Apparatus for compressing an expandable medical device

1. A system for compressing and loading an expandable medical device into a sheath, the system comprising:

an array of moveable blades radially disposed about a central axis and forming a radially contractible aperture, the blade array being configured to receive and compress an expandable medical device within the aperture and including at least a first plurality of blades and a second plurality of blades;

wherein the first plurality of blades is independently moveable with respect to the second plurality of blades; and

wherein the first plurality of blades is slidably disposed along the central axis in a first and second direction with respect to the second plurality of blades.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of blades is moveable radially inwardly and outwardly with respect to the second plurality of blades.

3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a first operating mechanism for selectively moving the first plurality of blades independently with respect to the second plurality of blades.

4. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a first operating mechanism for selectively moving the first and second pluralities of blades between an expanded configuration and a contracted configuration.

5. The system according to claim 4 , further comprising a second operating mechanism for selectively moving the first plurality of blades independently with respect to the second plurality of blades.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the second operating mechanism is configured to move the first plurality of blades radially inwardly and outwardly with respect to the second plurality of blades.

7. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the second operating mechanism is configured to move the first plurality of blades along the central axis in a first and second direction with respect to the second plurality of blades.

8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the second operating mechanism is configured to move the second plurality of blades radially inwardly and outwardly with respect to the first plurality of blades.

9. The system according to claim 6 , further comprising a third operating mechanism configured to move the first plurality of blades along the central axis in a first and second direction with respect to the second plurality of blades.

10. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the second operating mechanism is configured to move the second plurality of blades along the central axis in a first and second direction with respect to the first plurality of blades.

11. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a self-expanding medical device.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of blades is configured to disengage from the medical device when the device is held by the second plurality of blades.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the second plurality of blades is configured to disengage from the medical device when the device is held by the first plurality of blades.

14. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first operating mechanism for selectively moving the first and second pluralities of blades between an expanded configuration and a contracted configuration;

a second operating mechanism for selectively moving the first plurality of blades independently with respect to the second plurality of blades, wherein the second operating mechanism is configured to move the first plurality of blades radially inwardly and outwardly with respect to the second plurality of blades and to move the second plurality of blades radially inwardly and outwardly with respect to the first plurality of blades;

a third operating mechanism configured to move the first plurality of blades along the central axis in a first and second direction with respect to the second plurality of blades and to move the second plurality of blades along the central axis in a first and second direction with respect to the first plurality of blades; and

a self-expanding medical device;

wherein the first plurality of blades is configured to disengage from the medical device when the device is held by the second plurality of blades and wherein the second plurality of blades is configured to disengage from the medical device when the device is held by the first plurality of blades.

15. A method of compressing and loading an expandable medical device into a sheath, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a compressor that includes an array of moveable blades radially disposed about a central axis and forming a radially contractible aperture, the blade array including a first plurality of blades and a second plurality of blades;

compressing an expandable medical device within the aperture;

moving the medical device along the central axis within the aperture by selectively moving the first plurality of blades independently with respect to the second plurality of blades.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the moving step further comprises the step of pushing the medical device within the aperture with a pusher.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the moving step further comprises the step of moving the first plurality of blades along the central axis in a first direction while the medical device is held by the first plurality of blades.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the moving step further comprises the step of selectively disengaging and engaging the first plurality of blades from the medical device while the medical device is held by the second plurality of blades.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising selectively disengaging and engaging the first plurality of blades from the medical device at a rate of once per second or faster.

20. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the moving step further comprises the steps of:

i. moving the first plurality of blades along the central axis in a first direction while the medical device is held by the first plurality of blades;

ii. disengaging the first plurality of blades from the medical device while the medical device is held by the second plurality of blades;

iii. moving the first plurality of blades along the central axis in a second direction;

iv. engaging the first plurality of blades with the medical device; and

v. disengaging the second plurality of blades from the medical device while the medical device is held by the first plurality of blades.

21. A method of compressing and loading an expandable medical device into a sheath, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a compressor that includes an array of moveable blades radially disposed about a central axis and forming a radially contractible aperture, the blade array including a first plurality of blades and a second plurality of blades;

compressing an expandable medical device within the aperture;

moving the medical device within the aperture by selectively moving the first plurality of blades along the central axis in a first direction while the medical device is held by the first plurality of blades.