US20020005073A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for testing the strength of autologous tissue
Assignee: Autogenics
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Filing: 2001-04-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2021-04-19
Abstract
Abstract A method and an apparatus for testing the strength of autologous tissue for use in tissue leaflets for constructing artificial heart valves. A strip of tissue is cut adjacent to the edge of the tissue leaflet which is subject to the greatest stress when the tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve. The strip of tissue is subjected to a known load produced by a spring to give a go/no go test of tissue strength. The spring is mounted in a generally X-shaped device made up of a generally linear piece having a handle at one end and two generally V-shaped pieces. The centers of all three pieces are joined to one another by a pivot. A spring is attached to the ends of the two generally V-shaped pieces which are closest to each other. The strip of tissue is mounted on the end of the generally linear shaped piece which does not have a handle and the end of the generally V-shaped pieces which is closest to the end of the generally linear piece which is attached to the strip of tissue. The end of the generally V-shaped device closest to the handle of the generally linear piece is placed in contact with the handle of the generally linear piece, stretching the spring. The spring pulls apart the ends of the X-shaped device, exerting the known load on the test strip of tissue. If the test strip breaks under the known load, the autologous tissue is not suitable for use in the artificial heart valve.
Inventors
- 👤 David Tompkins
- 👤 David Hemsley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 00:40
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2472
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
1 . A method for testing the tensile strength of autologous tissue to determine the suitability of the autologous tissue for use in a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve, said method comprising: cutting a tissue leaflet and a test strip of autologous tissue, where the test strip is cut proximate to an edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; applying a known load along the length of said test strip of autologous tissue, wherein said known load is greater than a load applied to said edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; and determining whether said test strip of autologous tissue breaks when subjected to said known load, thereby determining the suitability of the autologous tissue for use as a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
1 . A method for testing the tensile strength of autologous tissue to determine the suitability of the autologous tissue for use in a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve, said method comprising: cutting a tissue leaflet and a test strip of autologous tissue, where the test strip is cut proximate to an edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; applying a known load along the length of said test strip of autologous tissue, wherein said known load is greater than a load applied to said edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; and determining whether said test strip of autologous tissue breaks when subjected to said known load, thereby determining the suitability of the autologous tissue for use as a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
95 words
2 . A method for testing the tensile strength of autologous tissue to determine the suitability of the autologous tissue for use in a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve, said method comprising: cutting a test strip of autologous tissue proximate to an edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; and applying a known load along the length of said test strip of autologous tissue to determine if said known load causes said test strip to break.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
95 words
2 . A method for testing the tensile strength of autologous tissue to determine the suitability of the autologous tissue for use in a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve, said method comprising: cutting a test strip of autologous tissue proximate to an edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; and applying a known load along the length of said test strip of autologous tissue to determine if said known load causes said test strip to break.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
153 words
3 . A method for testing the tensile strength of autologous tissue to determine the suitability of the autologous tissue for use in a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve, said method comprising: cutting a test strip of autologous tissue proximate to an edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; applying a known load along the length of said test strip of autologous tissue, wherein said known load is greater than a load applied to said edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; and determining whether said test strip of autologous tissue breaks when subjected to said known load, thereby determining the suitability of the autologous tissue for use as a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
153 words
3 . A method for testing the tensile strength of autologous tissue to determine the suitability of the autologous tissue for use in a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve, said method comprising: cutting a test strip of autologous tissue proximate to an edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; applying a known load along the length of said test strip of autologous tissue, wherein said known load is greater than a load applied to said edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; and determining whether said test strip of autologous tissue breaks when subjected to said known load, thereby determining the suitability of the autologous tissue for use as a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
4 . A method for testing the tensile strength of autologous tissue to determine the suitability of the autologous tissue for use in a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve, said method comprising: cutting a test strip of autologous tissue proximate to an edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; and applying a known load along the length of said test strip of autologous tissue.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
4 . A method for testing the tensile strength of autologous tissue to determine the suitability of the autologous tissue for use in a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve, said method comprising: cutting a test strip of autologous tissue proximate to an edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve; and applying a known load along the length of said test strip of autologous tissue.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein said known load is greater than a load applied to said edge of said tissue leaflet subject to the greatest stress when said tissue leaflet is mounted in the artificial heart valve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
6 . The method of claim 4 , including determining whether said test strip of autologous tissue breaks when subjected to said known load, thereby determining the suitability of the autologous tissue for use as a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein breakage of said test strip when said known load is applied is indicative that the autologous tissue is not suitable for use as a heart valve leaflet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the testing is performed in an operating room during open heart surgery.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
9 . The method of claim 4 , wherein said known load is produced by a spring.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
203 words
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said spring is mounted in a generally X-shaped device comprising: a generally linear first piece; a generally V-shaped second piece; and a generally V-shaped third piece, wherein said generally X-shaped device has a first end comprising a first end of said generally linear first piece and a first end of said generally V-shaped second piece and a second end comprising a second end of said generally linear first piece and a first end of said generally V-shaped third piece and wherein said generally linear first piece, said generally V-shaped second piece, and said generally V-shaped third piece are pivotally joined to each other at or near a center of said generally linear first piece, said generally V-shaped second piece, and said generally V-shaped third piece, wherein said spring is attached to a second end of said generally V-shaped second piece and a second end of said generally V-shaped third piece, whereby said spring exerts said known load to open said first end of said generally X-shaped frame when said second end of said generally linear first piece and said first end of said generally V-shaped third piece are placed in contact with one another.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a first end of said test strip of autologous tissue is attached to said first end of said generally linear first piece and a second end of said test strip of autologous tissue is attached to said first end of said generally V-shaped second piece, thereby applying said known load along the length of said test strip.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said first end of said generally linear first piece and said first end of said generally V-shaped second piece are curved.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said first end of said generally linear first piece and said first end of said generally V-shaped second piece each comprise a projection holding said first end and said second end of said test strip of autologous tissue.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said device is reusable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said device is disposable.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
229 words
16 . An apparatus for testing the tensile strength of autologous tissue to determine the suitability of the autologous tissue for use in a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve, said apparatus comprising: a generally X-shaped device comprising: a generally linear first piece; a generally V-shaped second piece; and a generally V-shaped third piece, wherein said generally X-shaped device has a first end comprising a first end of said generally linear first piece and a first end of said generally V-shaped second piece and a second end comprising a second end of said generally linear first piece and a first end of said generally V-shaped third piece and wherein said generally linear first piece, said generally V-shaped second piece, and said generally V-shaped third piece are pivotally joined to each other at or near a center of said generally linear first piece, said generally V-shaped second piece, and said generally V-shaped third piece; and a spring, wherein said spring is attached to a second end of said generally V-shaped second piece and a second end of said generally V-shaped third piece, whereby said spring exerts said known load to open said first end of said generally X-shaped frame when said second end of said generally linear first piece and said first end of said generally V-shaped third piece are placed in contact with one another.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
229 words
16 . An apparatus for testing the tensile strength of autologous tissue to determine the suitability of the autologous tissue for use in a tissue leaflet to be mounted in an artificial heart valve, said apparatus comprising: a generally X-shaped device comprising: a generally linear first piece; a generally V-shaped second piece; and a generally V-shaped third piece, wherein said generally X-shaped device has a first end comprising a first end of said generally linear first piece and a first end of said generally V-shaped second piece and a second end comprising a second end of said generally linear first piece and a first end of said generally V-shaped third piece and wherein said generally linear first piece, said generally V-shaped second piece, and said generally V-shaped third piece are pivotally joined to each other at or near a center of said generally linear first piece, said generally V-shaped second piece, and said generally V-shaped third piece; and a spring, wherein said spring is attached to a second end of said generally V-shaped second piece and a second end of said generally V-shaped third piece, whereby said spring exerts said known load to open said first end of said generally X-shaped frame when said second end of said generally linear first piece and said first end of said generally V-shaped third piece are placed in contact with one another.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
66 words
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein a first end of a test strip of autologous tissue is attached to said first end of said generally linear first piece and a second end of said test strip of autologous tissue is attached to said first end of said generally V-shaped second piece, thereby applying said known load along the length of said test strip.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said first end of said generally linear first piece and said first end of said generally V-shaped second piece are curved.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
47 words
19 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said first end of said generally linear first piece and said first end of said generally V-shaped second piece each comprise a projection holding said first end and said second end of said test strip of autologous tissue.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
20 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said apparatus is reusable.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
21 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said apparatus is disposable.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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