Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A graft-support ring for a bicuspid valve for valve replacement in a damaged heart, including in combination a. a self-supporting shape-retaining frame comprising b. a rounded oblong ring having an upper face and a lower face and surrounding an oblong area having a major axis, c. a pair of prongs extending from one of said faces and generally perpendicular to said oblong area, and being disposed on a plane parallel to said major axis and perpendicular to said area, and d. a fabric covering compatible with body fluids contoured to said frame and completely enclosing it to provide a base for later suturing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
A graft-support ring for a bicuspid valve for valve replacement in a damaged heart, including in combination a. a self-supporting shape-retaining frame comprising b. a rounded oblong ring having an upper face and a lower face and surrounding an oblong area having a major axis, c. a pair of prongs extending from one of said faces and generally perpendicular to said oblong area, and being disposed on a plane parallel to said major axis and perpendicular to said area, and d. a fabric covering compatible with body fluids contoured to said frame and completely enclosing it to provide a base for later suturing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A graft-support ring as in claim 1 wherein said prongs extend from said ring approximately at the opposite ends of said major axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A graft-support ring as in claim 1 wherein said prongs are inclined outwardly at a small angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the plane of said area.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
157 words
A graft-support ring for a bicuspid valve for use with autologous, homologous, or heterologous tissue, including in combination a. a self-supporting, shape-retaining frame comprising b. a generally oblong ring having an upper face, a lower face, and a long diameter with a center, c. a pair of struts extending from one of said faces and generally parallel to an axis through said center, and disposed on a plane parallel to said long diameter and perpendicular to the plane of said ring, d. each said strut having an apex remote from said ring, and e. a fabric covering compatible with body fluids contoured to said frame and completely enclosing it to provide a base for later suturing, f. said covering having a first thickened portion adjacent each said apex, a second thickened portion along the surface of said ring to each said apex, and a third thickened portion extending outwardly from said ring to form a sewing flange.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
157 words
A graft-support ring for a bicuspid valve for use with autologous, homologous, or heterologous tissue, including in combination a. a self-supporting, shape-retaining frame comprising b. a generally oblong ring having an upper face, a lower face, and a long diameter with a center, c. a pair of struts extending from one of said faces and generally parallel to an axis through said center, and disposed on a plane parallel to said long diameter and perpendicular to the plane of said ring, d. each said strut having an apex remote from said ring, and e. a fabric covering compatible with body fluids contoured to said frame and completely enclosing it to provide a base for later suturing, f. said covering having a first thickened portion adjacent each said apex, a second thickened portion along the surface of said ring to each said apex, and a third thickened portion extending outwardly from said ring to form a sewing flange.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A graft-support ring as in claim 4 wherein said metal ring and struts are machined from one piece of titanium metal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A graft-support ring as in claim 4 wherein said flange extends at an angle of from about 30* to about 60* to said central axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A graft-support ring as in claim 4 wherein said struts are inclined outwardly at a small angle with respect to the axis of the ring.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A graft-support ring as in claim 4 wherein one of said struts is disposed on said metal ring at each end of said long diameter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
191 words
A bicuspid fascia lata valve for insertion into a ventricle valve opening of a heart and providing ventricle-exposed surfaces, including in combination, a. a self-supporting, shape-retaining frame comprising b. a generally oblong metal ring having an upper face, a lower face, and a long diameter with a center, c. a pair of prongs extending from one of said faces generally parallel to an axis through said center, and disposed on a plane parallel to said center, and perpendicular to the plane of said ring, d. each of said prongs being disposed at each end of said plane and each said prong having an apex remote from said ring, e. a fabric covering compatible with body fluids contoured to and completely enclosing said frame to provide a base for suturing, f. said covering having a first thickened portion at each said apex, a second thickened portion along said prongs and said face, and a third thickened portion extending as a sewing flange from said ring, and g. fascia lata tissue covering said ventricle-exposed surfaces of said valve when inserted in said valve opening, and sutured to said fabric at said thickened portions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
191 words
A bicuspid fascia lata valve for insertion into a ventricle valve opening of a heart and providing ventricle-exposed surfaces, including in combination, a. a self-supporting, shape-retaining frame comprising b. a generally oblong metal ring having an upper face, a lower face, and a long diameter with a center, c. a pair of prongs extending from one of said faces generally parallel to an axis through said center, and disposed on a plane parallel to said center, and perpendicular to the plane of said ring, d. each of said prongs being disposed at each end of said plane and each said prong having an apex remote from said ring, e. a fabric covering compatible with body fluids contoured to and completely enclosing said frame to provide a base for suturing, f. said covering having a first thickened portion at each said apex, a second thickened portion along said prongs and said face, and a third thickened portion extending as a sewing flange from said ring, and g. fascia lata tissue covering said ventricle-exposed surfaces of said valve when inserted in said valve opening, and sutured to said fabric at said thickened portions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A fascia lata valve as in claim 9 wherein said metal frame is machined from one piece of titanium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A fascia lata valve as in claim 9 wherein said fascia lata is autologous tissue.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A fascia lata valve as in claim 9 wherein said struts are disposed on a plane parallel to and offset from said center line.