Prosthesis (i.e. – artificial body members) – parts thereof – or ai – Heart valve – Annular member for supporting artificial heart valve
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-15
2001-06-05
Willse, David H. (Department: 3738)
Prosthesis (i.e., artificial body members), parts thereof, or ai
Heart valve
Annular member for supporting artificial heart valve
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241765
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to mechanical prosthetic heart valves, and, more particularly, to a mechanical prosthetic heart valve which may be surgically implanted in the heart of the patient in an expedient manner.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Mechanical heart valves are conventionally constructed with a rigid annular body supporting one, two, or more leaflets. The action of these leaflets in opening and closing controls the flow of blood through the valve. The annular body of the heart valve is usually secured to what is referred to as a suture ring. The suture ring is generally comprised of a knit fabric tube made from DACRONJ, or some other biocompatible material, which permits a surgeon to sew the heart valve to the patient's heart tissue. Illustrative examples of such suture rings are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,397,348 and 5,397,346.
It is often necessary to completely remove defective heart valves and replace them with a prosthetic mechanical valve. Installing a mechanical heart valve is a major open heart surgical procedure. The procedure requires general anesthesia and a full cardiopulmonary bypass with complete cessation of cardiopulmonary activity. The invasiveness of the open chest procedure often produces a high degree of trauma and a significant risk of complications that increase the longer that cardiopulmonary activities are stopped. Unfortunately, hand sewing of the replacement heart valve into position using traditional suture rings, such as the suture ring described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,348, takes a significant amount of time and skill by the heart surgeon.
For the above reasons, it would be desirable to develop a heart valve and method of insertion therefor which significantly reduces the amount of time for the surgical procedure. It would further be desirable if such a surgical procedure did not require the precision of suturing. The present invention is directed to solving or reducing some of the above-described problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved mechanical heart valve. The heart valve is comprised of a valve body and a stiffening ring coupled to the valve body. The stiffening ring is comprised of a body and a shoulder. At least one recess is formed in the shoulder, the recess being adapted for engaging at least one staple. The staples are used to secure the stiffening ring to the patient's heart tissue. In another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of openings are formed in the shoulder, the openings being adapted for receiving a plurality of fasteners in the form of pins that are used to secure the stiffening ring to the patient's heart.
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Alfaro Arthur A.
Griffin Charles D.
Jackson Suzette J..
Scott Timothy L.
Sulzer Carbomedics Inc.
Willse David H.
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