Systems and delivery handles for delivering prosthetic heart valves disposed on valve holders

Abstract

A system delivering a prosthetic heart valve includes a delivery handle, a heart valve, and a valve holder. The delivery handle includes a rod, a button, and a valve holder attachment interface, where the button is configured to move between a first position and a second position along an axial length of the rod, and the valve holder attachment interface is mechanically coupled to the button and configured to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The heart valve includes a prosthetic valve. The valve holder is connected to a proximal end of the heart valve and includes a boss, a holder ring, and a handle attachment interface. The holder ring includes the heart valve mounted thereto and is coupled to the boss, and the handle attachment interface is formed on the boss and is configured to receive and mate with the valve holder attachment interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for delivering a prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
 a delivery handle including;
 a rod; 
 a shaft disposed on a distal end of the rod and having an axial slit; 
 a button extending through the axial slit and configured to move along a portion of a length of the axial slit between a first position and a second position, the button including a slot; and 
 two prongs each having a stem extending from a proximal end of the prong, the stem extending through the slot of the button and rotationally coupled to the shaft to provide a pivot point, 
   a prosthetic heart valve; and   a valve holder coupled to the heart valve including a handle attachment interface configured to receive and mate with the valve holder attachment interface;   wherein:   when the button is in the first position, the two prongs are in a contracted position for mechanically coupling to the valve holder, and when the button is moved to the second position, the two prongs rotate at the pivot point on the shaft to an expanded position to mechanically release from the valve holder.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the two prongs includes a tooth, when the button is in the first position, each tooth extends past a distal end of the shaft tooth to grip the valve holder, and when the button is in the second position, each tooth is released from the valve holder.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the valve holder includes a proximal boss, and the handle attachment interface comprises an outer channel formed on the boss. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the outer channel extends partially around the boss. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein there are a plurality of outer channels of different depths. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the two prongs comprise a medical grade spring material. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the two prongs each has a length in a range of about 3.0 cm to about 5.0 cm. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the two prongs extend a distance past a distal end of the shaft when in the contracted position 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the two prongs terminate in a ball that provides the pivot point. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein walls defining the slot include a surface configured to grip and improve frictional contact with the two prongs. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein in the expanded position the two prongs rotate toward a proximal end of the rod. 
     
     
         12 . A system for delivering a prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
 a delivery handle including;
 a rod; 
 a hollow shaft through which the rod extends having an axial length and a slit along a portion of the axial length; 
 a valve holder attachment interface comprising a stem and a hook, the stem disposed between the rod and the hollow shaft, and the hook extending at least partially outside of the shaft; and 
 a button coupled to the stem. extending out of the slit of the hollow shaft, and configured to move along the axial length of the rod from a first position to a second position, 
   a prosthetic heart valve; and   a valve holder coupled to the heart valve including a handle attachment interface configured to receive and mate with the valve holder attachment interface;   wherein:   when the button is in the first position, the hook is disposed in a retracted position to mechanically engage an attachment interface on the valve holder, and when the button is in the second position, the hook is in a lengthened position to mechanically release from the attachment interface on the valve holder.   
     
     
         13 . The delivery handle of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a spring disposed between the shaft and the rod and extending between the button and the hook.   
     
     
         14 . The delivery handle of  claim 11  wherein:
 the shaft includes a radially inward flange against which the spring abuts. 
 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the valve holder includes a proximal boss, and the handle attachment interface comprises a hook and a stem, and wherein the hook of the valve holder attachment interface mechanically couples to the hook of the handle attachment interface. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the end of the hook is blunt to prevent puncturing the prosthetic valve. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the shaft has a radially inward flange against which an end of the spring abuts, and an opposite end of the spring is disposed against an attachment portion of the button. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the spring is mounted between the hook of the valve holder attachment interface and the button.