Abstract: Methods for delivering a prosthetic heart valve include advancing a delivery catheter containing the prosthetic heart valve to a deployment native heart valve, advancing an inner core movably coupled to a restraining sheath of the delivery catheter to expose a first end of the prosthetic heart valve, and advancing the inner core and the restraining to expose a second end of the prosthetic heart valve. The delivery catheter can include a distal flange located at a distal end of an outer core of the catheter body, configured to restrict distal longitudinal displacement of the prosthetic heart valve, and a retaining structure located proximally from the distal flange along the outer core of the catheter body, configured to restrict proximal longitudinal displacement of the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: A system for implanting a heart valve that includes a radially self-expandable tubular body having an inflow end and a preformed groove disposed at an outer surface of the tubular body between the inflow end and the outflow end, wherein the preformed groove extends at least partially around the tubular body and having a circumferential opening facing radially outward of the tubular body. A valve may be disposed within and attached to the tubular body. Additionally, a trapping member may be configured to form at least a partial loop encircling the preformed groove so as to trap portions of native valve leaflets and/or chords in the preformed groove, the trapping member including one or more barbs.

Abstract: A system for implanting a heart valve includes a radially self-expandable tubular body having an inflow end and an outflow end and a projection extending from a side surface of the tubular body toward the inflow end. The system further includes a valve disposed within and attached to the tubular body, and may include fabric that forms a pouch between the tubular body and the projection.

Abstract: A system for implanting a heart valve includes a radially self-expandable tubular body having an inflow end and an outflow end and a preformed groove disposed at an outer surface of the tubular body between the inflow end and the outflow end. The preformed groove extends at least partially around the tubular body, and has a circumferential opening facing radially outward of the tubular body. A valve is disposed within and attached to the tubular body, and a trapping member is configured to be moved into the preformed groove and form at least a partial loop around the preformed groove. An insertion member is configured to push the trapping member into the preformed groove. Additionally, a coupling member can provide a releasable attachment between the trapping member and the insertion member.

Abstract: A system for implanting a heart valve includes a radially self-expandable tubular body having an inflow end and an outflow end, a decorrelation portion, and a preformed groove disposed at an outer surface of the tubular body between the decorrelation portion and the outflow end. The preformed groove extends at least partially around the tubular body, and has a circumferential opening facing radially outward of the tubular body. A valve is disposed within and attached to the tubular body. The decorrelation portion is configured to dissociate axial and radial movements between the inflow end of the tubular body and the outflow end of the tubular body.

Abstract: A treatment catheter system for treatment of a heart valve includes a circumferential valve tissue structure and an elongate catheter member, and and has an inner lumen, proximal and distal end portions. The system includes a catching component which can be positioned at the distal end portion of the catheter member to be non-separable from the catheter member. An outer member extends circumferentially around the catheter member. The circumferential valve tissue structure is correspondingly arranged between the catheter member and the outer member. A catching mechanism reduces a radial distance between the catheter member and the outer member to catch the valve tissue between the outer member and the catheter member via a catching opening to immobilize and treat the caught valve tissue on the distal end portion of the catheter member.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve assembly for use in replacing a deficient native valve comprises a replacement valve supported on an expandable valve support. If desired, one or more anchor may be used. The valve support, which entirely supports the valve annulus, valve leaflets, and valve commissure points, is configured to be collapsible for transluminal delivery and expandable to contact the anatomical annulus of the native valve when the assembly is properly positioned. The anchor engages the lumen wall when expanded and prevents substantial migration of the valve assembly when positioned in place. The prosthetic valve assembly is compressible about a catheter, and restrained from expanding by an outer sheath. The catheter may be inserted inside a lumen within the body, such as the femoral artery, and delivered to a desired location, such as the heart.

Abstract: A sheathed catheter system is described where the sheath comprises a distal portion and a proximal portion that are moveable axially relative to each other, and relative to a tube carrying a medical device thereon. The distal and proximal sheath portions can be brought together in order to enclose therewithin the medical device. The distal sheath has a proximal section that is configured to bias radially inwardly to minimize an otherwise exposed annular surface catching on protruding surfaces that may exist on the catheter or other medical tool in use at the time, or to minimize scraping the inner native lumen of the patient upon retrieval.

Abstract: A system for implanting a heart valve that includes a radially self-expandable tubular body having an inflow end and an outflow end, and a valve disposed within and attached to the tubular body. A first end of a projection is located at a side surface of the tubular body, and a second free end of the projection defines a groove between the projection and the tubular body. The groove has an opening between the tubular body and the second free end of the projection. Additionally, an elongate outer member is configured to move into the groove and to move heart tissue into the groove, such that the heart tissue is disposed between the tubular body and the projection.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve comprises a valve assembly having a base, a plurality of leaflets, and commissures. The valve also comprises a support stent having a plurality of expandable cells and a plurality of longitudinal struts. The support stent is configured to be collapsible for transluminal delivery and expandable to contact the anatomical annulus of the native valve when the prosthetic valve is positioned in situ. The support stent supports the base. The commissures of the valve assembly are secured at the longitudinal struts and adjacent one or more of the expandable cells. The longitudinal struts of the support stent further comprise a plurality of holes, and the plurality of leaflets are secured to the longitudinal struts via threads passing through the plurality of holes.

Abstract: A system for implanting a heart valve that includes a radially self-expandable tubular body having an inflow end and an outflow end, and a valve disposed within and attached to the tubular body. A first end of a projection is located at a side surface of the tubular body, and a second free end of the projection defines a groove between the projection and the tubular body. The groove has an opening between the tubular body and the second free end of the projection. Additionally, an elongate outer member is configured to move into the groove and to move heart tissue into the groove, such that the heart tissue is disposed between the tubular body and the projection.

Abstract: A system for implanting a heart valve includes a radially self-expandable tubular body having a preformed groove disposed at an outer surface of the tubular body, and a valve disposed within the tubular body. The preformed groove extends at least partially around the tubular body, and has a circumferential opening facing radially outward. A trapping member is configured to be disposed within the preformed groove on the outer surface of the tubular body and form at least a partial loop around the tubular body. The circumferential opening of the preformed groove is relatively larger when an outflow end of the tubular body has been deployed from a catheter and an inflow end of the tubular body is disposed within the catheter, and the circumferential opening of the preformed groove is relatively smaller when both the outflow end and the inflow end are fully deployed from the catheter.

Abstract: A system for implanting a heart valve includes a radially self-expandable tubular body having an inflow end and an outflow end and a preformed groove disposed at an outer surface of the tubular body between the inflow end and the outflow end. The preformed groove extends at least partially around the tubular body and has a circumferential opening facing radially outward of the tubular body. A valve is disposed within and is attached to the tubular body, and an elongate outer member is configured to form a loop encircling the preformed groove so as to guide portions of native valve leaflets and/or chords into the preformed groove. The outflow end of the tubular body includes a frustoconical shape that slopes radially outward from the preformed groove toward the outflow end when the outflow end but not the inflow end has been released from a delivery catheter.

Abstract: A method for implanting a heart valve includes advancing an elongate outer member from a first delivery catheter to form a loop around native valve leaflets and/or chords of a native valve without substantially occluding the native valve. The method further includes partially deploying from a second delivery catheter a radially self-expandable tubular body having a valve disposed within a lumen of the tubular body, and a preformed groove disposed at an outer surface of the tubular body. The preformed groove extends at least partially around the tubular body, and has a circumferential opening facing radially outward of the tubular body. When the tubular body is partially deployed, the native valve is substantially occluded. Additionally, the method includes moving the loop into the preformed groove after partially deploying the tubular body. The native valve is no longer substantially occluded after fully deploying the tubular body from the second delivery catheter.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve assembly for use in replacing a deficient native valve comprises a replacement valve supported on an expandable valve support. If desired, one or more anchor may be used. The valve support, which entirely supports the valve annulus, valve leaflets, and valve commissure points, is configured to be collapsible for transluminal delivery and expandable to contact the anatomical annulus of the native valve when the assembly is properly positioned. The anchor engages the lumen wall when expanded and prevents substantial migration of the valve assembly when positioned in place. The prosthetic valve assembly is compressible about a catheter, and restrained from expanding by an outer sheath. The catheter may be inserted inside a lumen within the body, such as the femoral artery, and delivered to a desired location, such as the heart.

Abstract: Methods for delivering a prosthetic heart valve include advancing a delivery catheter containing the prosthetic heart valve to a deployment location at a native heart valve, advancing an inner core movably coupled to a restraining sheath of the delivery catheter to expose a first end of the prosthetic heart valve, and advancing the inner core and the restraining sheath to expose a second end of the prosthetic heart valve. The delivery catheter can include a distal flange located at a distal end of an outer core of the catheter body, configured to restrict distal longitudinal displacement of the prosthetic heart valve, and a retaining structure located proximally from the distal flange along the outer core of the catheter body, configured to restrict proximal longitudinal displacement of the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: A transcatheter atrio-ventricular valve prosthesis for functional replacement of an atrio-ventricular heart valve in a connection channel, the prosthesis comprising a radially expandable tubular body extending along an axis, and a valve arranged within and attached to the tubular body. The tubular body is provided with an outer circumferential groove which is open to the radial outside of the tubular body, whereby the tubular body is separated by the outer circumferential groove into first and second body sections. The tubular body is provided with a first plurality of projections which extend from the first or second body section in an axial direction of the tubular body and each of which has a free end arranged to overlap the outer circumferential groove. An elongate outer member may be disposed at the exterior of the connection channel wall structure at a level of the circumferential groove.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve assembly for use in replacing a deficient native valve comprises a replacement valve supported on an expandable prosthesis frame. The valve may be delivered transluminally or transmyocardially using a thorascopic or other limited access approach using a delivery catheter. Preferably, the initial partial expansion of the valve is performed against the native valve annulus to provide adequate anchoring and positioning of the valve as the remaining portions of the valve expand. The valve may be delivered using a retrograde or antegrade approach. When delivered using a retrograde approach, a delivery catheter with a pull-back sheath may be used, while antegrade delivery is preferably performed with a delivery catheter with a push-forward sheath that releases the proximal end of the valve first.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve assembly for use in replacing a deficient native valve comprises a replacement valve supported on an expandable valve support. If desired, one or more anchors may be used. The valve support, which entirely supports the valve annulus, valve leaflets, and valve commissure points, is configured to be collapsible for transluminal delivery and expandable to contact the anatomical annulus of the native valve when the assembly is properly positioned. Portions of the valve support may expand to a preset diameter to maintain coaptivity of the replacement valve and to prevent occlusion of the coronary ostia. A radial restraint, comprising a wire, thread or cuff, may be used to ensure expansion does not exceed the preset diameter.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve assembly for use in replacing a deficient native valve comprises a replacement valve supported on an expandable valve support. If desired, one or more anchor may be used. The valve support, which entirely supports the valve annulus, valve leaflets, and valve commissure points, is configured to be collapsible for transluminal delivery and expandable to contact the anatomical annulus of the native valve when the assembly is properly positioned. The anchor engages the lumen wall when expanded and prevents substantial migration of the valve assembly when positioned in place. The prosthetic valve assembly is compressible about a catheter, and restrained from expanding by an outer sheath. The catheter may be inserted inside a lumen within the body, such as the femoral artery, and delivered to a desired location, such as the heart.