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US20130338755A1 Active / In Force US ⏱️ 5.2 years remaining

Apparatus Comprising Individual Shaft Fibers and Set for Folding or Unfolding a Medical Implant and Method

Assignee: Venus Medtech Hangzhou Inc
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Filing: 2011-12-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2031-12-19
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Abstract

Abstract An apparatus for folding or unfolding at least one medical implant by way of at least one tension thread includes a shaft and a tensioning device for altering a form or shape of the foldable and/or unfoldable implant by way of the tension thread ( 11, 11 ′). In at least one shaft section thereof, the shaft includes a plurality of individual shaft fibers.

Inventors

  • 👤 Wolfgang GOETZ
  • 👤 Hou-Sen Lim

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-22 15:30
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2427; A61F2/2439; A61F2/95; A61F2002/9505; A61F2002/9511

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 5 words
1 - 16 . (canceled)
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 5 words
1 - 16 . (canceled)
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 66 words
17 . An apparatus for folding or unfolding at least one medical implant by means of at least one tension thread, wherein the apparatus comprises: a shaft; a tensioning device for altering a form or shape of the foldable and/or unfoldable implant by means of the tension thread; and wherein the shaft comprises in at least one shaft section thereof a plurality of individual shaft fibers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 66 words
17 . An apparatus for folding or unfolding at least one medical implant by means of at least one tension thread, wherein the apparatus comprises: a shaft; a tensioning device for altering a form or shape of the foldable and/or unfoldable implant by means of the tension thread; and wherein the shaft comprises in at least one shaft section thereof a plurality of individual shaft fibers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 63 words
18 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein, during use of the apparatus, shaft fibers of the plurality of individual shaft fibers are always present in bundled form in at least one first section of the shaft section, whereas, in a second section, the shaft fibers are provided or intended for moving away from each other during use of the apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 46 words
19 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein shaft fibers of the plurality of individual shaft fibers each comprise one or more shaft openings by means of which the one or more tension threads can exit from and/or enter into the respective shaft fiber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 46 words
20 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein shaft fibers of the plurality of individual shaft fibers each comprise one or more shaft openings by means of which the one or more tension threads can exit from and/or enter into the respective shaft fiber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 62 words
21 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein, during a state of use of the apparatus, shaft fibers of the plurality of individual shaft fibers are arranged movably in or forth from at least the second section of the shaft independently of each other and/or independently of the position of the implant relative to the apparatus for folding or unfolding.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 35 words
22 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the shaft comprises in at least one section thereof at least one device for bundling individual shaft fibers of the plurality of individual shaft fibers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 63 words
23 . The apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the at least one device for bundling individual shaft fibers is arranged to be shiftable or movable along a longitudinal extension of the apparatus or is otherwise alterable or manipulatable or engineerable and/or is provided or intended for being used at or on different sections of the apparatus along the longitudinal extension thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 48 words
24 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein individual shaft fibers are designed or embodied and intended or provided for moving towards a rim portion of the implant when applying tension onto the implant by means of the tension threads extending through these individual shaft fibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 53 words
25 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein tension threads exiting from individual shaft fibers are connected with a rim portion of the implant for applying a force onto the rim portion, in particular wherein the rim portion only comprises a part of the foldable and/or unfoldable periphery of the implant.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 56 words
26 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein tension threads exiting from individual shaft fibers are connected with a rim portion for applying a force onto the rim portion of the implant, in particular wherein tension threads exiting from at least two individual shaft fibers are connected with the rim portion or parts thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
27 . The apparatus according to claim 17 designed or embodied as a catheter, in particular a heart catheter, or comprising such a catheter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 40 words
28 . A set, comprising: at least one apparatus according to claim 17 ; and at least one implant connected with tension threads for the purpose of folding and/or unfolding or provided or prepared for being connected with tension threads.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 20 words
29 . The set according to claim 28 , wherein the implant is a stent or a heart valve arrangement.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 98 words
30 . The set according to claim 29 , wherein individual shaft fibers and the implant are adapted such that, during a process of folding the implant, a first force required for moving the shaft fibers in a section thereof, in particular in a section comprising shaft openings for tensions threads, from their longitudinal alignment or for moving them in a direction of radial extension of the implant, is lower than a second force required for effecting folding of the implant by means of the tension threads connected with the implant and which exit from the shaft openings.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 98 words
31 . The set according to claim 28 , wherein individual shaft fibers and the implant are adapted such that, during a process of folding the implant, a first force required for moving the shaft fibers in a section thereof, in particular in a section comprising shaft openings for tensions threads, from their longitudinal alignment or for moving them in a direction of radial extension of the implant, is lower than a second force required for effecting folding of the implant by means of the tension threads connected with the implant and which exit from the shaft openings.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 52 words
32 . A method, comprising the steps of: providing an apparatus according to claim 17 ; and altering a tension applied onto the implant by means of at least one tension thread by altering a length of the tension thread exiting from an interior of the shaft or of the shaft fiber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 29 words
33 . The method according to claim 32 , further comprising the step: shifting or otherwise manipulating or engineering the at least one device for bundling individual shaft fibers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 52 words
34 . A method, comprising the steps of: providing a set according to claim 28 ; and altering a tension applied onto the implant by means of at least one tension thread by altering a length of the tension thread exiting from an interior of the shaft or of the shaft fiber.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 29 words
35 . The method according to claim 34 , further comprising the step: shifting or otherwise manipulating or engineering the at least one device for bundling individual shaft fibers.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5824055A Cited
US20060235509A1 Cited
US20090030512A1 Cited

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