Blood vessel valves include flexible tissue leaflets that passively alternate between open and closed positions as the forces of a blood stream act upon them. As blood flows in a first direction, the leaflets are urged apart from each other, and allow the blood to pass. Between pulses, as the blood attempts to flow in a reverse direction, the blood acts upon upstream surfaces of the individual leaflets, causing the leaflets to move inwardly. As the leaflets move inwardly, the edges of the individual leaflets (two, in the case of bicuspid valves, and three in the case of tricuspid valves) abut against each other, effectively blocking the blood flow in the reverse direction.
Valves are also present within the heart. The heart contains four one-way valves that direct blood flow through the heart and into the arteries. Three of these valves, the aortic valve, the tricuspid valve, and the pulmonary valve, each have three leaflets. The fourth valve, the mitral valve, has two leaflets. By defining a direction in which blood can flow, these valves are responsible for the resulting pump effect a heart has on blood when the heart beats.
A number of diseases result in a thickening, and subsequent immobility or reduced mobility, of valve leaflets. Valve immobility leads to a narrowing, or stenosis, of the passageway through the valve. The increased resistance to blood flow that a stenosed valve presents eventually leads to heart failure and death.
Treating severe valve stenosis or regurgitation has heretofore involved complete removal of the existing native valve followed by the implantation of a prosthetic valve. Naturally, this is a heavily invasive procedure and inflicts great trauma on the body leading usually to great discomfort and considerable recovery time. It is also a sophisticated procedure that requires great expertise and talent to perform.
Historically, such valve replacement surgery has been performed using traditional open-heart surgery where the chest is opened, the heart stopped, the patient placed on cardiopulmonary bypass, the native valve excised and the replacement valve attached. More recently, it has been proposed to perform valve replacement surgery percutaneously, that is, through a catheter, so as to avoid opening the chest.
One such percutaneous valve replacement method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,614 (the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference) issued to Andersen et al. In this patent, the prosthetic valve is collapsed to a size that fits within a catheter. The catheter is then inserted into the patient's vasculature and moved so as to position the collapsed valve at the location of the native valve. A deployment mechanism is activated that expands the replacement valve against the walls of the body lumen. The expansion force pushes the leaflets of the existing native valve against the lumen wall thus essentially “excising” the native valve for all intents and purposes. The expanded structure, which includes a scaffold configured to have a valve shape with valve leaflet supports, is then released from the catheter and begins to take on the function of the native valve. As a result, a full valve replacement has been achieved but at a significantly reduced physical impact to the patient.
One particular drawback with the percutaneous approach disclosed in the Andersen '614 patent is the difficulty in preventing leakage around the perimeter of the new valve after implantation. Since it appears that the tissue of the native valve remains within the lumen, there is a strong likelihood that the commissural junctions and fusion points of the valve tissue (as pushed against the lumen wall) will make sealing of the prosthetic valve around the interface between the lumen and the prosthetic valve difficult. Furthermore, in some patients, the deflection of the leaflets against the lumen walls could potentially obstruct the ostial openings of the lumen.
Although both the traditional open heart valve replacement surgery and the newer percutaneous valve replacement surgery replace a native valve in entirely different ways and both have their drawbacks, the paradigm of these two approaches is identical: Render the native valve useless, either through excision (open heart) or immobilization (percutaneous), and then implant a completely new replacement prosthetic valve to take over. In other words, both approaches rely entirely on the premise that the native valve must be entirely replaced (physically or functionally) by an entirely new prosthetic valve.
In contravention of the prior art, the present invention introduces an entirely different paradigm to valve replacement surgery, something neither taught nor contemplated by the open heart approach or the percutaneous approach (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,614) and something that largely avoids the drawbacks associated with both. More specifically, the present invention is premised on leaving the native valve in place, not on its excision or immobilization, and then utilizing the native valve as a platform for actually treating the diseased valve. This is a wholly new approach to treating diseased valves.
For example, in one embodiment of the invention, the physician diagnoses that the patient has a stenotic valve and then percutaneously mounts a plurality of small “leaflet valves” or “mini-valves” on one or more of the diseased native valve leaflets. In other words the native valve and its leaflets are used as a planar surface or a type of “bulkhead” on which new mini leaflet valves are mounted. The native valve remains in place but valve disfunction is remedied due to the presence of these new leaflet valves. As a result, the diseased valve is successfully treated without the complication associated with removing the native valve.
This leads to a much simpler and safer approach as compared to the prior art. It avoids the invasive nature of the open heart approach and avoids the sealing and ostial blockage problems of the percutaneous approach.
The present invention relates to the treating of narrowed, stiff or calcified heart valves. The aforementioned problems with present treatment methods are addressed by treating the targeted valve leaflets individually, rather than replacing the entire valve using an open-heart or a percutaneous procedure. That is, in the present method, the rigid heart valve leaflet is treated by introducing small prosthetic valves into the leaflet itself.
The present invention includes a method of treating the individual leaflets of a targeted heart valve that includes installing one or more small, one-way valves into the targeted leaflets. These smaller valves can be placed in the leaflet using catheter systems, obviating the need for opening the heart or great vessels, cardiopulmonary bypass, excision of the diseased valve, and a thoracotomy. Additionally, multiple small valve placements might reduce the long-term risks associated with a complete prosthetic valve, because failure of an individual valve will not necessarily lead to cardiac failure. The remaining small valves and remaining healthy native valves might be sufficient to sustain life.
One aspect of the present invention provides a method of placing small valves through a target valve that involves puncturing the target valve and pushing the miniature valve through the target valve tissue. The valve is then anchored in place using a variety of mechanisms including tabs, riveting of the valve housing, spines, friction placement or the use of a fixation cuff.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a variety of valve implant mechanisms constructed and arranged for placement in a target valve leaflet. The valve implant mechanisms include a valve housing that operably houses a valve mechanism such as a duckbill valve, a tilting check valve, a ball and cage valve, or a hinged leaflet valve or a valve using tissue leaflets. The valve implant may also include an anchoring mechanism such as tabs, spines, threads, shoulders, or a deformable housing.
The present invention also provides a device useable to remove a section of the target valve, without damaging the surrounding valve tissue, and inserting a valve implant into the void left in the target valve. The device is contained within a catheter such that a valve implant insertion procedure can be accomplished percutaneously. Preferably, this delivery system is constructed and arranged to be placed through a 14 French catheter, traverse the aorta, land on a targeted leaflet such as one of the leaflets of the aortic valve, puncture the leaflet at a predetermined spot, cut a hole on the order of 4 mm in diameter, capture and remove any cut tissue, place a radially compressed one-way valve including a attachment cuff made of a shape memory alloy material (e.g., Nitinol) and a stainless steel sizing ring into the leaflet hole, securely attach the valve assembly to the leaflet, dilate the hole and the valve assembly to a precise final diameter, such as 8 mm, using a balloon, and be retracted leaving the valve assembly in place in the leaflet.
a-f are side elevations of various embodiments of the valve implant of the present invention;
a is a detailed sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the valve implant of the present invention in a compressed or folded state;
b is a detailed sectional view of the valve implant of
c-f are sectional views of alternative configurations of the preferred valve implant of the present invention;
a is a sectional view of an embodiment of the delivery system of the present invention;
b is a detailed sectional view of the distal end of the delivery system of
a is a sectional view of the delivery catheter of the present invention;
b is a perspective view of an alternative cutter of the present invention;
a is a detailed sectional view of the handle of the delivery system of the present invention;
b is a side elevation of the handle of
a is a side elevation of the handle of the present invention in a “Deliver” position;
b is a sectional view of the distal end of the delivery system of the present invention when the handle is in the “Deliver” position of
a is a side elevation of the handle of the present invention in an “Insert” position;
b is a sectional view of the distal end of the delivery system of the present invention when the handle is in the “Insert” position of
a is a side elevation of the handle of the present invention in a “Cut” position;
b is a sectional view of the distal end of the delivery system of the present invention when the handle is in the “Cut” position of
a-e are an operational sequence of the capture device of
a is a side elevation of the handle of the present invention in a “Distal” position;
b is a sectional view of the distal end of the delivery system of the present invention when the handle is in the “Distal” position of
a is a side elevation of the handle of the present invention in a “Proximal” position;
b is a sectional view of the distal end of the delivery system of the present invention when the handle is in the “Proximal” position of
a is a side elevation of the handle of the present invention in an “Inflate” position;
b is a sectional view of the distal end of the delivery system of the present invention when the handle is in the “Inflate” position of
a is a side elevation of the handle of the present invention in an “Inflate” position during a deflating procedure;
b is a sectional view of the distal end of the delivery system of the present invention when the handle is in the “Inflate” position of
Referring now to the Figures, and first to
The valve implant 10 of
The valve implant 10 of
Also included in the valve implant 10 of
The valve implant 10 of
The valve implant 10 of
e shows a valve implant 10 with a valve mechanism 14 that uses an inside-hinged dual flap valve 32, with individual flap members that rotate about their inner edges when influenced by fluid flow. The valve implant 10 combines upstream posts 24 with upstream-angled barbs 28 on the downstream side of the valve implant 10.
The valve implant 10 shown in
One skilled in the art will realize that any of the aforementioned anchoring mechanisms 12 and valve mechanisms 14 may be combined in a single valve implant 10. For example, the valve implants 10 shown in
A preferred embodiment of the valve implant 10 of the present invention is shown in
Like the aforementioned embodiments of the valve implants 10, the valve implant 10 of
In the compressed state, the legs 42 and 44 are somewhat aligned with the middle portion 40 to allow the cuff 36 to be compressed into a catheter, preferably a 14 French catheter. The cuff 36 is either expandable or self-expanding. Upon release from the catheter, the legs 42 and 44 fold outwardly until they radiate from the middle portion 40 at approximately right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cuff 36. The legs 42 and 44 are designed to act against the upstream and downstream sides, respectively, of a valve leaflet, sandwiching the leaflet therebetween and anchoring the cuff 36 to the leaflet.
The anchoring mechanism 12 of the valve implant 10 shown in
The valve mechanism 14 includes a sleeve 46 and one or more valve members 48. The sleeve 46 may be rigid or flexible, but it is preferably flexible. More preferably, the sleeve 46 is constructed of any sufficiently flexible material capable of withstanding the environment to which it will be subjected, including but not limited to, any mammalian tissue, including human or pig tissue, vertebrate tissue, or a polymer or other synthetic material. The valve members 48 are shown as being duckbill valves but may be any of the aforementioned discussed valve designs.
Most preferably, the valve mechanism 14 comprises an intact harvested valve from an animal, such as pig, and is taken from an appropriate location such that the expanded, original size is suitable for use in the leaflets of the stenotic valve being treated. The harvested valve is sutured or otherwise attached to the inside surface of the cuff 36. In operation, the valve implant 10 is compressed such that it can be placed in a small catheter for percutaneous delivery. At the time of delivery, the valve implant 10 is attached to a stenotic leaflet and radially expanded to its functional diameter. Prior to, or during expansion, the distal and proximal legs 42 and 44 expand radially, allowing the cuff 36 to create a strong bulkhead-like fitting on both sides of the leaflet. After attachment is made to the leaflet, the cuff 36, sizing ring 38, and the valve mechanism 14 are radially expanded to the functional diameter of the valve implant 10. During this expansion, the sizing ring 38 exhibits plastic deformation until it achieves the maximum diameter, at which point the sizing ring 38 resists further expansion.
c-4f depict alternative configurations for the preferred valve implant 10. The valve implant 10 in
In one preferred embodiment, the valve implant 10 can be configured to include commissural support structure like a wireform stent as sometimes found in known standard sized prosthetic tissue valves. In such a configuration, the valve material will comprise a biologic tissue such as human pericardium or equine pericardium or small intestine submucousal tissue. In the present invention, the material must be thin enough to be compressed and perhaps folded so as to fit the valve implant 10 within the delivery system (described below). In a preferred embodiment, such tissue has a thickness of around 180 microns or less.
In another alternative embodiment, the cuff mechanism could be a torroidal shaped sack (not shown), similar in shape to a deflated inner tube, attached to the exterior surface of the base of the valve implant 10 and connected to a UV curable liquid polymer reservoir contained within the delivery catheter. The sack material is composed of an elastic material that can be radially expanded by a balloon angioplasty catheter or by the injection of the liquid polymer. The liquid adhesive contained within the sack can be transformed to a solid polymer through UV light activated cross-linking
This sack, essentially empty, can be manipulated by the delivery catheter to straddle both sides or surfaces around the hole cut in the leaflet for receiving the valve implant 10. Once located, the sack can be enlarged by an underlying balloon catheter. Then, UV curable liquid polymer can be injected into the sack through the delivery catheter. Once filled with an adequate amount of a polymer and adjusted distally/proximally to form sufficient bulges on both sides of the valve leaflet, a UV light emission source, located within the delivery catheter near the bag is activated to wash the adhesive filled bag with UV curing light. Once hardened by the UV effect, the cuff maintains its enlarged size without balloon support.
Referring to
The poppet 221 or “mini-leaflet” can be comprised of any material sufficiently flexible to allow for the described movement yet sufficiently durable to withstand the environment. For example, the poppet 221 may made from materials such as biologic tissue, a polymer or a carbon based material. Moreover, the poppet 221 could be coated with tissue prom the patient, e.g., tissue from a patient's vein wall. The poppet material may include supporting internal structure and/or an outer ring to ensure the structural integrity of the poppet 221 during operation. The poppet can have a curved in order to better conform the poppet 221 to the contour of the native leaflet 7.
In this regard, after a hole is created in the leaflet 7 (discussed below), the poppet 221 is pushed or screwed into the leaflet. It may be retained there by barbs or screw threads or by hooks or other types of retaining mechanisms.
The attachment mechanism 220 (
In an optional embodiment of the invention shown in
Referring to
Catheter Delivery System
Referring now to
As best seen in
One skilled in the art will realize that alternatives could be used instead of a cutter die 62. For example, the cutter die 62 could be replaced with a balloon, constructed and arranged to be inflated on the upstream side of the leaflet 7 (or both sides of the leaflet to capture the tissue) and sized to fit within the cutter 90. A second balloon could also be arranged to be inflated on the downstream side of the leaflet, such that the leaflet is captured between the two balloons. The balloon concept, though arguably more complicated and expensive, may prove useful in situations where a cut needs to be made in tissue that has lost the resiliency needed to “pop” into the capture groove 72 of the cutter die 62. Other devices, such as barbs and clamps, are also envisioned to act in this manner.
The cannula 66 connects with the cutter die 62 and the hemostatic hub 64. At the distal end of the cannula 66 is a needle tip 74. The needle tip 74 is angled to form a sharp point usable to puncture tissue. The cannula 66 includes a lumen 76 extending the length thereof. This lumen 76 is used to accommodate a guidewire 60 (
The hemostatic hub 64 allows the leaflet capture catheter 52 to be removably attached to the handle 58. The hemostatic hub 64 includes a body 78, a threaded knob 80, and an elastomeric seal 82. The body 78 defines an interior cavity 84 that is shaped to receive and hold a cannula hub 86 that is attached to a proximal end of the cannula 66. The interior cavity 84 is also shaped to receive the elastomeric seal 82, which is compressed between the threaded knob 80 and the body 78. The interior cavity 84 is partially internally threaded to receive the external threads of the threaded knob 80. The threaded knob 80 defines a guidewire port 88 that aligns with the interior cavity 84 and the lumen 76 of the cannula 66 so that a continuous port is available for the guidewire 60 to extend the length of the leaflet capture catheter 52. When a guidewire 60 is inserted through the guidewire port 88, the threaded knob 80 and the elastomeric seal 82 act together as a hemostatic valve. When the threaded knob 80 is rotated to compress the elastomeric seal 82, the elastomeric seal 82 swells inwardly, until it forms a blood-tight seal around the guidewire 60. The cannula 66 and the hub 64 are constructed and arranged to carry the tensile force generated during a hole cutting procedure, discussed in detail below.
The leaflet capture catheter 52 is slidingly and coaxially contained within the delivery catheter 54. The delivery catheter 54 is best shown in
The balloon catheter 92 generally includes an inner tube 104 extending distally and proximally from within an outer tube 106. A balloon 108 is connected at a distal end to the outside of the inner tube 104 and at a proximal end to the outside of the outer tube 106. The outside diameter of the inner tube 104 is smaller than the inside diameter of the outer tube 106, such that a fluid passageway is formed therebetween for inflation of the balloon 108. A flexible valve stop 110 is attached to the outer tube 106 just proximal of the proximal end of the balloon 108. The valve stop 110 has a flexible sleeve 112 that extends distally over the proximal end of the balloon 108. The function of the valve stop 110 is to prevent proximal movement of the valve implant 10 during delivery. The valve implant 10, as will be seen below, will be placed over the balloon 108, distal of the valve stop 110. The flexible sleeve 112 allows the balloon to inflate while maintaining a desired positioning of the valve implant 10. The inner tube 104 has an inner diameter large enough to accommodate the cannula 66 of the leaflet capture catheter 52. A proximal end of the balloon catheter 92 is attached to the catheter hub 94.
The catheter hub 94 includes a catheter hub body 114 that defines an inner cavity 116 and a balloon inflation port 118. The proximal end of the inner cavity 116 has internal threads to receive an externally threaded knob 120. An elastomeric seal 122 resides between the threaded knob 120 and the catheter hub body 114. The threaded knob 120 defines a capture catheter port 124 that aligns with the interior cavity 116 of the body 114 and the interior of the balloon catheter 92 so that the leaflet capture catheter 52 may pass therethrough.
The balloon catheter 92 is attached to the catheter hub 94 in such a manner that fluid introduced into the balloon inflation port 118 will flow between the outer tube 106 and the inner tube 104 to inflate the balloon 108. The outer tube 106 is attached at its proximal end to the distal end of the interior cavity 116 of the catheter hub body 114. Preferably, an adhesive 126 is used to connect the outer tube 106 to the interior cavity 116 of the catheter hub body 114 at a position distal of the balloon inflation port 118. The inner tube 104 extends proximally from the proximal end of the outer tube 108. The proximal end of the inner tube 104 is also attached to the interior cavity 116 of the catheter hub body 114. However, this connection is made at a position proximal of the balloon inflation port 118, preferably with an adhesive 128. Thus, fluid entering the balloon inflation port 118 is blocked from flowing in a proximal direction by the proximal adhesive 128. It is also blocked from traveling in a distal direction on the outside of outer tube 106 by the distal adhesive 126. Instead, the fluid is forced to flow between the inner tube 104 and the outer tube 106 in a distal direction toward the interior of the balloon 108.
The leaflet capture catheter 52 and the delivery catheter 54 are slideably contained within the sheath catheter 56. Referring now to
Referring now to
The handle 58 is thus constructed and arranged to slide the leaflet capture catheter 52 in a proximal direction relative to the sheath catheter 56 and the delivery catheter 54 when the actuator 142 is squeezed toward the finger grip 140, thereby pulling the hemostatic hub 64 in a proximal direction. The handle 58 is also constructed and arranged to slide the sheath catheter 56 proximally over the leaflet capture catheter 52 and the delivery catheter 54 when the sheath retraction nut 150 is rotated proximally. The operation of the handle 58 and the rest of the delivery system 50 are explained in more detail below.
Referring to
For example, if after deployment, it is determined that placement of the valve implant 10 is incorrect, the physician can pull on the tether and retract the valve implant 10 as shown in
Operation
Referring now to
Referring now to
In
In this regard, it is helpful to note that the target leaflet may actually include two leaflets if the leaflets are calcified together. For example, with reference to
Once satisfied that the target site has been reached with the catheter delivery system 50, the next step is to traverse the tissue of the target valve leaflet 7. However, before the cutter die 62 is advanced through the leaflet tissue 7, the sheath catheter 56 must be retracted until the “Insert/Cut” position has been achieved. This is accomplished by rotating the threaded sheath retraction nut 150 until the nut 150 is aligned with the “Insert/Cut” marking on the sheath retraction indicator 156. Rotating the sheath retraction nut 150 causes the nut 150 to act against the tab 154 of the sheath hub 134.
Referring now to
In one embodiment, the needle may be configured to have a hollow sharp shaft followed by a conical shank (not shown). This will allow the needle to create an initial penetration of the tissue followed by a more traditional puncturing action from the conical shank A needle configured in this manner will also assist in positioning the delivery device over each leaflet.
The cutter die 62 is advanced through the leaflet 7 until the leaflet 7 snaps into the capture groove 72. The conical distal end 68, as it is being advanced through the leaflet 7, will provide an increasing resistance that is tactily perceptible to the physician. Once the leaflet 7 encounters the flat portion 70, the physician will detect a decreased resistance and can expect a snap when the resilient tissue snaps into the capture groove 72. The guidewire 60 is then re-advanced into the ventricle (assuming the aortic valve is the target valve).
In this regard, it is notable that in one embodiment of the invention, the guidewire could be fabricated to include a transducer at its distal end (not shown). The guidewire could then be used to measure ventricular pressure (e.g., left ventricular pressure when treating the aortic valve) and thus provide the physician greater ability to monitor the patient during the procedure.
Once the physician is convinced that the leaflet 7 has entered the capture groove 72, the cutting step may commence. Referring now to
A more detailed view of the cutting action of the cutter die 62 and the cutter 90 is shown in
In
Referring now to
The next step is illustrated in
The next step is to inflate the balloon 108 thereby expanding the valve implant 10. This step is best shown in
Once the sheath 130 has been retracted to the “Inflate” position on the indicator 156, the balloon 108 may be inflated. This is accomplished by injecting fluid into the balloon inflation port 118. Fluid is injected until the sizing ring 38 has achieved its maximum diameter. The physician will feel resistance against further inflation by the sizing ring 38. Additionally, the sizing ring 38 or other parts of the anchoring mechanism 12 may be constructed of a radiopaque material such that monitoring can be accomplished using X-ray equipment. The use of the sizing ring 38 is not required for the practice of the invention. It is, however, preferred in the preferred embodiments of the invention.
Once the inflation of the balloon 108 is complete, the next step involves deflating the balloon 108. This is illustrated in
As discussed above with reference to
On the left side of
On the right side of
The present invention is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/651,162 filed Aug. 28, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,335,218 entitled Delivery Device For Leaflet Valve, which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/407,414, filed Aug. 28, 2002 entitled Mini-Valve Heart Valve Replacement, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
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