A delivery catheter system includes a catheter and an integrated embolic filter that is deployable prior to the delivery of a prosthesis in a patient's vasculature and retrievable after delivery of said prosthesis. The embolic filter is moveable from a collapsed state, in which the embolic filter is retained within the catheter body, to a deployed state in which the embolic filter extends from the catheter body and, in use, into contact with an inner wall of a patient's vasculature.

The invention relates to a catheter for the transvascular implantation of prosthetic heart valves, in particular including self-expanding anchorage supports (10), which allow a minimally invasive implantation of prosthetic heart valves. The aim of the invention is to reduce the risk to the patient during the implantation. To achieve this, according to the invention a prosthetic heart valve with anchorage supports is temporarily housed in a folded form in a cartridge-type unit (4) during the implantation. The cartridge-type unit can be fixed on the proximal end of a guide system (1), which includes a flexible region (9) that can be guided through the aorta. Actuating elements (2, 3) run through the interior of the hollow guide system, said elements permitting sections of the cartridge-type unit to be displaced radially about their longitudinal axis and/or laterally in a proximal direction, thus allowing individual sections of the anchorage support and the associated prosthetic heart valve to be sequentially released.

A delivery device for a collapsible heart valve includes an operating handle and a catheter assembly. The operating handle includes a frame defining a movement space therein, a carriage assembly moveable in a longitudinal direction within the movement space, and a coupler having locked and unlocked conditions, the coupler being operatively connected to the carriage assembly for movement therewith. The catheter assembly includes a shaft around which a valve-receiving compartment is defined, the shaft being operatively connected to one of the frame or the carriage assembly, and a distal sheath operatively connected to the carriage assembly for movement therewith between a closed condition adapted to maintain the valve in the compartment and an open condition adapted to fully deploy the valve.

A system includes a core and a catheter for use with (A) a first atrial arm and a first ventricular arm articulatable with respect to each other at a first articulation site to clamp one leaflet of a patient's native heart valve, and (B) a second atrial arm and a second ventricular arm articulatable with respect to each other at a second articulation site to clamp another native leaflet of the native valve. The core tapers in a distal direction toward its smallest perimeter, defining a minimum nonzero angle of the atrial arms with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the core. The catheter advances the core and the arms toward the native valve. The catheter and the core have an advancement configuration in which the smallest perimeter of the core is adjacent to the first and second articulation sites. Other embodiments are also described.

An implant includes a clip and a clip-controller interface. The clip is disposed laterally from a central longitudinal axis of the implant, includes first and second arms articulatably coupled to each other, and sandwiches a leaflet of a heart valve between the first and second arms by articulation between the first and second arms, such that the second arm is disposed laterally from the first arm. The clip-controller interface is reversibly coupled to a clip controller of a delivery tool, and includes first and second portions. The first portion is linearly slidable by the clip controller. The second portion is articulatably coupled to the first portion and to the second arm, such that linear sliding of the first portion causes the second portion to (i) articulate with respect to the first portion, and (ii) push the second arm to articulate toward the axis. Other embodiments are also described.

A delivery system for delivery of an implantable stented device to a body lumen that includes an elongated member having a distal tip and a proximal end portion, a wire connection member positioned between the distal tip and proximal end portion of the elongated member, and a plurality of capturing wires extending from a distal end of the wire connection member. Each of the capturing wires includes a distal end having a lower portion that is moveable relative to an upper portion between an open position and a closed position, and a slot defined by the upper and lower portions when they are in the closed position.

A delivery apparatus for an expandable, implantable medical device comprises a handle portion, a shaft extending from the handle portion, a delivery capsule configured to house the medical device in a radially compressed state, and a rotatable component disposed in the handle portion and operatively coupled to the delivery capsule to produce axial movement of the delivery capsule upon rotation of the rotatable component. The delivery apparatus further comprises a motor disposed in the handle portion that is operatively coupled to the rotatable component so as to produce rotation of the rotatable component and corresponding axial movement of the delivery capsule. Further, the delivery apparatus comprises a manual deployment tool that is also configured to produce rotation of the rotatable component and corresponding axial movement of the delivery capsule when a manual pulling force is applied to the pull cord to pull the pull cord relative to the rotatable component.

A delivery apparatus for implanting a prosthetic heart valve includes one or more shafts and a handle coupled to the one or more shafts. The handle comprises one or more knobs, one or more adjustment mechanisms, and/or one or more control mechanisms. The knobs are configured for actuating the one or more adjustment mechanisms and/or the one or more control mechanisms. The one or more adjustment mechanisms are configured for moving the shafts relative to each other and/or relative to the handle. The one or more control mechanisms are configured for limiting the direction of movement and/or force applied to the one or more shafts.

A prosthetic heart valve including a frame, leaflet structure, and sealing member disposed around an outer surface of the frame is disclosed. As one example, the sealing member includes an inner layer and a plush outer layer comprising a plush outer surface. The inner layer is arranged against the outer surface of the frame and the outer layer is arranged against and attached to the inner layer. The inner layer is folded over at inflow and outflow ends, in an axial direction relative to a central longitudinal axis of the frame, to overlap respective ends of the outer layer and form tapered folds at opposite ends of the sealing member, each tapered fold including a narrower, first portion where the inner layer folds over and contacts itself and a wider, second portion where the inner layer overlaps an outer surface of an end portion of the outer layer.

An expandable delivery sheath includes an elastic outer tubular layer and an inner tubular layer. The inner tubular layer include a thick wall portion integrally connected to a thin wall portion. The thin wall portion can include longitudinal reinforcing members/rods that facilitate unfolding during the passage of the implant, thus decreasing the push force and increasing the consistency of the push force. The inner tubular layer can have a non-expanded or folded condition wherein the thin wall portion folds onto an outer surface of the thick wall portion under urging of the elastic outer tubular layer. When an implant passes therethrough, the outer tubular layer stretches and the inner tubular layer unfolds into an expanded lumen diameter. Once the implant passes, the outer tubular layer again urges the inner tubular layer into the non-expanded condition with the sheath reassuming its smaller profile.