Method for compressing a stented prosthesis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10292844-B2
Application number	US-201615156538-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	May 17, 2016
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A tool for compressing a stented prosthesis. The tool includes first and second sets of rollers. The first set includes a plurality of rollers arranged to define a first working region having a first working diameter. The second set includes a plurality of rollers arranged to define a second working region having a second working diameter. The sets of rollers are arranged such that the working regions are axially aligned. The first working diameter is greater than the second working diameter. A stented prosthesis traversing the first working region and then the second working region is forced to a compressed state. In some embodiments, the tool includes one or more intermediate sets of rollers between the first and second sets of rollers, with each of the intermediate sets of rollers defining a working region having a working diameter. The respective working diameters progressively decrease in a downstream direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of compressing a stented prosthesis, the method comprising:
receiving a stented prosthesis in a first state defining a maximum outer diameter;
inserting the stented prosthesis in the first state into a tool, the tool comprising:
a first set of rollers at an entrance end of the tool and including a plurality of rollers arranged to collectively define a first working region having a first working diameter,
a second set of rollers at an exit end of the tool and including a plurality of rollers arranged to collectively define a second working region having a second working diameter,
wherein the first set of rollers is arranged relative to the second set of rollers such that the first and second working regions are axially aligned along a common centerline,
and further wherein the first working diameter is greater than the second working diameter; and

directing the stented prosthesis successively through the first set of rollers followed by the second set of rollers to compress the stented prosthesis to a second state having a maximum outer diameter less than the maximum outer diameter of the first state, wherein the step of directing includes:
the plurality of rollers of the first set of rollers in contact with at least a majority of a circumference of the stented prosthesis in a plane perpendicular to the common centerline as the stented prosthesis passes through the first set of rollers, and
the plurality of rollers of the second set of rollers in contact with at least a majority of the circumference of the stented prosthesis in a plane perpendicular to the common centerline as the stented prosthesis passes through the second set of rollers.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of directing includes exerting an increasing compressive force on to the stented prosthesis as the stented prosthesis is progressively directed through the tool.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein after the step of directing, the method further comprising:
manipulating the tool to release the stented prosthesis.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stented prosthesis is a stented prosthetic heart valve.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein after the step of directing, the method further comprising:
loading the stented prosthesis in the second state onto a delivery system.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stented prosthesis is a stented prosthetic heart valve, the delivery system is a transcatheter delivery system, and the step of loading includes the transcatheter delivery system maintaining the stented prosthetic heart valve in the second state.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of directing includes rotating a handle connected by gears to the plurality of rollers of the first set of rollers, causing the plurality of rollers of the first set of rollers to rotate.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of rollers of the first set of rollers and of the second set of rollers defines a central axis about which the respective roller rotates, and further wherein the central axes are all substantially parallel with one another.

Assignees

• Medtronic Vascular Inc

Inventors

• Orth Geoffrey
• Bruner Kenny
• Tran Don
• Mendelson Jill
• Keogh James R

Classifications

• A61F2/9522

  Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument · CPC title

• B21D39/06

  of tubes in openings, e.g. rolling-in · CPC title

• Y10T29/49913

  by constricting outer annulus · CPC title

• A61F2/2436

  Deployment by retracting a sheath · CPC title

• Y10T29/49925

  Inward deformation of aperture or hollow body wall · CPC title