Method and apparatus for compressing/loading stent-valves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016228249-A1
Application number	US-201415022525-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 16, 2014
Priority date	Sep 16, 2013
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Apparatus ( 40 ) for compressing a transcatheter cardiac stent-valve ( 10 ) comprises: a first compressor stage ( 100 ) including a hollow channel ( 42 ) with a tapered interior surface configured for compressing a stent-valve in response to longitudinal advancement of the stent-valve within the channel; and a second compressor stage ( 102 ) comprising a crimper for compressing a portion of the stent-valve without longitudinal advancement.

First claim

1 . An apparatus configured to compress a cardiac stent-valve for loading into a delivery catheter, the apparatus comprising:
a first compressor stage for compressing the stent-valve; and a second compressor stage coupled or couplable to the first compressor stage and configured to further compress a portion of the stent-valve after passing through the first compressor stage.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first compressor stage comprises a hollow channel, and the first compressor stage is configured for progressively compressing the stent-valve in response to, or in association with, longitudinal advancement of the stent-valve within the hollow channel.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second compressor stage is configured to compress a portion of the stent-valve at the second compressor stage without advancement of the stent-valve within the second compressor stage.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second compressor stage is releasably coupled at, or to be at, an exit of the first compressor stage.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second compressor stage comprises a crimper.

6 . The apparatus of any claim 5 , wherein the crimper comprises a plurality of movable elements.

7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the crimper comprises jaws defining a chuck.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second compressor stages are operated by respective rotary actuators that are rotatable about a common axis, optionally a longitudinal axis of the apparatus.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second compressor stage is releasably securable to the first compressor stage using a screw threaded actuator for actuating the second compressor stage.

10 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first compressor stage comprises one or more of (i) a mover for applying to a stent-valve within the hollow channel, a pushing force from radially outside the hollow channel; and/or (ii) a driver for applying a pushing force radially outside the hollow channel to a portion of the mover radially outside the channel.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the mover comprises a ring from which plural limbs project inwardly, the limbs sliding in slots through a wall of the channel, for applying a pushing force to a stent-valve within the channel.

12 . A loading tube apparatus configured to compress and/or load a stent and/or a stent-valve for a delivery catheter, the loading tube apparatus comprising:
a plurality of segments that are assemblable around a portion of a delivery catheter to define a tubular shape; and at least one retainer for retaining the plurality of segments in the tubular shape.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the retainer comprises at least one threaded nut, and/or a supporting overtube.

14 . A method of loading a stent-valve on to a delivery catheter, the method comprising:
(a) operating a first compressor stage of a compressing apparatus, to advance the stent within a hollow channel of the first compressor stage, and compress the stent in response to, or in association with, the advancement within the hollow channel; (b) operating a second compressor stage of the compressing apparatus to further compress a portion of the stent without advancing the stent further; (c) sliding a constraining sheath of the delivery catheter over an exposed portion of the stent-valve that has advanced through the first and second compressor stages. (d) repeating steps (a), (b), (c) in sequence one or more times to progressively compress and load at least a portion of the stent on to the delivery catheter.

15 . A method of loading a stent-valve on to a multiple-sheath delivery catheter, the catheter having first and second sheaths that close over respective portions of the stent-valve from opposite directions, the method comprising:
(a) providing a compressor apparatus having at least a first compressor stage with a hollow channel and configured for progressively compressing the stent-valve in response to or in association with longitudinal advancement of the stent-valve within the hollow channel; and (b) advancing and compressing at least a portion of the stent-valve using the compressor apparatus; (c) closing a first sheath over an exposed compressed portion of the stent-valve compressed by the compressor apparatus; (d) optionally repeating steps (a), (b) and (c) one or more times; (e) providing a loading tube apparatus around a portion of the delivery catheter by assembling a plurality of segments to define a tubular shape and retaining the segments together with a retainer. (f) closing the second sheath over a second portion of the stent-valve, using the loading tube at a mouth of the second sheath, to facilitate entry of the second portion of the stent into the second sheath.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the compressor apparatus further comprises a second compressor stage, and the method further comprises between steps (b) and (c) a further step of operating the second compressor stage without advancing the stent-valve, to further compress locally the portion of the stent-valve to facilitate closing the first sheath in step (c).

17 . A method of loading a stent-valve on to a multiple-sheath delivery catheter, the catheter having a distal sheath and a proximal sheath that close over respective portions of the stent-valve from opposite directions, the method comprising:
compressing at least a portion of the stent-valve to engage attachment elements with a stent-holder of the delivery catheter; closing the distal sheath over a first portion of the stent-valve including the attachment elements; and closing the proximal sheath over a second portion of the stent-valve.

Assignees

• Symetis Sa

Inventors

• Mantanus Luc
• Lombardi Fabien
• Simonin Pierre
• Biadillah Youssef
• Hefti Jean-Luc
• Delaloye Stéphane

Classifications

• A61F2/9522

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

• A61F2/2436 Primary

  Deployment by retracting a sheath · CPC title

• A61F2250/0018

  differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility · CPC title

• A61F2250/0091

  transparent or translucent · CPC title

• A61F2230/0054

  V-shaped · CPC title