A MEDICAL FASTENING DEVICE

Abstract

A medical fastening device (100) for fastening or coupling an object (400A, 400B) into a tissue (20) have proximal (100A) and distal (100B) portions. It also comprises a helical body structure (107), where the helical body structure comprises a thread or ridge (104) having a lead (105) between said proximal and distal portions. The helical body structure comprises a first portion (101/103) and a second portion (102) next to said first portion (101). The thread of the helical body structure advantageously extends through the first (101) and second (102) portions and the properties, such as a pitch and/or lead, of the thread vary along the longitudinal axis (106) of the helical body structure so that the property of the thread has a first value in the first portion (101) and a second value in the second portion (102) so to provide different compressive force to the object and/or tissue introduced in said first and second portions of the helical body structure, and wherein the first value differs from the second value.

Claims

1. A medical fastening device (100) for fastening an object (400A, 400B) into a tissue (20), wherein: the medical fastening device (100) having proximal (100A) and distal (100B) portions comprises at least two helical body structures (107) having a common longitudinal axis (106), where each of the helical body structure comprises own thread (104) having a lead (105) between said proximal and distal portions of the helical body structures, each of said helical body structure comprises a first portion (101/103) and a second portion (102) next to said first portion (101), wherein the threads of the helical body structures extend through said first (101) and second (102) portions and wherein at least one property of the thread varies along the longitudinal axis (106) of the helical body structure after introducing the helical body structure with the tissue (20) so that the property of the thread (104) in the both helical body structures has a first value in the first portion (101) and a second value in the second portion (102) so to provide different compressive force to the object and/or tissue introduced in said first and second portions of the helical body structure, and wherein the first value differs from the second value.

2. A device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a third portion (103) next to the second (102) portion so that the second portion (102) is between the first and the third portions (101, 103), and the thread (104) of the helical body structure extends along the helical body structure through said first (101), second (102) and third (103) portions and wherein at least one property of the thread varies along the helical body structure after introducing the helical body structure with the tissue (20) so that the property of the thread (104) has a first value in the first portion (101) and a second value in the second portion (102) and the third value in the third portion (103), and wherein the first and/or third values differs from the second value.

3. A device of claim 2, wherein the first value and the third value are same; or wherein the first value and the third value differ from each other.

4. A device of claim 1, wherein the property of the thread (104) is a pitch and/or lead (105) of the thread in a direction of the longitudinal axis (106) of the helical body structure (107), helix angle or thickness of the helical body structure or diameter of the helical body structure (107), or width or depth of the thread.

5. A device of claim 1, wherein the pitch and/or lead of the thread (104) is shorter in the second portion (102) than in the first portion (101); or where the pitch and/or lead of the thread (104) is longer in the second portion (102) than in the first portion (101).

6. A device of claim 1, wherein the helical body structure (107) comprises shape memory material being resiliently biased to change the value of the property of the threads, such as distance between the adjacent pitches and/or leads, in said first portion (101) and/or in the second portion (102) after introducing with the tissue and thereby to provide different compressive force to the object and/or tissue introduced in said first portion (101) than in said second portion (102) of the helical body structure.

7. A device of claim 1, wherein the distal portion (100B) of the helical body structure (107) comprises a non-traumatic tip end (108) to be introduced to the tissue (20).

8. A device of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion (100A) of the helical body structure (107) comprises a grip portion (109) to be engaged with an introduction device and for rotating the medical fastening device (100) around its longitudinal axis (106).

9. A device of claim 1, wherein fastening device (100) comprises a securing member (112) for engaging and securing the medical fastening device (100) with the object (400A, 400B) in a direction of the longitudinal axis (113) of the helical body structure (107) and a lateral direction (103) being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (106), and thereby to prevent the object (400A, 400B) and the medical fastening device (100) to separate from each other.

10. A device of claim 9, wherein the securing member (112) comprises a slot (110) or a concave portion (110) having an opening (111) and arranged in the proximal portion (100A) of the medical fastening device (100) so to receive the object (400A, 400B) to be fastened into an opening (111) and for locking the medical fastening device (100) to the object (400A, 400B) after the object (400A, 400B) is fastened to the tissue (20) by the medical fastening device (100).

11. A device of any of claim 9, wherein the securing member (102) comprises a grip portion functioning as a stopping member (109) arranged to elongate essentially over a hollow inner space (101) of the spring-like helical body structure (107) and thereby configured to prevent the object to slip away from the hollow inner space via the end of the proximal portion (100A).

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Next the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to exemplary embodiments in accordance with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate schematically a portion of a heart and mitral valve,

[0033] FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate a prior art cardiac implant device for repairing of one or more leaflets of a heart valve, and

[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates a principle of an exemplary medical fastening device for fastening an object into a tissue according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention,

[0035] FIGS. 4-5 illustrate an exemplary medical fastening device with two helical body structures according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention,

[0036] FIGS. 6-7 illustrate an exemplary medical fastening device with a securing member according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, and

[0037] FIGS. 8-9 illustrates an exemplary medical fastening device in use according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIGS. 1A-1B and 2A-2B are already discussed in more details in connection with the background of the invention portion above.

[0039] FIG. 3 illustrates a principle of an exemplary medical fastening device 100 for fastening or coupling an object 400A, 400B into a tissue 20 according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, which comprises a helical body structure 107 and proximal 100A and distal 100B portions. FIGS. 4-5 illustrate an exemplary medical fastening device 100 with two helical body structures 107.

[0040] In both examples the helical body structure comprises or is in a form of a thread 104, where the inner portion surrounded by the thread 104 is an empty space or hollow 114 so to receive at least part of the object and/or the tissue. In the examples illustrated the thread 104 has a lead 105 and a pitch p between the proximal and distal portions in a direction of the longitudinal axis 106 of the helical body structure 107, but can naturally have also other property described in this document, such as helix angle or opening angle a, diameter t of the thread or the pitch (so the diameter t of the material of the helical body structure) or diameter d of the helical body structure as such. In addition, the helical body structure comprises a first portion 101 advantageously in the proximal 100A portion of the medical fastening device and a second portion 102 next to said first portion 101.

[0041] The lead 150 is a distance along the longitudinal axis 106 of the helical body structure 107 that is covered by one complete rotation of the medical fastening device 360. The pitch p is the distance from the crest or ridge of one thread to the next, which is the same as lead 105 when the thread of the medical fastening device has a one start, but differs if there are two or more starts (as is the case in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example).

[0042] As can be seen in FIGS. 3-5 that the thread of the helical body structure 107 is arranged to extend through the first 101 and second 102 portions. In addition the properties, such as a lead 105 or pitch p for example, of the thread is arranged to vary along the longitudinal axis 106 of the helical body structure 107 so that the property of the thread has a first value in the first portion 101 and a second different value in the second portion 102. Even if not shown in Figures the diameter d of the helical body structure may be larger in the second portion 102 than in the first 101 (or in the third 103) portion(s), whereupon the helical body structure may force the object 400A, 400B and/or tissue 20 at the second portion 102 to expand for example perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 106. Alternatively, the diameter d of the helical body structure may be smaller in the second portion 102 than in the first 101 (and/or in the third 103) portion(s), whereupon the helical body structure may forces the object 400A, 400B and/or tissue 20 at the second portion 20 to contract essentially towards the longitudinal axis 106.

[0043] As can be seen in FIGS. 4-5, the medical fastening device 100 has two helical body structures 107 with a common longitudinal axis 106. In this embodiment both helical body structures comprise own thread 104 having a lead 105 and pitch p between the proximal and distal portions of the helical body structures. Each helical body structure 107 comprises also a first portion 101 for example in the proximal portion and a second portion 102 next to said first portion 101.

[0044] Further the helical body structure 107 may also comprise a third portion 103 next to the second 102 portion, as can be seen in FIGS. 3-5. The third portion 103 is advantageously arranged in the distal portion 100B of the helical body structure 107 so that the second portion 102 locates between the first and the third portions 101, 103. The thread 104 of the helical body structure extends advantageously along the helical body structure through said first 101, second 102 and third 103 portions. In addition the properties of the thread, such as for example a pitch and lead 105, is arranged to vary along the helical body structure so that the property of the thread 104 has a first value in the first portion 101 and a second value in the second portion 102 and the third value in the third portion 103.

[0045] In addition, as can be seen in FIGS. 3-5 the lead 105 and/or pitch p of the thread 104 is shorter (or has a greater dense) in the second portion 102 than in the first portion 101. By this the object 400A, 400B can be arranged in a compressed state after fastening. Even if not illustrated the pitch p and/or lead 105 of the thread 104 may also be longer (or has a smaller dense) in the second portion 102 than in the first portion 101, whereupon a decompressed state after fastening for the object can be achieved.

[0046] Furthermore, the distal portion 100B of the helical body structure 107 may comprise a tip end 108, which both helps to introduce and penetrate the distal portion to the tissue 20 but at the same time also to catch the object 400A, 400B or twist around the object 400A, 400B. In addition the proximal portion of the helical body structure 107 may advantageously comprise a grip portion 109 via which the medical fastening device 100 can be rotated around its longitudinal axis 106 by an introduction device (not shown), as can be seen for example in FIG. 6. The grip portion 109 may be implemented either a certain protrusion or projection portion or a bend portion, such as 90 angle portion.

[0047] FIG. 6 illustrates also a principle of an exemplary medical fastening device 100 with a securing member 112 for locking or securing the medical fastening device 100 to the object 400A, 400B after the object 400A, 400B is fastened to the tissue 20. The securing member 112 may e.g. comprise a slot 110 or a concave portion 110 having an opening 111, which advantageously locates at the proximal portion 100A of the medical fastening device 100. In the use the object 400A, 400B to be fastened is received into the opening 111 so that the opening will surround the object at least partially. The slot 110 or a concave portion may have a spring-like feature so to snap around the object, especially around the ring-type object (e.g. the cardiac implant device with the first and second loop-shaped supports 42, 44,) when screwed or turned around its longitudinal axis 106 and when the portion of the object locates inside the threaded helical body structure 107. In addition also the object 400A, 400B may be compressed slightly by the helical body structure 107 before snapping into the slot or the concave portion 110. The opening 111 is advantageously arranged in the proximal portion 100A of the medical fastening device 100.

[0048] When the medical fastening device 100 is screwed or turned during fastening, the portion of the object will be received into the hollow inner space 114, and when the object reaches the opening 111, the slot 110 or a concave portion 110 of the securing member 112 will snap over the object thereby encaging, securing and locking the medical fastening device 100 to the object 400A, 400B. The slot or a concave portion 110 may have a spring-like feature so that it bends when it is turned and faced against the object and will return to the normal state after the portion of the object is introduced to the opening 111. In addition, as can be seen in particularly in FIG. 6, a width a of the jaw or mouth of the opening 111 is advantageously arranged so that it is little bit smaller than the diameter or thickness d of the object 400A, 400B, whereupon the object 400A, 400B forces the slot or a concave portion 110 little bit the bend so that the object 400A, 400B can enter to the opening. Furthermore the extent or depth of the opening 111 must be big enough so to enable to receive the object 400A, 400B inside.

[0049] It is to be noted that the grip portion 109 may advantageously function also as a stopping member 109, as can be seen at least in FIGS. 6 and 8-9.

[0050] The grip portion or stopping member 109 may elongate e.g. over the hollow inner space 114 essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 106, as can be seen e.g. in FIGS. 7-9, thereby preventing the medical fastening device 100 to be fastened too tight or turned over the object. Also the grip portion or stopping member 109 is advantageously arranged in the proximal portion 100A of the medical fastening device 100.

[0051] Overall the securing member 112 secures the medical fastening device 100 to the object and vice versa in a direction of the longitudinal axis 106 of the helical body structure 107, but also in a lateral direction 113 being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 106. In this way the securing member 112 prevents the object 400A, 400B to slip away from the hollow inner space 114 and also the medical fastening device 100 to rotate and open by itself. In addition the securing member 112 also prevents the medical fastening device 100 to be tightened too much or over the object to be fastened so that the object would be slip out and away via the proximal end portion 101A of the medical fastening device 100.

[0052] FIGS. 8-9 illustrates an exemplary medical fastening device in use according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, where the object 400A, 400B is fastened by the medical fastening device 100 to the tissue 20. As can be seen in FIGS. 8-9 the medical fastening device 100 is screwed around the object 400A, 400B so that the portion of the object locates inside the hollow inner space 114 of the medical fastening device 100. At the same time the grip portion or stopping member 109 prevents further screwing the medical fastening device 100 and thus also prevent the object 400A, 400B to slip out and away from the hollow inner space 101 of the medical fastening device 100 in the longitudinal direction 106. In addition the opening 111 (not shown in FIGS. 8-9) prevents the object 400A, 400B to slip out and away from the hollow inner space 114 of the medical fastening device 100 in the lateral direction 113.

[0053] The invention has been explained above with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, and several advantages of the invention have been demonstrated. It is clear that the invention is not only restricted to these embodiments, but comprises all possible embodiments within the spirit and scope of the inventive thought and the following patent claims.

[0054] The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.