Heart Valve Sizing Ring for Aortic Root Remodeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In valve-sparing aortic root remodeling procedures, selecting the correct graft size is challenging, leading to prolonged and suboptimal surgical operations and potential complications due to the inability to properly reshape the heart valve.
Innovation Solution
A heart valve sizing ring system comprising an outer ring and an interlocking inner ring with a tubular portion, which includes suture holders to simulate and test the proper sizing of the heart valve by suspending commissures, allowing for evaluation and comparison of different graft sizes before final selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the correct graft size is not selected during the repair, then the surgeon may not be able to properly reshape the valve, but this leads to prolonged and suboptimal surgical operations which could lead to complications and poor outcomes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing a sizing ring that allows the surgeon to pre-determine the correct graft size before performing the actual valve repair. The sizing ring is placed on the aortic root to measure and select the appropriate graft diameter in advance, enabling proper surgical planning and avoiding prolonged operations due to incorrect graft selection.
2Measurement precision
If a sizing device is introduced to test valve repair, then proper graft size selection is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sizing ring is divided into multiple segments or struts that can be assembled together to form a complete ring. This segmentation allows the device to be stored in a compact state for delivery and then expanded to the appropriate size during surgery, reducing the complexity of storing and handling different sized complete rings while maintaining precise sizing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sizing ring incorporates dynamic elements that allow it to be collapsed to a low profile for delivery through catheters and then expanded to the desired diameter during the procedure. This dynamic transformation enables a single device to accommodate multiple sizing requirements without increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A heart valve sizing ring is disclosed. The sizing ring includes an outer ring and an inner ring configured and arranged to couple to the outer ring. A tubular portion extends from the inner ring and has a plurality of suture holders arranged about an upper end thereof. The outer ring and inner ring having a pair of complementary mating surfaces configured and arranged to grip sutures therebetween when coupled together. When coupled around sutures, the assembled ring may be tightened down against the heart valve to test the fit as if the sizing ring were a similarly sized prosthetic heart valve ring. Commissures of the heart valve may be suspended from the suture holders of the tubular portion. The surgeon can then remove the sizing ring and replace it with a prosthetic ring.