include an aperture 26 formed therein, which may accept sutures or similar features which may help couple other elements, such as an inner cuff 60, outer cuff 80, and/or prosthetic leaflets 90, to the frame 20. However, in some examples, one or more or all of the apertures 26 may be omitted.
Still referring to FIG. 2, the outflow section 24 of the frame 20 may include larger cells 34 that have generally asymmetric shapes. For example, the lower or inflow part of the larger cells 34 may be defined by the two upper struts 29 of a cell 32, and one upper strut 29 of each of the two adjacent cells 32. In other words, the lower end of each larger cell 34 may be formed by a group of four consecutive upper struts 29 of three circumferentially adjacent cells 32. The tops of the larger cells 34 may each be defined by two linking struts 35a, 35b. The first linking strut 35a may couple to a top or outflow apex of a cell 32 and extend upwards at an angle toward a commissure attachment feature (“CAF”) 40. The second linking strut 35b may extend from an end of the first linking strut 35a back downwardly at an angle and connect directly to the CAF 40. To the extent that the larger cells 34 include sides, a first side is defined by a portion of the CAF 40, and a second side is defined by the connection between first linking strut 35a and the corresponding upper strut 29 of the cell 32 attached to the first linking strut 35a.
The CAF 40 may generally serve as an attachment site for leaflet commissures (e.g. where two prosthetic leaflets 90 join each other) to be coupled to the frame 20. In the illustrated example, the CAF 40 is generally rectangular and has a longer axial length than circumferential width. The CAF 40 may define an interior open rectangular space. The struts that form CAF 40 may be generally smooth on the surface defining the open rectangular space, but some or all of the struts may have one or more suture notches on the opposite surfaces. For example, in the illustrated example, CAF 40 includes two side struts (on the longer side of the rectangle) and one top (or outflow) strut that all include alternating projections and notches on their exterior facing surfaces. These projections and notches may help maintain the position of one or more sutures that wrap around these struts. These sutures may directly couple the prosthetic leaflets 90 to the frame 20, and/or may directly couple an intermediate sheet of material (e.g. fabric or tissue) to the CAF 40, with the prosthetic leaflets 90 being directly coupled to that intermediate sheet of material. In some embodiments, tabs or ends of the prosthetic leaflets 90 may be pulled through the opening of the CAF 40, but in other embodiments the prosthetic leaflets 90 may remain mostly or entirely within the inner diameter of the frame 20. It should be understood that balloon-expandable frames are typically formed of metal or metal alloys that are very stiff, particularly in comparison to self-expanding frames. At least in part because of this stiffness, although the prosthetic leaflets 90 may be sutured or otherwise directly coupled to the frame at the CAFs 40, it may be preferable that most or all of the remaining portions of the prosthetic leaflets 90 are not attached directly to the frame 20, but are rather attached directly to an inner skirt 60, which in turn is directly connected to the frame 20. Further, it should be understood that other shapes and configurations of CAFs 40 may be appropriate. For example, various other suitable configurations of frames and CAFs are described in greater detail in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/579,378, filed Aug. 29, 2023 and titled “TAVI Deployment Accuracy—Stent Frame Improvements,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
With the example described above, frame 20 includes two rows of hexagon-shaped cells 30, 32, and a single row of larger cells 34. In a three-leaflet embodiment of a prosthetic heart valve that incorporates frame 20, each row of hexagon-shaped cells 30, 32 includes twelve cells, while the row of larger cells includes six larger cells 34. As should be understood, the area defined by each individual cell 30, 32 is significantly smaller than the area defined by each larger cell 34 when the frame 20 is expanded. There is also significantly more structure (e.g. struts) that create each row of individual cells 30, 32 than structure that creates the row of larger cells 34.
One consequence of the above-described configuration is that the inflow section 22 has a higher cell density than the outflow section 24. In other words, the total numbers of cells, as well as the number of cells per row of cells, is greater in the inflow section 22 compared to the outflow section 24. The configuration of frame 20 described above may also result in the inflow section 22 being generally stiffer than the outflow section 24 and/or more radial force being required to expand the inflow section 22 compared to the outflow section 24, despite the fact that the frame 20 may be formed of the same metal or metal alloy throughout. This increased rigidity or stiffness of the inflow section 22 may assist with anchoring the frame 20, for example after balloon expansion, into the native heart valve annulus. The larger cells 34 in the outflow section 24 may assist in providing clearance to the coronary arteries after implantation of the prosthetic heart valve 10. For example, after implantation, one or more coronary ostia may be positioned above the frame 20, for example above the valley where two adjacent larger cells 34 meet (about halfway between a pair of circumferentially adjacent CAFs 40). Otherwise, one or more coronary ostia may be positioned in alignment with part of the large interior area of a larger cell 34 after implantation. Either way, blood flow to the coronary arteries is not obstructed, and a further procedure that utilizes the coronary arteries (e.g., coronary artery stenting) will not be obstructed by material of the frame 20. Still further, the lower rigidity of the frame 20 in the outflow section 24 may cause the outflow section 24 to preferentially foreshorten during expansion, with the inflow section 22 undergoing a relatively smaller amount of axial foreshortening. This may be desirable because, as the prosthetic heart valve 10 expands, the position of the inflow end of the frame 20 may remain substantially constant relative to the native valve annulus, which may make the deployment of the prosthetic heart valve 10 more precise. This may be, for example, because the inflow end of the frame 20 is typically used to gauge proper alignment with the native valve annulus prior to deployment, so axial movement of the inflow end of the frame 20 relative to the native valve annulus during deployment may make precise placement more difficult.
Referring back to FIG. 1, the prosthetic heart valve 10 may include an inner skirt 60 mounted to the interior surface of frame 20. The inner skirt 60 may be formed of tissue, such as pericardium, although other types of tissue may be suitable. In the illustrated example, the inner skirt 60 is formed of a woven synthetic fabric, such as polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”) or polytetrafluoroethylene (“PTFE”), although other fabrics may be suitable, including fabrics other than woven fabrics. In some examples, the inner skirt 60 has straight or zig-zag shaped inflow and outflow ends that generally follow the contours of the cells 30, 32 of the inflow section 22 of frame 20. Preferably, inner skirt 60 is sutured to the frame 20 along the struts that form cells 30, 32. If apertures 26 are included, inner skirt 60 may also be coupled to frame 20 via sutures passing through apertures 26. Preferably, the inner skirt 60 does not cover (or does not cover significant portions of) the larger cells 34. The inner skirt 60 may be coupled to the frame 20 via mechanisms other than sutures, including for example ultrasonic welding or adhesives. Further, the inner skirt 60 may have shapes other than that shown, and need not have a zig-zag inflow or outflow end, and need not cover every cell in the inflow section 22. In fact, in some examples, the inner skirt 60 may be omitted entirely, with the outer skirt 80 (described in greater detail below) being the only skirt used with prosthetic heart valve 10. If the inner skirt 60 is provided, it may assist with scaling the prosthetic heart valve 10 within the heart, as well as serving as a mounting structure for the prosthetic leaflets 90 (described in greater detail below) within the frame 20.
Still referring to FIG. 1, the prosthetic heart valve 10 may include an outer skirt 60 mounted to the exterior surface of frame 20. The outer skirt 80 may be formed of tissue, such as pericardium, although other types of tissue may be suitable. In the illustrated example, the outer skirt 80 is formed of a woven synthetic fabric, such as PET or PTFE, although other fabrics may be suitable, including fabrics other than woven fabrics. In some examples, the outer skirt 80 has straight or zig-zag inflow end. Preferably, outer skirt 80 is sutured to the frame 20 and/or inner skirt 60 along the inflow edge of the outer skirt 80. If apertures 26 are included, outer skirt 80 may also be coupled to frame 20 via sutures passing through apertures 26. The outer skirt 80 may include a plurality of folds or pleats, such a circumferentially extending folds or pleats. The folds or pleats may be formed in the outer skirt 80 via heat setting, for example by placing the outer skirt 80 within a mold that forces the outer skirt 80 to form folds of pleats, and the outer skirt 80 may be treated with heat so that the outer skirt 80 tends to maintain folds or pleats in the absence of applied forces. The outflow edge of outer skirt 80 may be coupled to the frame 20 at selected, spaced apart locations around the circumference of the frame 20. In some embodiments, the outflow edge of outer skirt 80 may be connected to the inner skirt 60 along a substantially continuous suture line. Some or all of the outer skirt 80 between its inflow and outflow edges may remain not directly couples to the frame 20 or inner skirt 60. Preferably, the outer skirt 80 does not cover (or does not cover significant portions of) the larger cells 34. In use, the outer skirt 80 may directly contact the interior surface of the native heart valve annulus to assist with scaling, including scaling against PV leak. If folds or pleats are included with the outer skirt 80, the additional material of the folds or pleats may help further mitigate PV leak. However, it should be understood that the folds or pleats may be omitted from outer skirt 80, and the outer skirt 80 may have shapes other than that shown. In fact, in some examples, the outer skirt 80 may be omitted entirely, with the inner skirt 60 being the only skirt used with prosthetic heart valve 10. If the inner skirt 60 is omitted, the prosthetic leaflets 90 may be attached directly to the frame 20 and/or directly to the outer skirt 80.
FIG. 3 is a front view of a prosthetic leaflet 90, as if laid flat on a table. In the illustrated example of prosthetic heart valve 10, a total of three prosthetic leaflets 90 are provided, although it should be understood that more or fewer than three prosthetic leaflets may be provided in other example of prosthetic heart valves. The prosthetic leaflet 90 may be formed of a synthetic material, such a polymer sheet or woven fabric, or a biological material, such a bovine or porcine pericardial tissue. However, other materials may be suitable. In on example, the prosthetic leaflet 90 is formed to have a concave free edge 92 configured to coapt with the free edges of the other leaflets to help provide the one-way valve functionality. The prosthetic leaflet 90 may include an attached edge 94 which is attached (e.g., via suturing) to other structures of the prosthetic heart valve 10. For example, the attached edge 94 may be coupled directly to the inner skirt 60, directly to the frame 20, and/or directly to the outer skirt 80. It may be preferable that the attached edge 94 is coupled directly only to the inner skirt 60, which may help reduce stresses on the prosthetic leaflet 90 compared to if the attached edge 94 were coupled directly to the frame 20. In some embodiments, a plurality of holes 98 may be formed along the attached edge 94 (or a spaced distance therefrom), for example via lasers. If included, the holes 98 may be used to receive sutures therethrough, which may make it easier to couple the prosthetic leaflet 90 to the inner skirt 60 during manufacturing. For example, the holes 98 may serve as guides if suturing is performed manually, and if the positions of the holes 98 are controlled via the use of layers, the holes 98 may be consistently placed among different prosthetic leaflets 90 to reduce variability between different prosthetic leaflets 90. Laflet tabs 96 may be provided at the junctions between the free edge 92 and the attached edge 94. Each leaflet tab 96 may be joined to a leaflet tab of an adjacent prosthetic leaflet to form prosthetic leaflet commissures, which may be coupled to the frame 20 via CAFs 40.
The prosthetic heart valve 10 may be delivered via any suitable transvascular route, for example transapically or transfemorally. Generally, transapical delivery utilizes a relatively stiff catheter that pierces the apex of the left ventricle through the chest of the patient, inflicting a relatively higher degree of trauma compared to transfemoral delivery. In a transfemoral delivery, a delivery device housing or supporting the valve is inserted through the femoral artery and advanced against the flow of blood to the left ventricle. In either method of delivery, the valve may first be collapsed over an expandable balloon while the expandable balloon is deflated. The balloon may be coupled to or disposed within a delivery system, which may transport the valve through the body and heart to reach the aortic valve, with the valve being disposed over the balloon (and, in some circumstances, under an overlying sheath). Upon arrival at or adjacent to the aortic valve, a surgeon or operator of the delivery system may align the prosthetic valve as desired within the native valve annulus while the prosthetic valve is collapsed over the balloon. When the desired alignment is achieved, the overlying sheath, if included, may be withdrawn (or advanced) to uncover the prosthetic valve, and the balloon may then be expanded causing the prosthetic valve to expand in the radial direction, with at least a portion of the prosthetic valve foreshortening in the axial direction.
FIG. 4 illustrates one example of a delivery system 100, with the prosthetic heart valve 10 crimped over a balloon on a distal end of the delivery system 100. Although delivery system 100 and various components thereof are described below, it should be understood that delivery system 100 is merely one example of a balloon catheter that may be appropriate for use in delivering and deploying prosthetic heart valve 10.
In some examples, delivery system 100 includes a handle 110 and a delivery catheter 130 extending distally from the handle 110. An introducer 150 may be provided with the delivery system 100. Introducer 150 may be an integrated or captive introducer, although in other embodiments introducer 150 may be a non-integrated or non-captive introducer. In some examples, the introducer 150 may be an expandable introducer, including for example an introducer that expands locally as large diameter components passes through the introducer, with the introducer returning to a smaller diameter once the large diameter components pass through the introducer. In other examples, the introducer 150 is a non-expandable introducer.
A guidewire GW may be provided that extends through the interior of all components of the delivery system 100, from the proximal end of the handle 110 through the atraumatic distal tip 138 of the delivery catheter 130. The guidewire GW may be introduced into the patient to the desired location, and the delivery system 100 may be introduced over the guidewire GW to help guide the delivery catheter 130 through the patient's vasculature over the guidewire GW.
In some examples, the delivery catheter 130 is steerable. For example, one or more steering wires may extend through a wall of the delivery catheter 130, with one end of the steering wire coupled to a steering ring coupled to the delivery catheter 130, and another end of the steering wire operable coupled to a steering actuator on the handle 110. In such examples, as the steering actuator is actuated, the steering wire is tensioned or relaxed to cause deflection or straightening of the delivery catheter 130 to assist with steering the delivery catheter 130 to the desired position within the patient. For example, FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the handle 110. Handle 110 may include a steering knob 112 that, upon rotation, tensions or relaxes the steering wires to deflect the distal end of the delivery catheter 130. A deflection indicator 118 may be included that shows the extent of the deflection of the distal end of delivery catheter 130. However, it should be understood that the steering functionality may be omitted in some examples, and in other examples steering actuators other than knobs may be utilized. Further, in some examples, including those shown in FIGS. 6-7, the delivery catheter 130 includes an outer catheter 132, and an inner catheter 134. The steering functionality may be provided in either the outer catheter 132, or the inner catheter 134, or in both catheters.
Still referring to FIGS. 4-5, the delivery system 100 may include additional functionality to assist with positioning the prosthetic heart valve 10. For example, in the illustrated example, handle 110 includes a commissure alignment actuator 114, which may be positioned near a proximal end of the handle or at any other desired location. In the illustrated example, the commissure alignment actuator 114 is in the form of a rotatable knob, although other forms may be suitable. The commissure alignment knob 114 may be rotationally coupled to a portion of the delivery catheter 130 supporting the prosthetic heart valve 10. For example, the commissure alignment actuator 114 may be rotationally coupled to an inner catheter 134 which supports the prosthetic heart valve 10 in the crimped condition. With this configuration, rotating the commissure alignment knob 114 may cause the inner catheter 134 to rotate about its longitudinal axis, and thus cause the prosthetic heart valve 10 to rotate about its longitudinal axis. If a commissure alignment actuator 114 is included, it may be used to help ensure that, upon deployment of the prosthetic heart valve 10 into the native valve annulus, the commissures of the prosthetic heart valve are in rotational alignment with respective ones of the native valve commissures (e.g., within +/−2.5 degrees of rotational alignment, within +/−5 degrees of rotational alignment, within +/−10 degrees of rotational alignment, within +/−15 degrees of rotational alignment, etc.). Although commissure alignment actuator 114 is shown in this example as a knob positioned at or near a proximal end of the handle 110, it should be understood that the actuator 114 may take forms other than a knob, may be positioned at other suitable locations, and may be omitted entirely if desired.
Still referring to FIGS. 4-5, the delivery system 100 may include even further functionality to assist with positioning the prosthetic heart valve 10. For example, in the illustrated example, handle 110 includes an axial alignment actuator 116, which may be positioned near a proximal end of the handle, including distal to the commissure alignment actuator 114, or at any other desired location. In the illustrated example, the axial alignment actuator 116 is in the form of a rotatable knob, although other forms may be suitable. The axial alignment knob 116 may be operably coupled to a portion of the delivery catheter 130 supporting the prosthetic heart valve 10. For example, the axial alignment actuator 116 may include internal threads that engage external threads of a carriage that is coupled to an inner catheter 134 which supports the prosthetic heart valve 10 in the crimped condition. In such an example, the carriage may be rotatably fixed to the handle 110. With this configuration, rotating the axial alignment knob 116 may cause the carriage to advance distally or retract proximally as the inner threads of the axial alignment knob 116 mesh with the external threads of the carriage, but the carriage is prevented from rotating. As the carriage advances distally or retracts proximally, the inner catheter 134 may correspondingly advance distally or retract proximally, and thus cause the prosthetic heart valve 10 to advanced distally or retract proximally. It should be understood that, if axial alignment actuator 116 is included, it has a small total range of motion. In other words, the rough or coarse axial alignment between the prosthetic heart valve 10 and native valve annulus may be achieved by physically advancing the entire delivery catheter 130 by pushing it through the vasculature while holding the handle 110. However, for fine and more controlled adjustment of the axial position of the prosthetic heart valve 10 relative to the native valve annulus, which may be performed just prior to or during deployment of the prosthetic heart valve 10, the axial alignment knob 116 may be used. If an axial alignment actuator 116 is included, it may be used to help ensure that, upon deployment of the prosthetic heart valve 10 into the native valve annulus, the inflow end of the of the prosthetic heart valve is in axial alignment with the inflow aspect of the native valve annulus (e.g., within +/−0.5 mm of axial alignment, within +/−1.0 mm of axial alignment, within +/−1.5 mm of axial alignment, within +/−2.0 mm of axial alignment, etc.). Although axial alignment actuator 116 is shown in this example as a knob positioned at or near a proximal end of the handle 110, it should be understood that the actuator 116 may take forms other than a knob, may be positioned at other suitable locations, and may be omitted entirely if desired.
In addition to steering and positioning actuators, delivery system 100 may include a balloon actuator 120. In the illustrated example, balloon actuator 120 is positioned on the handle 110 near a distal end thereof, and is provided in the form of a switch. Balloon actuator 120 may be actuated to cause inflation or deflation of a balloon 136 that is part of the delivery system 100. For example, referring briefly to FIGS. 6-7, the delivery system 100 may include a balloon 136 that overlies a distal end of inner catheter 134 and which receives the prosthetic heart valve 10 in a crimped condition thereon. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the balloon 136 includes a proximal pillowed portion 136a, a distal pillowed portion 136b, and a central portion over which the prosthetic heart valve 10 is crimped. The proximal pillow 136a and the distal pillow 136b may form shoulders on each side of the prosthetic heart valve 10, which may help ensure the prosthetic heart valve 10 does not move axially relative to the balloon 136 and/or inner catheter 134 during delivery. The shoulder formed by the distal pillow 136 may also help protect the inflow edge of the prosthetic heart valve 10 from contact with the anatomy during delivery. For example, during a transfemoral delivery, as the distal end of the delivery catheter 130 traverse the sharp bends of the aortic arch (or during initial introduction into the patient), there is a relatively high likelihood the inflow end of the prosthetic heart valve 10 (which is the leading edge during transfemoral delivery) will contact a vessel wall (or a components of an introduction system) causing dislodgment of the prosthetic heart valve 10 relative to the balloon 136. The distal pillow 136 may tend to have an equal or larger outer diameter than the inflow end of the prosthetic heart valve 10 (when the prosthetic heart valve 10 is crimped and the balloon 136 is deflated), which may help ensure the inflow edge of the prosthetic heart valve 10 does not inadvertently contact another structure during delivery. In some examples, the pillowed portions 136a, 136b may be formed via heat setting. Additional related features for use in similar balloon catheter delivery systems are described in greater detail in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/382,812, filed Nov. 8, 2022 and titled “Prosthetic Heart Valve Delivery and Trackability,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
In order to deploy the prosthetic heart valve 10, the balloon 136 is inflated, for example by actuating the balloon actuator 120 to force fluid (such as saline, although other fluids, including liquids or gases, could be used) into the balloon 136 to cause it to expand, causing the prosthetic heart valve 10 to expand in the process. For example, the balloon actuator 120 may be pressed forward or distally to cause fluid to travel through an inflation lumen within delivery catheter 130 to inflate the balloon 136. FIG. 7 illustrates an example of the balloon 136 after being inflated, with the prosthetic heart valve 10 omitted from the figure for clarity. In the illustrated example, the balloon 136 may be formed to have a distal end that is fixed to a portion of an atraumatic distal tip 138. The distal tip 138 may be tapered to help the delivery catheter 130 move through the patient's vasculature more smoothly. A proximal end of the balloon 136 may be fixed to a distal end of outer catheter 132. The inflation lumen may be the space between the outer catheter 132 and the inner catheter 134, or in other embodiments may be provided in a wall of the inner catheter 134, or in any other location that fluidly connects the interior of the balloon 136 to a fluid source outside of the patient that is operable coupled to the delivery system 100.
Referring to FIG. 7, in some examples, a mounting shaft 140 may be provided on the inner catheter 134. A proximal stop 142 and/or a distal stop 144 may be provided, for example at opposite ends of the mounting shaft 140. If the mounting shaft 140 is included, it may provide a location on which the prosthetic heart valve 10 may be crimped. If the proximal stop 142 and/or distal stop 144 is provided, they may provide physical barriers to the prosthetic heart valve 10 moving axially relative to the balloon 136. In one example, the proximal stop 142 may taper from a larger distal diameter to a smaller proximal diameter, and the distal stop may taper from a larger proximal diameter to a smaller distal diameter. The spacing between the proximal stop 142 and the distal stop 144, if both are included, may be slightly larger than the length of the prosthetic heart valve 10 when it is crimped over mounting shaft 140. However, it should be understood that one or both of the stops 142, 144 may be omitted, and the mounting shaft 140 may also be omitted. If the mounting shaft 140 is included, it is preferably axially and rotationally fixed to the inner catheter 134 so that movement of the inner catheter 134 causes corresponding movement of the mounting member 140, and thus the prosthetic heart valve 10 when mounted thereon.
Before describing the use of balloon actuator 120 in more detail, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the balloon actuator 120 may be omitted and instead a manual device, such as a manual syringe, may be provided along with delivery system 100 in order to manually push fluid into balloon 136 during deployment of the prosthetic heart valve 10. However, in the illustrated example of delivery system 100, the balloon actuator 120 provides for a motorized and/or automated (or semi-automated) balloon inflation functionality. For example, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 illustrate an example of a balloon inflation system 170. Balloon inflation system 170 may include a housing 172 that houses one or more components, which may include a motor, one or more batteries, electronics for control and/or communication with other components, etc. Housing 172 may include one or more fixed cradles to receive a syringe 174. In the illustrated embodiment, a distal cradle 176 is provide with an open “C”- or “U”-shaped configuration so that the distal end of the syringe 174 may be snapped into or out of the distal cradle 176. A proximal cradle 178 may also be provided, which may have a “C”- or “U”-shaped bottom portion hingedly connected to a “C”- or “U”-shaped top portion. This configuration may allow for the proximal end of the outer body of the syringe 174 to be snapped into the bottom portion of proximal cradle 178, and the top portion of proximal cradle 178 may be closed and connected to the bottom portion to fully circumscribe the outer body of the syringe 174 to lock the syringe 174 to the housing 172. It should be understood that more or fewer cradles, of similar or different designs, may be included with housing 172 to help secure the syringe 174 to the housing 172 in any suitable fashion.
The balloon inflation system 170 may include a moving member 180. In the illustrated embodiment, moving member 180 includes a “C”- or “U”-shaped cradle to receive a plunger handle 182 of the syringe 174 therein, the cradle being attached to a carriage that extends at least partially into the housing 172. The carriage of the moving member 180 may be generally cylindrical, and may include internal threading that mates with external threading of a screw mechanism (not shown) within the housing 172 that is operably coupled to a motor. In some embodiments, the carriage may have the general shape of a “U”-beam with the flat face oriented toward the top. The moving member 180 may be rotationally fixed to the housing 172 via any desirable mechanism, so that upon rotation of the screw mechanism by the motor, the moving member 180 advances farther into the housing 172, or retracts farther away from the housing 172, depending on the direction of rotation of the screw mechanism. While the plunger handle 182 is coupled to the moving member 180, advancement of the moving member 180 forces fluid from the syringe 174 toward the balloon 136, while retraction of the moving member 180 withdraws fluid from the balloon 136 toward the syringe 174. It should be understood that the motor, or other driving mechanism, may be located in or outside the housing 172, and any other suitable mechanism may be used to operably couple the motor or other driving mechanism to the moving member 180 to allow for axial driving of the plunger handle 182.
As shown in each of FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. 10, the distal end of syringe 174 may be coupled to tubing 184 that is in fluid communication with an inflation lumen of delivery catheter 130 that leads to the balloon 136 at or near the distal end of the delivery system 100. Tubing 184 may allow for the passage of the fluid (e.g., saline) from the syringe 174 toward the balloon 136, or for withdrawal of fluid from the balloon 136 toward the syringe 174, for example based on whether the balloon actuator 120 is pressed forward or backward.
Although not separately numbered in FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. 10, the housing 172 may include one or more cables extending from the housing, for example to allow for transmission of power (e.g., from AC mains or another component with which the cable is coupled) and/or transmission of data, information, control commands, etc. For example, one cable may couple the housing 172 to handle 110 so that controls on the handle 110 (e.g., balloon actuator 120) may be used to activate the balloon inflation system 170 in the desired fashion. Another cable may couple to a computer display or similar device to provide information regarding the inflation of the balloon 136. However, it should be understood that any transmission of data or information may be provided wirelessly instead of via a wired connection, for example via a Bluetooth or other suitable connection. Additional and related features of balloon inflation system 170, related systems, and the uses thereof are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/311,458, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing exemplary steps in an implantation procedure 200 to implant the prosthetic heart valve 10 of FIG. 1 into a patient using the delivery system 100 of FIG. 4. However, it should be understood that not all of the steps shown in connection with implantation procedure 200 need to be performed, and various steps not explicitly shown and described in connection with procedure 200 may be performed as part of the implantation procedure. At the beginning of the procedure 200 in step 202, the prosthetic heart valve 10 may be collapsed over or crimped onto balloon 136, with the balloon 136 being mostly or entirely deflated after the crimping procedure. It should be understood that crimping step 202 may be performed at any time prior to the procedure, including at the beginning of the procedure, or at an earlier stage before the delivery system 100 is provided to the end user. In other words, the crimping step 202 may be performed during a manufacturing stage of the delivery system 100 and/or prosthetic heart valve 10. During an early stage of the implantation procedure 200, a guidewire GW may be advanced into the patient in step 204, for example via the femoral artery, around the aortic arch, through the native aortic valve, and into the left ventricle. The guidewire GW may be used as a rail for other devices that need to access this pathway. For example, in step 206, the atraumatic distal tip 138 may be advanced over the proximal end of the guidewire GW, and the delivery catheter 130 may be advanced over guidewire GW toward the native aortic valve. During this initial advancement of the delivery catheter 130 into the patient, the introducer 150 (if included) may be positioned distally, for example so that it covers the prosthetic heart valve 10 or so that it is positioned just proximal to the prosthetic heart valve 10. Advancement of the delivery catheter 130 and introducer 150 may continue until a proximal hub of the introducer is in contact with the patient's skin (or in contact with another device that enters the patient's femoral artery. At this point, the introducer 150 may stop moving axially relative to the patient, with the delivery catheter 130 continuing to advance relative to the introducer 150. If steering capability is provided, the delivery catheter 130 may be steered or deflected at any point to assist with achieving the desired pathway of the delivery catheter 130. As on example, in step 208, the steering knob 112 may be actuated to deflect the distal end of the delivery catheter 130 as it traverses the sharp bends of the aortic arch. Advancement of the delivery catheter 130 may continue in step 210 until the prosthetic heart valve 10, while still crimped or collapsed, is positioned within the native aortic valve annulus. With the desired position achieved, the balloon 136 may be partially inflated, for example by pressing balloon actuator 120 forward, to partially expand the prosthetic heart valve 10 in step 212. In some examples, it is desirable to expand the prosthetic heart valve 10 only partially in step 212, because the position of the prosthetic heart valve 10 (including rotational and/or axial positioning) relative to the native aortic valve annulus may shift during this partial expansion. After the partial expansion of step 212, the user may examine the positioning of the prosthetic heart valve 10 relative to the native aortic valve annulus. If desired, in step 214, the axial positioning of the partially-expanded prosthetic heart valve 10 relative to the native aortic valve annulus may be finely adjusted (e.g., by actuating axial alignment actuator 116) and/or the rotational orientation of the prosthetic heart valve 10 relative to the native aortic valve may be finely adjust (e.g., by actuating commissure alignment actuator 114). When the desired axial alignment is achieved and the desired rotational alignment (e.g., rotational alignment between the prosthetic commissure and the native commissures) is achieved, the balloon 136 may be fully expanded in step 216 to fully expand the prosthetic heart valve 10 and to anchor the prosthetic heart valve 10 in the native aortic valve annulus in the desired position and orientation. After deployment is complete, the balloon 136 may be deflated in step 218, for example by pressing actuating balloon 120 backward, and the delivery catheter 130 and guidewire GW may be removed from the patient to complete the procedure. It should be understood that the nine steps shown in FIG. 11 as part of procedure 200 are merely exemplary of a single example of an implantation procedure, and steps shown may be omitted, steps not shown may be included, and steps may be provided in any order deemed appropriate by the physician and/or medical personnel.
Although various components of a prosthetic heart valve 10 and delivery system 100 are described above, it should be understood that these components are merely intended to provide better context to the systems, features, and/or methods described below. Thus, various components of the systems described above may be modified or omitted as appropriate without affecting the systems, features, and/or methods described below. For example, prosthetic heart valves other than the specific configuration shown and described in connection with FIGS. 1-3 may be used with delivery systems other than the specific configuration shown and described in connection with FIGS. 4-10 as part of an implantation procedure that uses steps other than the specific configuration shown and described in connection with FIG. 11, without affecting the inventive systems, features, and/or methods described below.
As described above, each leaflet is typically attached to a stent structure at commissure attachment features (CAFs) via leaflet tabs 96 and along the belly to inner and/or outer skirts via a plurality of holes 98 along attached edge 94. The specific manner in which the leaflets are attached to other structures (e.g., stent, inner skirt, outer skirt) may affect valve durability. For example, leaflet attachment patterns may have an effect on long-term durability of prosthetic heart valves, and excessive stress may result in leaflet failure (e.g., leaflet tearing due to overloading) if the leaflets are securely attached. In the following examples, several methods are described for distributing stress along the attached edge 94, and improvements are contemplated to improve the reproducibility of this attachment.
FIG. 12 illustrates a leaflet attachment pattern that includes two rows of offset stitches instead of a single row. Without being bound by any particular theory, it is believed that additional sutures points may aid in attaching the leaflet to a secondary structure (e.g., inner skirt), and in distributing stress on the suture line. In FIG. 12, a suture pattern 1200 is shown that includes eight suture points 1201-1208 and the order in which the suture points are joined is illustrated with a number within a circle at the suture point. In this example, a single suture is divided into a first component or leg S1a, and a second component or leg S1b to form a modified reverse running stitch. Starting at suture point 1201 (labeled with “1” for ease of illustration), the first leg S1a travels diagonally and downward to suture point 1202, then diagonally and downward across to suture point 1203 then zig-zags back across to suture point 1204. At the end of the first leg S1a, the suture pattern extends across to the opposing row to suture point 1205 is reversed and fills in the complementary set of suture points 1205 to 1206, 1206 to 1207, 1207 to 1208 and 1208 back to 1201 to form second leg S1b with a mirror-image zig-zag shape. Suture points 1201 and 1208 may be disposed at the upper left side of the attachment line in FIG. 13, and suture points 1204 and 1205 may be disposed at the upper right side of the attachment line shown in FIG. 13. This pattern, referred to as a “double helix reverse running stitch,” may distribute the leaflet line attachment stresses over a wider area when compared to a single suture line. Variations are possible, and though eight suture points 1201-1208 are shown to illustrate the pattern, it will be understood that any number points may be used, and that the suture pattern may form a complete U-shape in a geometry similar to that shown for holes 98 of FIG. 3. Alternatively, the U-shape may be broken into multiple segments (e.g., two arcs, one on the right side and one on the left side of each leaflet).
In addition to the suture pattern described above, the double helix shown above with respect to FIG. 12 may be used as a pre-assembly on the leaflet prior to attachment of the leaflet to the prosthetic heart valve. As shown in FIG. 13, a leaflet 90 includes a free edge 92, leaflet tabs 96 and a suture pattern 1200 disposed adjacent attached edge 94 and spaced away from the edge. Suture patterns 1200 may include two legs S1a,S1b as previously discussed with a first leg S1a going toward the belly and a second leg S1b coming back from the belly.
After pre-assembly of suture pattern 1200, the leaflets may be attached to the prosthetic heart valve (e.g., inner skirt and/or stent). Rather than going outside of the pre-assembly sutures, a leaflet attachment line S2 may pierce the leaflet in between the pre-assembly stitches S1a, S1b as shown in FIG. 14. In this example, dashed leaflet attachment line S2 reflects the leaflet to inner skirt attachment stitches, and these stitches may be formed of a separate suture thread than suture pattern S1a,S1b. In this example, the pre-assembly suture pattern 1200 may provide an anchor point for leaflet attachment line S2 and may provide additional stability. As shown, leaflet attachment line S2 is disposed directly in the middle of suture pattern 1200 and extends through the intersections of the two legs. However, variations are possible, and the leaflet attachment line S2 may be offset (i.e., disposed closer to one end of the suture pattern or the other).
In another embodiment, a suture pattern may include multiple independent attachment lines having a primary suture line and a secondary suture line used to create additional attachment points and disperse stress near the leaflet attachment edge. Without being bound by any particular theory, it is expected that the stresses will not be equally shared between the different attachment lines. Rather, the secondary suture line may be an outermost suture line (in relation to the leaflet perimeter) and may bear less stress compared to the primary suture line disposed nearer to the main leaflet body. However, even in such cases, the secondary suture line may still support the primary suture line and may act as a failsafe in case the primary suture line fails. In a first example, shown in FIG. 15, two adjacent (or more if desired) independent reverse-running suture lines (i.e., a first reverse-running stitch 1500a having a first leg and a second leg and a second reverse-running stitch 1500b having a third leg and a fourth leg) may be used to attach the leaflet to the inner cuff and/or stent. The first pattern 1500a and the second pattern 1500b may be spaced apart by a predetermined distance (e.g., between 0.5 mm and 2.0 mm, or about 1.0 mm).
In a second example, shown in FIG. 16, two independent reverse running suture lines 1600a, 1600b are used, and the two lines are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. Reverse running suture line 1600a may be a preassembly suture that couples to the leaflet only. Reverse running stitch 1600b may be an additional leaflet attachment stitch that couples to both the leaflet and the cuff. In this example, the two suture lines are further coupled together via transverse bridging stitches S16 that extend from suture line 1600a to suture line 1600b to increase strength and better disperse stress. Bridging stitches S16 may be a leaflet attachment stitch in the form of a whip stitch through the leaflet, the preassembly stitch and the cuff.
FIGS. 17A-17D illustrate an example of coupling two tabs of adjoining leaflet to form a commissure using a pre-seam suture. As shown in FIG. 17A, a leaflet 1790 may include a tab 1796, and the tab 1796 may be folded along line 17F1. In some examples, the leaflet 1790 may be folded in half along line 17F1 (FIG. 17B) to create a tab double layer. Two adjacent leaflets 1790A, 1790B may be coupled together at their respective tabs 1796A, 1796B, the two tabs having been folded as shown. A first pre-seam suture pattern 17S1 may couple tabs 1796A,1796B together and may begin with stitches that pierce in and out of the tabs. As shown, stitches that pierce into the leaflets as illustrated are designated with an “I” and stitches that come out of the leaflets are designated with an “O”. Thus, first pre-seam suture pattern 17S1 may begin by going into the tabs at location 11, go through the two tab layers of each leaflet, and then come out at the opposite leaflet tab at location O1 (not shown). The suture then extends upward and goes back in to the leaflet at location 12 (also not shown), pierces four layers of tissue, and comes out at location O2. This pattern continues until returning through location O4. After coming through the tabs at location O4, first pre-seam suture pattern 17S1 may loop around the top edge of the tabs as shown (FIG. 17C). After the top loop, first pre-seam suture pattern 17S1 may repeat a similar, but opposite pattern, by coming out through location O5, extending down and going back in at location 16, coming back out at location O7 and going back in at location 18 where it will then terminate with a free tail on the opposite leaflet (FIG. 17D). This construct will be referred to as the “pre-seam suture,” and this may be combined with other sutures that couple the leaflet along the belly portion (not shown).
Each of the first pre-seam suture patterns 17S1 may couple two tabs 1790A,1790B of adjacent leaflets together and may include two free tails 17T1 (FIG. 18). In this figure, the partial schematic shows a smooth (or interior) surface view of three leaflets. Two pre-seam suture patterns 17S1,17S2 are shown for adjoining commissures, and one free tail from each of the pre-seam suture patterns may be used to couple the belly of the leaflet (i.e., a first free tail 17T1 from pre-seam suture pattern 17S1, and a second free tail 17T2 coming from pre-seam suture pattern 17S2. Free tails 17T1,17T2 may be used to form a running stitch in the direction of arrow A1 around the belly of the leaflet through a series of holes 1720 (FIG. 19). In some configurations, the suture pattern is asymmetric with first free tails 17T1 terminating three holes before the center, and second free tails 17T2 terminating two holes past the center. Each tail may then return toward the respective tabs according to arrow A2 to create reverse running stitches (FIG. 20). Notably, a gap 17G is formed between the two suture tails. A partial schematic illustration of the final leaflet sub-assembly is shown in FIG. 21, and each of the stitches is indicated with an “O” or “I” and the order of the stitch as previously described. After the leaflets are coupled together, a plurality of whip stitches W1, W2 may be made using free tails 17T1,17T2, respectively to couple the leaflets to the fabric of the cuff (FIG. 22). Whip stitches W1, W2 may also be used to couple to at least one the struts of the stent. A partial schematic illustration of the final leaflet sub-assembly after forming the whip stitches is shown in FIG. 23.
Variations of these leaflet attachment concepts are possible. For examples, it will be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, whip stitches W1, W2 may be formed using a separate suture thread. In some examples, whip stitches W1, W2 may be disposed over the edge of the belly of the leaflet to eliminate curling up of belly edge during preconstruction and/or to remove some material from the belly edge to reduce crimp profile. As shown in FIGS. 24A-24B, instead of whip stitches W1 that are formed entirely within the region of belly 2410 of leaflet 2490 (FIG. 24A), whip stitches W1′ may instead be wrapped around the edge 2411 of belly 2410 (FIG. 24B). Optionally, the leaflet belly 2410 may be trimmed by 1-3 mm to reduce the size of the leaflet before whip stitches W1′ are wrapped around the belly as shown by the trimmed leaflet in FIG. 24B. The order of attachment may remain the same (e.g., cuff-stent assembly, pre-seam suture pattern, pre-assembly, CAF attachment and leaflet-to-cuff whip stitch), or may be modified as desired.
In some examples, a pre-seam suture pattern may include a running stitch that goes from one tab to the opposing tab with no turnaround or reverse-running portion so as to produce less suture hole elongation at the bottom of the belly. As shown in FIG. 25, a first tail 25T1 may begin at a first tab pair (or commissure) 2505A and extend along the belly curve to an opposing tab pair 2505B from left to right in the direction of arrow A3. A second tail 25T2 may begin at tab pair 2505B and follow the same curvature along the belly, but from right to left in the direction of arrow A4, to first tab pair 2505A. This may be followed by including whip stitches along the belly as previously described.
In some examples, there is no reverse-running stitch along the belly and a modified sub-CAF stitch pattern may be formed (FIG. 26). In this example, no reverse-running pre-assembly stitch is formed. Instead, two tails 26T1,26T2 may be used to stitch a leaflet, each tail forming two types of stitches. Specifically, as shown, first tail 26T1 forms a running stitch 26R through the first three holes, followed by a whip stitch pattern 26W beyond that. The first stitch in the running stitch 26R may go through the leaflet tissue only, and all others may go through the leaflet tissue and the fabric. Likewise, second tail 26T2 forms a running stitch 26R on the other side through the first three holes, followed by a whip stitch pattern 26W beyond that, and the two tails may be knotted together. Turning to FIG. 27, it will be understood that the same tail 27T1 from a pre-seam (such as that shown in FIG. 17D) may be used to continue a running stitch down the. Alternatively, two separate strands of sutures may be used. Optionally, one of the stitches may wrap around one or more of the struts of the stent and go through a second pre-cut suture hole in leaflet (twice). This may result in a simpler stitch pattern with less stitches and fewer stitches congested in the sub-CAF area.
In some examples, no whip stitch is formed and a running stitch goes through both the leaflet tissue and fabric cuff. As shown in FIG. 28, pre-seam suture pattern may then continue to include a running stitch that goes from one tab to the opposing tab with no turnaround or reverse-running portion. Specifically, a first tail 28T1 may begin at a first tab pair (or commissure) 2805A and extend along the belly curve to an opposing tab pair 2805B from left to right where it terminates in a free tail. A second tail 28T2 may begin at tab pair 2805B and follow the same curvature along the belly, but from right to left, to first tab pair 2805A. The first stitch may go through the tissue leaflet only, and all other stitches may go through both the leaflet tissue and the fabric cuff. This may eliminate the need for a whip stitch along the belly, and may remove material from the belly edge to reduce crimp profile and produce a simpler stitch pattern with less stitches.
Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20250161034
