Valve holder for tricuspid heart valve

Claim 2

A valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means associated with said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs, said central support member comprises a hub and annular flange extending therefrom, said hub being adapted for association with said thread collecting means, said thread collecting means comprising an axle rotatable in said hub of said central support member whereby threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs are collected by rotating said axle to wind said threads therein.

Claim 3

The valve holder of claim 1 wherein said thread collecting means includes a base plate coaxially affixed at the one end of said axle, said base plate having thread attaching means incorporated therein.

Claim 4

The valve holder of claim 2 wherein said central support member includes a cylindrical skirt depending from said annular flange and encircling the base plate of said thread collecting means, said skirt including three apertures in registry with said valve support legs for the passage of thread.

Claim 5

The valve holder of claim 3 wherein the inner wall of said cylindrical skirt includes ratchet teeth and the base plate of said thread collecting means includes a pawl adapted to engage said teeth and permit rotation of said thread collecting means in one direction only.

Claim 6

The valve holder of claim 1 wherein the hub of said central support member and the axle of said thread collecting means include cooperating elements to resist axial displacement while permitting free rotation of said thread collecting means.

Claim 7

The valve holder of claim 5 wherein said cooperating elements comprise a circumferential groove in said axle and inward projecting cleats in said hub adapted to engage said groove.

Claim 8

The valve holder of claim 1 wherein said axle is drilled and tapped to receive a threaded spindle of a handle member.

Claim 9

A valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means associated with said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs, said thread guiding and attaching means comprise an angled slot in the distal end of each valve support leg.

Claim 10

A valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means associated with said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs, said thread guiding and attaching means comprise an angled slot in the distal end of each valve support leg.

Claim 11

A valve holder comprising a centrally positioned cylindrical support element having one open end, a coaxial hub extending from the other end of said cylindrical support element and joined together by a radial flange; coaxial thread collecting means encircled by said cylindrical support element and rotatably secured thereto; at least three circumferentially spaced valve support legs extending radially from said cylindrical element, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof; and thread passage means in said cylindrical element in registry with each of said valve support legs.

Claim 12

A valve holder comprising a centrally positioned cylindrical support element having one open end, a coaxial hub extending from the other end of said cylindrical support element and joined together by a radial flange; coaxial thread collecting means encircled by said cylindrical support element and rotatably secured thereto; at least three circumferentially spaced valve support legs extending radially from said cylindrical element, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof; and thread passage means in said cylindrical element in registry with each of said valve support legs.

Claim 13

The valve holder of claim 9 , wherein said thread collecting means comprises a base plate and stub axle extending from one side thereof, said axle extending into and being rotatably secured within the hub of said cylindrical element.

Claim 14

The valve holder of claim 10 wherein the inner wall of said cylindrical element includes ratchet teeth and the base plate of said thread collecting means includes a pawl adapted to engage said teeth and permit rotation of said thread collecting means in only one direction.

Claim 15

The valve holder of claim 10 wherein the axle of the thread collecting means and hub of said cylindrical support element include cooperating interacting means to resist axial displacement while permitting free rotation.

Claim 16

The valve holder of claim 12 wherein said cooperating elements comprise a circumferential groove in said axle and inward projecting cleats in said hub adapted to engage said groove.

Claim 17

The valve holder of claim 9 wherein said cylindrical element includes thread passages through the wall thereof in registry with said valve support legs.

Claim 18

In combination, a porcine tissue heart valve and a valve holder; said valve including a stent comprising a sewing cushion and three fabric covered, axially extending commissure support struts; said valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means associated with said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs; said central support member comprising a hub and annular flange extending therefrom, said hub being adapted for association with said thread collecting means, said thread collecting means of said valve holder comprising an axle rotatable in said hub of said central support member, said valve holder being positioned on the sewing cushion of said valve with valve support legs in registry with said commissure support struts and attached to said sewing cushion by means of threads, each of said threads being attached at one end to the distal end of a valve support leg and passing therefrom through said sewing cushion, thence through the fabric cover at a tip of the corresponding commissure support strut, thence extending to the next adjacent commissure support strut and passing through the fabric cover at the tip thereof, thence passing through sewing cushion and through the thread guiding means in the distal end of the corresponding valve support leg, and thereupon extending to and being attached to said thread collecting means, whereupon the tips of the commissure support struts are drawn toward one another as said threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs are collected by rotating said axle to wind said threads together.

Claim 19

In combination, a porcine tissue heart valve and a valve holder; said valve including a stent comprising a sewing cushion and three fabric covered, axially extending commissure support struts; said valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means associated with said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs; said central support member comprising a hub and annular flange extending therefrom, said hub being adapted for association with said thread collecting means, said thread collecting means of said valve holder comprising an axle rotatable in said hub of said central support member, said valve holder being positioned on the sewing cushion of said valve with valve support legs in registry with said commissure support struts and attached to said sewing cushion by means of threads, each of said threads being attached at one end to the distal end of a valve support leg and passing therefrom through said sewing cushion, thence through the fabric cover at a tip of the corresponding commissure support strut, thence extending to the next adjacent commissure support strut and passing through the fabric cover at the tip thereof, thence passing through sewing cushion and through the thread guiding means in the distal end of the corresponding valve support leg, and thereupon extending to and being attached to said thread collecting means, whereupon the tips of the commissure support struts are drawn toward one another as said threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs are collected by rotating said axle to wind said threads together.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 15 wherein said thread collecting means includes a base plate coaxially affixed at one end of said axle, said base plate having thread attaching means incorporated therein.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 16 wherein said central support member includes a cylindrical skirt depending from said annular flange and encircling the base plate of said thread collecting means, said skirt including three apertures in registry with said valve support legs for the legs for the passage of thread.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 17 wherein the inner wall of said cylindrical skirt includes ratchet teeth and the base plate of said thread collecting means includes a pawl adapted to engage said teeth and permit rotation of thread collecting means in one direction only.

Claim 23

A valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means rotatably mounted with respect to said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs.

Claim 24

A valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means rotatably mounted with respect to said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs.

Claim 25

The valve holder of claim 19 wherein said thread guiding and attaching means comprise an aperture in the distal end of each valve support leg.

Claim 26

The valve holder of claim 19 wherein said thread guiding and attaching means comprise an angled slot in the distal end of each valve support leg.

Claim 27

In combination, a tricuspid prosthetic heart valve and a valve holder; said valve including a stent comprising a sewing cushion and three fabric covered, axially extending commissure support struts; said valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means rotatably mounted with respect to said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs; said valve holder being positioned on the sewing cushion of said valve with the valve support legs in registry with said commissure support struts and attached to said sewing cushion by means of threads, each of said threads being attached at one end to the distal end of a valve support leg and passing therefrom through said sewing cushion, thence through the fabric cover at a tip of the corresponding commissure support strut, thence extending to the next adjacent commissure support strut and passing through the fabric cover at the tip thereof, thence passing through sewing cushion and through the thread guiding means in the distal end of the corresponding valve support leg, and thereupon extending to and being attached to said thread collecting means, whereupon the tips of the commissure support struts are drawn toward one another as said threads are collected by said thread collecting means.

Claim 28

In combination, a tricuspid prosthetic heart valve and a valve holder; said valve including a stent comprising a sewing cushion and three fabric covered, axially extending commissure support struts; said valve holder comprising a central support member, three spaced valve support legs extending radially from said support member, each of said legs including thread guiding and attaching means at a distal end thereof, and thread collecting means rotatably mounted with respect to said central support member and adapted to collect threads passing through the thread guiding means of said valve support legs; said valve holder being positioned on the sewing cushion of said valve with the valve support legs in registry with said commissure support struts and attached to said sewing cushion by means of threads, each of said threads being attached at one end to the distal end of a valve support leg and passing therefrom through said sewing cushion, thence through the fabric cover at a tip of the corresponding commissure support strut, thence extending to the next adjacent commissure support strut and passing through the fabric cover at the tip thereof, thence passing through sewing cushion and through the thread guiding means in the distal end of the corresponding valve support leg, and thereupon extending to and being attached to said thread collecting means, whereupon the tips of the commissure support struts are drawn toward one another as said threads are collected by said thread collecting means.