Artificial Valve

Abstract

An artificial valve for implantation in a mammal body, in or adjacent to a mammal blood vessel, the artificial valve comprising a casing and a closing mechanism, with at least part of said closing mechanism being a first moving part adapted to make movements relative to said casing. The movements are movements to assume a fully open and a fully closed position for opening and closing, respectively, the blood flow through said blood vessel, as well as at least one position in between said fully open and fully closed positions. The first moving part is adapted to receive energy for at least one of its movements at least in part from an energy device which is also comprised in the artificial valve and arranged to be placed external to said blood vessel.

1 .- 137 . (canceled) 
     
     
         138 . An artificial valve for implantation in a mammal body, in or adjacent to a mammal blood vessel, the artificial valve comprising a casing and a closing mechanism, with at least part of the closing mechanism being a first moving part adapted to make movements relative to the casing in a direction essentially perpendicular to the extension of the blood vessel, the movements being movements to assume an open and a closed position for opening and closing, respectively, the blood flow through the blood vessel, as well as to positions in between the open and closed positions, characterized in that the first moving part is adapted to receive energy for at least one of its movements at least in part from an energy device which is also comprised in the artificial valve and arranged to be placed external to the blood vessel, wherein the artificial valve further comprises a biasing mechanism for biasing the valve to an open position. 
     
     
         139 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , in which the closing mechanism is arranged to cause the first moving part to move between two desired positions by means of giving the first moving part kinetic energy in a plurality of steps in its movement between the two desired positions. 
     
     
         140 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , wherein the closing mechanism comprises one or more magnets adapted to receive energy from the energy device as a first pulse, the one or more magnets further being adapted to receive one or more additional pulses with a time delay in relation to the first pulse to cause the kinetic movement of the first moving part. 
     
     
         141 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , wherein the closing mechanism comprises a coil adapted to be energized so as to cause movement of the first moving part. 
     
     
         142 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , wherein the closing mechanism comprises a plurality of coils which are adapted to be energized stepwise so as to cause the movement of the first moving part. 
     
     
         143 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , wherein the first moving part of the closing mechanism is adapted to assume a position at least partly placed outside of the blood vessel when the valve is in a non-closed position in the mammal body. 
     
     
         144 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , wherein the first moving part comprises a curved or semicircular shape, whereby the first moving part is adapted to fit against a distal inner wall of the blood vessel in order to close or limit the passage of blood in the blood vessel. 
     
     
         145 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , wherein the first moving part comprises titanium. 
     
     
         146 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , wherein the first moving part comprises a ceramic material. 
     
     
         147 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , wherein the closing mechanism is configured to be controlled by at least one of:
 a signal related to the contraction of the heart, and   a signal generated by a pacemaker.   
     
     
         148 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , further comprising an internal signal receiver configured to receive control signals from an external signal transmitter for controlling the closing mechanism. 
     
     
         149 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , further comprising a feedback device for sending feedback information from inside the patient's body to the outside thereof, the feedback information being related to at least one of a physical parameter of the patient and a functional parameter related to the apparatus. 
     
     
         150 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , further comprising implantable electrical components including at least one voltage level guard and/or at least one constant current guard. 
     
     
         151 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , further comprising an implantable internal energy receiver for receiving wireless energy transmitted from a wireless energy transmitter located external to the body of the patient. 
     
     
         152 . The artificial valve according to  claim 138 , further comprising a determination device adapted to determine an energy balance between the energy received by the internal energy receiver and the energy used for the implantable energy consuming components of the apparatus. 
     
     
         153 . A surgical method of implanting a valve in a blood vessel of a mammal patient the method comprising the steps of:
 cutting the skin of the mammal patient,   dissecting an area of the blood vessel, and   placing the artificial valve according to claim  1  in the dissected area of the blood vessel.   
     
     
         154 . The surgical method according to  claim 153 , wherein the method further comprises:
 inserting a needle or a tube-like instrument into the patient's thoraxial or abdominal or pelvic cavity,   using the needle or tube-like instrument to fill a part of the patient's body with gas, thereby expanding the cavity,   placing at least two laparoscopic trocars in the cavity,   inserting a camera through one of the laparoscopic trocars into the cavity,   inserting at least one dissecting tool through one of the at least two laparoscopic trocars.   
     
     
         155 . The surgical method according to  claim 153 , wherein the method further comprises:
 cutting the skin and dissecting a subcutaneous place for a control unit connected to the artificial valve, and   placing the control unit in the subcutaneous place.   
     
     
         156 . A surgical method of placing the artificial valve according to  claim 138  in a patient's heart or blood vessel, via an inguinal approach, the method comprising the steps of:
 cutting the patient's skin in the inguinal area of the patient's body, 
 inserting the artificial valve the valve into a femoral artery, 
 using an instrument to guide the artificial valve through the femoral artery to the aorta or heart of the patient, and 
 placing the artificial valve in the blood vessel or heart of the patient. 
 
     
     
         157 . The surgical method according to  claim 156 , further comprising at least one of the steps of:
 connecting a source of energy to the artificial valve for powering the artificial valve, and   placing a drive unit for operating the artificial valve outside the blood stream of the blood vessel.