Transcatheter valve devices and systems

Abstract

A medical assembly for endovascularly implanting a valve in the heart having a valve and a valve delivery systems for implanting and securing the valve. The valve delivery system introduces and seals the valve at the deployment site.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical assembly for minimally invasively implanting a valve in the heart at a valve deployment site comprising:
 a valve configured for endovascular introduction and configured and sized to replace a native heart valve and defining at least one aperture;   a removable valve delivery system for positioning and sealing the valve comprising a valve delivery guide defining an inner guide lumen and having a proximal and distal end, said valve delivery guide lumen configured for receipt of said valve;   at least one cord extending through said valve aperture and extending within inner guide lumen; and   said valve delivery system comprises at least one positioning rod defining a central lumen for selectively receiving said cord wherein said positioning rod is positioned proximal to said valve, along said cord and cooperates with an upper surface of said valve to position said valve.   
     
     
         2 . A medical assembly according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one suture extending from a proximal end of said at least one cord wherein said at least one cord and said at least one suture selectively extends within said positioning rod central lumen. 
     
     
         3 . A medical assembly according to  claim 2  further comprises at least two of said at least one cord and at least two of said sutures extending from the proximal end of a respective one of said at least two cords, and said valve delivery system comprises at least two positioning rods for selectively receiving a respective one of said at least two cords and one of said at least two sutures. 
     
     
         4 . A medical assembly according to  claim 1  further comprising a detachable valve lock to secure said cord in said valve aperture. 
     
     
         5 . A medical assembly according to  claim 1  further comprising a tether assembly including at least one cord connected to said valve for operatively anchoring said valve to an intracardiac wall. 
     
     
         6 . The medical assembly according to  claim 5  wherein said tether assembly further comprises at least one suture extending from a proximal end of said at least one cord and wherein said at least one of said suture and said at least one cord selectively extend through said inner guide lumen and cooperate with said valve, and said at least one suture extends beyond the inner guide lumen proximal end. 
     
     
         7 . The medical assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said removable valve delivery system comprises a valve deployment knob defining a central channel in fluid communication with said inner guide lumen wherein said valve deployment knob is operatively connected to said valve delivery guide wherein rotation of said deployment knob selectively extends and retracts said valve delivery guide within said delivery knob. 
     
     
         8 . The medical assembly according to  claim 1  wherein a distal portion of said valve delivery guide is flexible. 
     
     
         9 . The medical assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said valve delivery system further comprises a nosecone positioned on a distal end of said valve delivery guide and configured to guide the valve through the valve delivery guide to the valve deployment site. 
     
     
         10 . The medical assembly according to  claim 6  wherein said valve defines an aperture and said at least one suture, selectively, extends through said valve aperture and said valve delivery guide further comprises at least one positioning rod defining a central lumen for selectively receiving said at least one suture wherein said positioning rod is positioned proximal to said valve, along said at least one suture and said at least one cord and cooperates with an upper surface of said valve to position said valve. 
     
     
         11 . The medical assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said removable valve delivery system comprises a valve deployment knob defining a central channel in fluid communication with said inner guide lumen and said positioning rod extends through said valve deployment knob central channel. 
     
     
         12 . The medical assembly according to  claim 5  wherein said tether assembly comprising said at least one cord comprises at least two of said cords and said at least one suture comprises at least two of said at least one sutures, each extending from the proximal end of a respective one of said at least two cords, and said valve delivery system comprising said at least one positioning rod comprises two of said at least one positioning rods, each for selectively receiving a respective one of said at least two cords and one of said at least two sutures.