Valve suturing and implantation procedures

摘要

A prosthesis for implantation at a native semilunar valve includes a prosthetic distal valve, which includes a pliant material configured to collapse inwardly towards a longitudinal axis of the prosthesis during diastole, and to open outwardly during systole, and a distal fixation member configured to be positioned in a downstream artery of the subject. The apparatus also includes a proximal fixation member coupled to the distal fixation member, and configured to be positioned at least partially on a ventricular side of the native semilunar valve. The proximal fixation member is shaped so as to define a lattice that is shaped so as to define an intermediary portion that is coupled to the pliant material of the valve and diverges outwardly from the longitudinal axis, and a distal portion that is distal to the intermediary portion and diverges outwardly from the intermediary portion of the lattice. Other embodiments are also described.

主权项

1. A catheter for delivering a valve prosthesis, the catheter comprising:
a proximal delivery tube and a distal delivery tube configured to hold respective proximal and distal portions of the valve prosthesis; a tapered element slidably disposed within the distal delivery tube, wherein an outer diameter of a distal end of the tapered element is approximately equal to an inner diameter of the distal delivery tube; a first delivery shaft coupled to the tapered element; and a second delivery shaft coupled to the distal delivery tube, wherein the second delivery shaft is slidably disposed within the first delivery shaft such that distal advancement of the second delivery shaft relative to the first delivery shaft distally advances the distal delivery tube relative to the tapered element, wherein when the distal delivery tube is distally advanced, such that a distal portion of the tapered element is disposed within a proximal end of the distal delivery tube, the distal portion of the valve prosthesis is completely released from the distal delivery tube.