Heart valve delivery system with valve catheter

Abstract

A heart valve delivery system is provided wherein a prosthetic valve is carried on a valve catheter inside a delivery sleeve. A step balloon protrudes from the delivery sleeve and provides a tapered surface for facilitating advancement through a body vessel. The step balloon also aids in crossing the leaflets of a native valve. After the prosthetic valve is positioned within the native valve, the delivery sleeve is retracted to expose the prosthetic valve. In one embodiment, the delivery sleeve is retracted by the use of a lead screw, which effectuates relative movement between the valve catheter and delivery sleeve. The prosthetic valve is preferably self-expandable. If necessary, the step balloon may be expanded to securely seat the prosthetic valve at the site of the native valve. The prosthetic valve is preferably coupled to the valve catheter by a plurality of flexible extension arms which allow the prosthetic valve to be collapsed after initial deployment such that the prosthetic valve may be repositioned if necessary.

Description

Heart valve delivery system with valve catheter technical field [0001] The present invention generally relates to systems for delivering medical implants into the human body. More specifically, the present invention relates to delivery systems for delivering prosthetic valves into the human heart. Background technique [0002] Catheter-based procedures are commonly used in medical practice to treat areas of the body that are not readily accessible to surgery or where surgical access is undesirable. In a catheter-based procedure, an artificial valve is delivered to a person's heart using a percutaneous route to replace a defective native valve. Although replacement of native heart valves with percutaneously delivered prosthetic valves shows great potential, the effectiveness of this procedure is often limited due to the operator's ability to navigate through the patient's vasculature, eg, through small vessels and around the aortic arch. [0003] In one method of delivery, a...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

As a result of this contact, the vessel wall may be damaged and the advancement of the prosthetic valve may be impeded or prevented entirely

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