Fracturing calcifications in heart valves

1. A device for fracturing calcifications in heart valves comprising:

an impactor catheter configured for percutaneous delivery to a heart valve;

an impact-producing element disposed at a distal portion of said catheter and operative to vibrate and create a mechanical impact when deployed out of an external housing of said catheter and brought into contact with a calcification at a leaflet of said heart valve;

an energy source operative to vibrate said vibrating impact-producing element so that said impact-producing element fractures the calcification without necessarily removing the calcification from the leaflet; and

an anvil against which the calcification is struck by said impact-producing element, wherein said energy source is located at a proximal portion of said catheter.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said impact-producing element comprises one or more impact-producing arcuate arms that extend from a distal end thereof.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said impact-producing arms are retractable into said external housing of said catheter.

4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said impact-producing arms are connected to an internal shaft that is movable proximally and distally to alternatively contract and expand said impact-producing arms.

5. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said impact-producing arms have adjustable angular positions.

6. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a valvuloplasty balloon mounted on a balloon shaft arranged with respect to said impact-producing element such that inflation and deflation of said balloon modifies a pressing force between said impact-producing element and hard tissue.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said energy source comprises an electromagnetic impact source, wherein a sliding magnet creates impact percussions.

8. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising an embolic protection means disposed on said impactor catheter.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein said protection means is shaped like a sleeve and comprises flexible anchoring arms extendable therefrom.

10. The device according to claim 9 , further comprising a sub-coronary net that extends from a distal portion of said sleeve.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein said sub-coronary net has a distal ring whose diameter matches a diameter of a native valve in a closed position.

12. The device according to claim 9 , further comprising a retractable sheath into which said protection sleeve is retractable.

13. The device according to claim 9 , further comprising a valvuloplasty balloon mounted on a balloon catheter arranged with respect to said impact-producing element such that inflation and deflation of said balloon modifies a pressing force between said impact-producing element and hard tissue.

14. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said impact-producing element comprises a weight connected off-axis to a rotating element and a motor operative to rotate said rotating element.

15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said impact-producing element comprises a weight mounted on a cylindrical magnet arranged to move back and forth within a coil disposed in said catheter, and a voltage/current generator operative to power said coil, thereby causing said weight to vibrate back and forth at a selected amplitude and frequency.

16. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a percutaneous retrieving device for retrieving a native valve, wherein said percutaneous retrieving device comprises a mesh with a central lumen adapted for passing through a center of a native valve and to expand to allow implantation of a new valve within the central lumen, and semi-lunar extensions folded outwards from said mesh and adapted to fit into sinuses of the native valve.

17. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said anvil comprises a balloon.

18. A device for fracturing calcifications in heart valves comprising:

an impactor catheter configured for percutaneous delivery to a heart valve;

an impact-producing element disposed at a distal portion of said catheter and operative to vibrate and create a mechanical impact when deployed out of an external housing of said catheter and brought into contact with a calcification at a leaflet of said heart valve;

an energy source operative to vibrate said vibrating impact-producing element so that said impact-producing element fractures the calcification without necessarily removing the calcification from the leaflet; and

an anvil against which the calcification is struck by said impact-producing element, wherein said energy source is located at a distal portion of said catheter.

19. A device for fracturing calcifications in heart valves comprising:

an impactor catheter configured for percutaneous delivery to a heart valve;

an impact-producing element disposed at a distal portion of said catheter and operative to vibrate and create a mechanical impact when deployed out of an external housing of said catheter and brought into contact with a calcification at a leaflet of said heart valve; and

an energy source operative to vibrate said vibrating impact-producing element so that said impact-producing element fractures the calcification without necessarily removing the calcification from the leaflet, wherein said impact-producing element comprises one or more impact-producing arcuate arms that extend from a distal end thereof, said arcuate arms being flexible enough to be deliverable in a retracted state within said external housing, and then upon reaching the valve, said arcuate arms are expandable into the valve.