Systems and Methods For Placement of Valve Prosthesis System

Abstract

Valve prosthesis systems and methods / systems for placement of such valve prostheses are provided that facilitate efficient, reliable and minimally invasive delivery modalities. The placement systems and methods permit remote manipulation and positioning of the valve prosthesis such that desirable placement relative to anatomical structures, e.g., the heart annulus, may be achieved. The valve prosthesis includes a resilient ring, a plurality of leaflet membranes mounted with respect to the resilient ring, and a plurality of positioning elements movably mounted with respect to the flexible ring. The delivery system includes a first elongate element that terminates at the valve prosthesis and is manipulable by an operator to remotely rotate the positioning elements relative to the flexible ring. A second elongate element terminates at the valve prosthesis and is manipulable by an operator to remotely advance the valve prosthesis downward into an anatomical annulus. The second elongate element may be manipulated to remotely advance the valve prosthesis into the anatomical annulus to assume a position for supporting post-implantation function of the valve prosthesis in situ. The first elongate element may be further manipulated to remotely rotate the positioning element relative to the flexible ring to cause the positioning element to engage tissue associated with the anatomical annulus and to thereby maintain the post-implantation position of the valve prosthesis in situ. Methods for valve prosthesis deployment are also provided.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of co-pending provisional patent application entitled “Valve Prosthesis System” that was filed on Feb. 23, 2007 and assigned Ser. No. 60 / 902,988. The entire contents of the foregoing provisional application are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND

[0002] 1. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure is directed to advantageous valve prosthesis systems and associated methods / systems for placement of a heart valve prosthesis and, more particularly, to deployment systems and methods for placement of a mitral valve prosthesis relative to a heart annulus.

[0004] 2. Background Art

[0005] Heart valve regurgitation occurs when the heart valve does not close completely as a result of disease or injury. Mitral regurgitation due to ischemic and degenerative (prolapse) disease has been shown to contribute to left ventricular dilation and dysfunction due to remodeling, and is associated with increased rates...

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