Platforms For Mitral Valve Replacement

Abstract

A mitral valve prosthesis is percutaneously and/or transapically deployed in at least two stages. In a first stage, a mitral annular ring platform adapted for percutaneous delivery is delivered to and anchored in the mitral valve annulus. In the second stage, a valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device adapted for percutaneously delivery is delivered to the mitral valve annulus for mounting in the mitral annular ring platform. This approach provides a consistent platform for accepting valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic devices from different vendors to be used.

Claims

1. A mitral valve prosthesis comprising: a mitral ring platform adapted for delivery to a subject's mitral valve; and, a valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device, wherein the mitral ring platform comprises wire that when extended from a delivery catheter comprises three preformed, distinct but contiguous sections, a first one of said sections comprising at least one leading turn located at a distal end of the wire that is configured to wind the mitral ring platform implant in the subject's mitral valve, a second one of said sections comprising at least one intermediate turn and being configured to provide an anchoring mechanism for the valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device, a third one of said sections comprising at least one trailing turn located at a proximal end of the wire, and being configured to maintain a position of the mitral ring platform relative to the subject's mitral valve prior to the deployment of the valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device wherein said valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device is configured to be delivered to the native mitral valve for mounting in said mitral ring platform.

2. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the mitral ring platform is configured to wind around leaflets and chordae of the subject's native mitral valve.

3. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the mitral ring platform is configured to provide a landing zone for the valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device.

4. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein the mitral ring platform is configured to create a platform at the subject's mitral valve that reduces the diameter of the mitral valve position in order to provide a suitable size and dimension for subsequent implantation of said valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device.

5. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein when the mitral ring platform is configured such that when it is positioned at the subject's mitral valve, the subject's mitral valve annulus is between the first and third sections of said platform.

6. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein the first one of said sections of the mitral ring platform further comprises a first transition zone that is contiguous with the second section, and the third one of said sections comprises a second transition zone that is contiguous with the second section.

7. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 6, wherein the first transition zone comprises a pitch that varies from that of the portion of the first section preceding the first transition zone.

8. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 6, wherein the second transition zone comprises a pitch that varies from that of the portion of the third section that follows the second transition zone.

9. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the first one of said sections of the mitral ring platform is of sufficient diameter in comparison to the subject's mitral valve to capture the subject's leaflets and serve as a ventricular anchor for the mitral ring platform.

11. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the first one of said sections of the mitral ring platform includes a diameter, and the second section includes a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the first one of said sections.

12. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the third one of said sections of the mitral ring platform is of sufficient diameter in comparison to the subject's mitral valve to serve as an atrial anchor for the mitral ring platform.

13. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device is balloon expandable.

14. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device is self-expandable.

15. The mitral valve prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein the mitral ring platform and valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device are configured for delivery by a transcatheter procedure.

16. A mitral ring platform that is adapted for delivery to a subject's mitral valve comprising wire that when extended from a delivery catheter comprises three preformed, distinct but contiguous sections, a first one of said sections comprising at least one leading turn located at a distal end of the wire that is configured to wind the mitral ring platform implant in the subject's mitral valve, a second one of said sections comprising at least one intermediate turn and being configured to provide an anchoring mechanism for a valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device, a third one of said sections comprising at least one trailing turn located at a proximal end of the wire, and being configured to maintain a position of the mitral ring platform relative to the subject's mitral valve prior to the deployment of the valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device for mounting within the mitral ring platform.

17. A method for implanting a mitral ring platform at a subject's mitral valve comprising: providing a mitral ring platform comprising wire that when extended from a delivery catheter comprises three preformed, distinct but contiguous sections, a first one of said sections comprising at least one leading turn located at a distal end of the wire that is configured to wind the mitral ring platform implant in the subject's mitral valve, a second one of said sections comprising at least one intermediate turn and being configured to provide an anchoring mechanism for a valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device, a third one of said sections comprising at least one trailing turn located at a proximal end of the wire, and being configured to maintain a position of the mitral ring platform relative to the subject's mitral valve prior to the deployment of the valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device for mounting within the mitral ring platform; deploying the leading turn of the first section of the platform from a delivery catheter to the ventricular side of the subject's mitral valve; deploying the second section of the mitral ring platform from the delivery catheter so that the second section is positioned around the subject's mitral valve leaflets; and, deploying the trailing turn of the third section of the platform from the delivery catheter to the atrial side of the subject's mitral valve annulus, thereby implanting the platform at the subject's mitral valve.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising mounting a valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device within the second section of the mitral ring platform.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the leading turn of the mitral ring platform engages leaflets and chordae of the subject's native mitral valve when the leading turn is deployed to the ventricular side of the subject's mitral valve annulus.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the second section of the mitral ring platform reduces the area of the subject's mitral valve annulus when positioned therein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The various novel aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates prior art pulmonic valve (FIG. 1A) and aortic valve (FIGS. 1B and 1C) prosthetics.

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a mitral valve replacement platform in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention where helices are extended for percutaneous delivery and then wound in the valve position to form an anchoring mechanism and a sealing cuff.

[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates the helical anchoring embodiment of FIG. 2 for facilitating mitral valve replacement using a simple valved stent anchored by percutaneously deployed helical coils.

[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates the helical anchoring embodiment of FIG. 2 for providing percutaneous reduction annuloplasty.

[0020] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate an atrial septal anchored mitral platform (ASAMP) in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates the first step in transeptal delivery of the ASAMP to the left atrium.

[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates the second step in transeptal delivery of the ASAMP to the left atrium.

[0023] FIG. 8 illustrates partial percutaneous deployment of the ASAMP in the left atrium.

[0024] FIG. 9 illustrates the fully deployed ASAMP where the mitral platform is positioned in the mitral valve annulus.

[0025] FIG. 10 illustrates the passage of a guide wire into the left ventricle through the mitral annular ring of the ASAMP.

[0026] FIG. 11 illustrates deployment of a mitral valve stented prosthetic over a guide wire into the mitral valve annulus for mounting in the ASAMP.

[0027] FIG. 12 illustrates the fully deployed ASAMP with the mitral valve stented prosthetic with the hollow portion of the ASAMP device plugged using a custom designed nitinol plug.

[0028] FIG. 13 illustrates the second ring of the third platform embodiment where the second ring is positioned on the ventricular side of the mitral annulus via a retrograde arterial approach.

[0029] FIG. 14 illustrates a mitral annular ring platform formed from the magnetic rings deployed as illustrated in FIG. 13, where the rings are brought together using their respective delivery catheters and are locked together by the magnetic attraction of the rings so as to sandwich the mitral valve tissue and annulus circumferentially.

[0030] FIG. 15 illustrates a valve-stented device passed from the femoral vein, across the atrial septum, and into the mitral annular ring platform of FIG. 14.

[0031] FIG. 16 illustrates a fourth platform embodiment in which two petal-shaped wire rings are joined together and hollow in the center.

[0032] FIG. 17 illustrates that the first ring of the embodiment of FIG. 16 is on the atrial side of the annulus so as to exert a downward pressure and the second ring is on the ventricular side of the annulus so as to exert a counterpressure (upward) to the first ring.

[0033] FIG. 18 illustrates a valve-stented device passed from the femoral vein, across the atrial septum, and into the mitral annular ring platform of FIG. 17.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0034] The invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1-18. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the description given herein with respect to those figures is for exemplary purposes only and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the invention. All questions regarding the scope of the invention may be resolved by referring to the appended claims.

Overview

[0035] The mitral valve annulus is non-uniform, non-planar, dynamic structure. Percutaneously anchoring a replacement valve securely in this location in the absence of a surgically placed annuloplasty ring remains a significant challenge. The embodiments described below were designed to permit the percutaneous and/or transapical stepwise construction of a platform or “landing zone” in the mitral space to facilitate subsequent implantation of a percutaneously placed replacement valve. The designs vary but are linked by the overarching concept of a percutaneous and/or transapical platform construction to facilitate percutaneous mitral valve device anchoring and perivalvular seal. The advantage to these approaches to “landing zone” construction is that each can be performed percutaneously and/or transapically without need for a large incision or cardiopulmonary bypass.

[0036] A successful percutaneously and/or transapically placed mitral valve requires four major design characteristics:

[0037] 1. Foldability

[0038] 2. Anchoring mechanism

[0039] 3. Perivalvular sealing mechanism

[0040] 4. Functioning valve mechanism

Several embodiments are described herein of platforms that meet these design characteristics and that may be deployed percutaneously and/or transapically for accepting a percutaneously and/or transapically deployed mitral valve prosthetic. In each embodiment, a mitral valve is replaced using percutaneous and/or transapical techniques in a multiple stage operation. In a first stage, a mitral annular platform is inserted as an anchoring or mooring spot (“landing zone”) for a valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device. Then the valved-stent mitral valve prosthetic device is mounted to the platform in a separate transcutaneous insertion operation. This allows the use of valves from different vendors. Four different embodiments are described, although further related platform embodiments may become apparent to those skilled in the art based on the following descriptions.

First Embodiment—Helical Platform

[0041] In this embodiment, a single, thick nitinol wire is preformed into three separate but contiguous helices that are inserted percutaneously and/or transapically to provide a “landing zone” or anchoring mechanism to facilitate the placement of simple valved stents in the mitral position. As shown in FIG. 2, the leading helix has 1 to 2 coils and is large enough in diameter to serve as the left ventricular anchor for the valve. The second helix is comprised of at least one but potentially as many as 5 to 6 more tightly wound coils of a smaller diameter that are designed to fit snuggly in the annulus. This part of the coil may be coated with a bi-layer material composed of a super absorbent substance that expands when the valve is in place to prevent perivalvular leakage. The outer layer of the bi-layer is a hydrophobic material that prevents the super absorbent material from expanding while the valve is being placed. This second layer is designed to elute off slowly to ultimately allow the underlying superabsorbent material to expand once the valve is positioned appropriately. The inter-annular portion of the coil also may be fitted with a bioprosthetic valve leaflet material that folds into a functional valve mechanism when the device assumes its coiled position. The last helix is similar to the first and serves as the atrial anchoring mechanism. When locked into position, the mitral annulus is “sandwiched” between the leading and trailing helices, with the valve leaflets centrally positioned in the annulus.

[0042] The helical coil design of this embodiment also may be adapted to provide a “landing zone” or anchoring mechanism to facilitate the placement of simple valved stents (like the ones currently being placed clinically in the aortic and pulmonary position, as shown in FIG. 1) in the mitral position as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the landing zone is deployed as illustrated in FIG. 2 and a valved stent is placed in the landing zone as shown in FIG. 3. Of course, in this embodiment, the inter-annular portion of the coil is not fitted with valve leaflet material. This embodiment also can be adapted to create a catheter based reduction annuloplasty device to decrease annular area and reduce mitral regurgitation as shown in FIG. 4.

[0043] Since the helices may be straightened for percutaneous and/or transapical delivery, the valved helical design of this embodiment has the potential to decrease catheter delivery size for percutaneous and/or transapical valve replacement to almost unimaginably small diameters. The helical anchoring platform also allows placement of currently available stented valves, designed for placement in the aortic and pulmonary positions, to be placed in the mitral position. An annuloplasty ring formed from the helices also may potentially provide a non-invasive means to limit MR when valve placement is contra-indicated.

Second Embodiment—Atrial Septal Anchored Mitral Platform (ASAMP)

[0044] In this embodiment, a nitinol based device is anchored to the atrial septum that is preformed into a complex 3D shape (FIG. 5A) including left and right atrial discs (e.g. 0.012 inch nitinol donut) that straddle the atrial septum, a central hollow region between the discs to allow for easy left atrial access from the right atrium, and a mitral annular ring-shaped or oval shaped platform designed to lay across the mitral valve orifice. The mitral annular ring platform includes at least one of the discs adapted to fit into the mitral valve annulus. As shown in FIG. 5B, the nitinol device may be compressed for percutaneous and/or transapical delivery. Once in position, a valve-stented device can be passed from the femoral vein, across the atrial septum, and into the mitral annular ring where the device is anchored to the atrial septum.

[0045] The device of FIGS. 5A and 5B is implanted into the atrial septum using standard percutaneous and/or transapical transeptal techniques. In accordance with such techniques, a transeptal delivery catheter is guided into the left atrium as shown in FIG. 6. A delivery sheath (e.g. 12-16 French) is guided into the left atrium as shown in FIG. 7. The compressed device of FIG. 5A is then guided through the delivery catheter for deployment in the left atrium as shown in FIG. 8. Once in position (i.e., the mitral platform is placed in the mitral valve annulus), the device of FIG. 5A is released from its deployment cable as shown in FIG. 9. Once the platform is so positioned, a valved-stent device can be passed over a guide wire from the femoral vein, across the atrial septum, and into the mitral annular ring as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Once the valved-stent device is placed in the correct position and seated securely, the hollow portion of the ASAMP device is plugged using a custom designed nitinol plug as shown in FIG. 12.

Third Embodiment—Percutaneous Annular Mooring (PAM) Using Two Magnetized Rings

[0046] In this embodiment, two magnetized rings with opposite magnetizations are deployed such that the first ring is positioned in the left atrium in the supra-mitral annular position via the femoral (jugular or subclavian) vein using a standard transeptal approach and the second ring is positioned on the ventricular side of the mitral annulus via a retrograde arterial approach (femoral artery, aorta, aortic valve, left ventricle) as shown in FIG. 13. Once the rings are fully formed in their respective positions, they are brought together using their respective delivery catheters and are locked together by the magnetic attraction of the rings so as to sandwich the mitral valve tissue and annulus circumferentially as shown in FIG. 14. At this point, both rings are released from their delivery catheters. Once in position, a valve-stented device can be passed from the femoral vein, across the atrial septum, and into the mitral annular ring as shown in FIG. 15.

Fourth Embodiment—Percutaneous Annular Mooring (PAM) Using Two Petal-Shaped Wire Rings

[0047] In this embodiment, two petal-shaped wire rings (FIG. 16) that are joined together and hollow in the center are deployed such that the first ring is on the atrial side of the annulus so as to exert a downward pressure and the second ring is on the ventricular side of the annulus so as to exert a counterpressure (upward) to the first ring as shown in FIG. 17. The rings together sandwich the mitral valve tissue and annulus circumferentially. Once in position, a valve-stented device can be passed from the femoral vein, across the atrial septum, and into the mitral annular ring platform as shown in FIG. 18.

[0048] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments described herein allow placement of currently available stented valves, designed for placement in the aortic and pulmonary positions, to be placed in the mitral position. The platform devices can be placed through small catheters, making these approaches feasible in children and small adults.

[0049] Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the invention may be applied to other applications and may be modified without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the devices and techniques of the invention may be used to replace the tricuspid valve as well as the mitral valve. Also, the devices of the invention may be deployed using venous and/or arterial deployment approaches using techniques known to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiments described above, but only by the appended claims.