Device for the in situ delivery of heart valves

Abstract

A device for deploying a cardiac valve prosthesis includes a distal valve holder portion and a shaft extending towards the valve holder portion. The shaft is selectively bendable to a curved shape to vary the spatial orientation of the valve holder portion with respect to the desired implantation site.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A device for delivering a cardiac valve prosthesis to an implantation site, the device comprising:
 a distal valve holder portion defining a cavity adapted to receive and radially constrain the valve prosthesis therein;   a shaft coupled to the valve holder portion, the shaft including a tubular sleeve and a core disposed partially within the tubular sleeve, the core adapted to move axially with respect to the sleeve;   a valve support disposed at or near a distal end of the shaft, the valve support including an annular recess adapted to mate with a portion of the valve prosthesis;   a deployment mechanism adapted to axially translate the valve support with respect to the distal valve holder, such that the valve prosthesis is selectively deployed at the implantation site; and   a deflection mechanism coupled to shaft, the deflection mechanism adapted to selectively vary the spatial orientation of the valve holder portion with respect to the implantation site.   
     
     
         2 . A device for delivering a cardiac valve prosthesis to an implantation site, the device comprising a distal valve holder portion and a shaft coupled to the valve holder portion, wherein the shaft is selectively bendable to a curved shape to selectively vary the spatial orientation of the valve holder portion with respect to the implantation site. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , including a curved shaping member for coupling to the shaft to impart to the shaft a curved shape influenced by the shaping member. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the shaft has an axial cavity for insertion of the curved shaping member. 
     
     
         5 . The device of either of  claim 4 , wherein the curved shaping member is in the form of a curved rod. 
     
     
         6 . The device of any of  claim 5 , wherein the curved shaping member for coupling to the shaft is selectable out of a plurality of shaping members each having a respective curved shape, whereby the shaft is imparted different curved shapes by coupling it to different shaping members in the assortment. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the shaft is configured to bend when subjected to a longitudinal force. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the shaft has a cavity and a wire-like member extending in the cavity, the wire-like member having associated tensioning members to apply a longitudinal force to the wire to produce a bending of the shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , including a rotary actuation member adapted to apply a longitudinal force to the shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , including a handle with the shaft extending from the handle, the handle including the rotary actuation member located therein and open to access from outside the handle. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , including an opening in the handle for access to the rotary actuation member. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the tensioning members include:
 a tubular member having a terminal abutment surface for the shaft;   an anchoring member for anchoring a proximal end of the wire-like member; and   an actuation member actuatable between the tubular member and the anchoring member, the actuation member operable to selectively produce relative movement of the tubular member with respect to the anchoring member to thereby apply a longitudinal tensile force to the wire-like member.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , for deploying a cardiac valve prosthesis including at least one radially expandable annular portion, wherein the valve holder portion includes at least one constraint member for radially constraining the at least one annular portion, the at least one constraint member actuatable to release the at least one annular formation constrained thereby to permit radial expansion thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one constraint member includes at least one sleeve slidably actuatable along the shaft, whereby the at least one constraint member releases the at least one annular formation constrained thereby. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the distal valve holder portion has a diameter of between about 10 mm and about 27 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the distal valve holder portion has a marginal outer edge provided with at least one notch providing reference in angular positioning of the cardiac valve prosthesis.