Stent assemblies including passages to provide blood flow to coronary arteries and methods of delivering and deploying such stent assemblies

Abstract

An anchor stent assembly to be used with a valve component includes a generally tubular frame having a first end and a second end, the frame defining a central passage and a central axis. A secondary passage is defined between n inner surface of the frame and an outer surface of an inner rib disposed closer to the central axis than the frame. An extension tube is disposed through the secondary passage. The extension tube includes an extension tube lumen having a first opening at a first end of the extension tube and a second opening at a second end of the extension tube.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]Embodiments hereof relate to heart valve prostheses and methods for intraluminally deploying heart valve prostheses, and in particular, to heart valve prostheses including coronary access and methods of intraluminally delivering and deploying such heart valve prostheses.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Heart valves, such as the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valves, are sometimes damaged by disease or by aging, resulting in problems with the proper functioning of the valve. Heart valve problems generally take one of two forms: stenosis in which a valve does not open completely or the opening is too small, resulting in restricted blood flow; or insufficiency in which blood leaks backward across a valve when it should be closed.[0003]Heart valve replacement has become a routine surgical procedure for patients suffering from valve regurgitation or stenotic calcification of the leaflets. Conventionally, the vast majority of valve replacements entail...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes an anchor stent assembly and a valve assembly for use in the heart. The anchor stent assembly includes a frame with a central passage and a secondary passage formed between the inner surface of the frame and an inner rib. The assembly also includes an extension tube with a lumen and a skirt attached to the frame. The skirt defines a coronary pocket and a coronary channel in the heart. The valve assembly includes a frame with a coronary orifice and a coronary arm that extends into the left and right coronary arteries. The technical effects of these inventions include improved blood flow and reduced blood pressure in the heart, as well as improved heart valve function.

Problems solved by technology

Heart valves, such as the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valves, are sometimes damaged by disease or by aging, resulting in problems with the proper functioning of the valve.

Heart valve problems generally take one of two forms: stenosis in which a valve does not open completely or the opening is too small, resulting in restricted blood flow; or insufficiency in which blood leaks backward across a valve when it should be closed.

Traditional open surgery inflicts significant patient trauma and discomfort, requires extensive recuperation times, and may result in life-threatening complications.

While considerable effort has been devoted to such techniques, widespread acceptance has been limited by the clinician's ability to access only certain regions of the heart using laparoscopic instruments.

While some problems of traditional open-heart surgery are overcome by percutaneous transcatheter (transluminal) methods, there are still risks associated with the method including post implantation percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary perfusion, and heart block.

Post implantation coronary access with traditional transcatheter valve implantation (TAVI) may be limited by factors such as implantation height, strut width and cell opening size.

Despite technical efforts to optimize valve prostheses placement, these factors may limit future access to coronary arteries and procedures to coronary arteries following transcatheter valve implementation.

Implantation placement, height, cell opening size, partial coronary obstruction, and stent alignment may negatively impact blood flow to the coronary arteries.

Improper placement of an aortic valve prosthesis is considered a possible contributor to heart block.

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