Methods and apparatus for endovascularly replacing a heart valve

摘要

The invention includes methods of and apparatus for endovascularly replacing a heart valve of a patient. One aspect of the invention provides a method including the steps of endovascularly delivering a replacement valve and an expandable anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve in an unexpanded configuration; and applying an external non-hydraulically expanding or non-pneumatically expanding actuation force on the anchor to change the shape of the anchor, such as by applying proximally and/or distally directed force on the anchor using a releasable deployment tool to expand and contract the anchor or parts of the anchor. Another aspect of the invention provides an apparatus including a replacement valve; an anchor; and a deployment tool comprising a plurality of anchor actuation elements adapted to apply a non-hydraulically expanding or non-pneumatically expanding actuation force on the anchor to reshape the anchor.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device is a replacement valve, the replacement valve comprising an expandable anchor configured to be implantable within a patient; a post engaged to the anchor, a proximal end of the post comprising an actuator attachment element; at least two release actuators, each release actuator defining lumen; an actuator extending through the lumen of at least one of the release actuators, a distal end of the actuator comprising a post attachment element comprising a distal protrusion element, the post attachment element configured to releaseably engage the actuator attachment element of the post, the actuator attachment element defines a post hole; at least one valve engaged to the post; and wherein the actuator attachment element extends into the lumen of a distal end of the at least one of the release actuators.