US20050038508A1 — Implantable cardiac prosthesis for mitigating pro…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 135 words

1 . An apparatus for helping improve operation of a heart valve, comprising: a generally arcuate base portion having a central axis; and a buttress extending from the base portion axially relative to the base portion, the buttress having at least a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a first leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, the second surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a second leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, whereby the buttress permits flow of blood adjacent the first surface of the buttress and the second surface of the buttress when the first and second leaflets are not engaging the buttress.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 135 words

1 . An apparatus for helping improve operation of a heart valve, comprising: a generally arcuate base portion having a central axis; and a buttress extending from the base portion axially relative to the base portion, the buttress having at least a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a first leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, the second surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a second leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, whereby the buttress permits flow of blood adjacent the first surface of the buttress and the second surface of the buttress when the first and second leaflets are not engaging the buttress.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the base portion further comprising a generally annular shaped base portion, the buttress interconnecting diametrically opposite locations on the base portion.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , the buttress having a plane of symmetry passing through the central axis of the base portion.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an outer sheath of a substantially flexible material covering at least the first and second surfaces of the buttress.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , the outer sheath completely covering the buttress and the base portion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the flexible material comprises a substantially biocompatible animal tissue material.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , the biocompatible animal tissue material comprises animal pericardium.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 48 words

8 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of features extending through the outer sheath generally radially from the base portion to help maintain the apparatus at a desired position relative to the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 29 words

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the base portion being formed of a shape memory alloy material operative to urge the apparatus to an expanded cross-sectional dimension.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 43 words

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising features that extend outwardly from the base portion to help maintain the apparatus at a desired position and orientation relative to the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 42 words

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , the base portion being formed of a mesh material with triangular projections at inflow and outflow ends of the base portion, the triangular projections extending outwardly from the base portion to define the features.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , the features extending different lengths from the base portion according to relative positions of the features along the base portion.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a retaining member to retain the apparatus in a reduced cross-sectional condition for facilitating implantation of the apparatus in the heart valve.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 45 words

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the base portion further comprising a C-shaped base portion having a curved length between opposed ends of the C-shaped base portion, the buttress extending from an arc portion of the C-shaped base portion intermediate the opposed ends.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 43 words

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the buttress further comprising a lip portion adjacent the base portion, the lip portion having a width that is greater than a width of a distal portion of the buttress near the inflow end thereof.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 131 words

16 . An apparatus for helping improve operation of a heart valve, comprising: a base portion having a central axis; and a buttress extending axially from the base portion relative to the base portion, the buttress having a surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, the buttress permitting flow of blood adjacent the surface of the buttress when the leaflet is not engaging the buttress, the buttress having a base and an axially opposite distal end, the base having a width, the distal end having a width less than the width of the base, the surface extending between the base and the distal end, the surface including an arcuate lip portion adjacent the base.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 131 words

16 . An apparatus for helping improve operation of a heart valve, comprising: a base portion having a central axis; and a buttress extending axially from the base portion relative to the base portion, the buttress having a surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, the buttress permitting flow of blood adjacent the surface of the buttress when the leaflet is not engaging the buttress, the buttress having a base and an axially opposite distal end, the base having a width, the distal end having a width less than the width of the base, the surface extending between the base and the distal end, the surface including an arcuate lip portion adjacent the base.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , the buttress having a plane of symmetry passing through the central axis of the base portion.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 76 words

18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , the surface of the buttress including a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a first leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, the second surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a second leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 42 words

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , the buttress permitting flow of blood adjacent both at least the first surface of the buttress and the second surface of the buttress when the first and second leaflets are not engaging the buttress.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 35 words

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , the lip portion including a first lip portion on the first surface of the buttress and a second lip portion on the second surface of the buttress.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 33 words

21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , the first and second lip portions facilitating engagement and disengagement of the first and second leaflets and the first and second surfaces of the buttress.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 100 words

22 . An apparatus for helping improve operation of a heart valve, comprising: means for mounting to at least a portion of an annulus of the heart valve; means extending from the mounting means for mitigating prolapse of at least two leaflets of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted at the annulus of the heart valve, the means extending from the mounting means permitting flow of blood along at least two generally opposed surfaces of the means extending from the mounting means when the at least two leaflets are not engaging the means extending from the mounting means.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 100 words

22 . An apparatus for helping improve operation of a heart valve, comprising: means for mounting to at least a portion of an annulus of the heart valve; means extending from the mounting means for mitigating prolapse of at least two leaflets of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted at the annulus of the heart valve, the means extending from the mounting means permitting flow of blood along at least two generally opposed surfaces of the means extending from the mounting means when the at least two leaflets are not engaging the means extending from the mounting means.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 41 words

23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising means for covering at least a portion of the means extending from the mounting means to inhibit abrasion in response to engagement leaflets into the means extending from the mounting means.

Implantable cardiac prosthesis for mitigating prolapse of a heart valve

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