Retrieval and repositioning system for prosthetic heart valve
This invention relates to the design and function of a retrieval device for a prosthetic heart valve for re-positioning or removal of a previously implanted valve prosthesis from a beating heart without extracorporeal circulation using a transcatheter retrieval system.
1 . A prosthetic heart valve retrieval device, comprising: a dilator tip with a radio band, said dilator tip mounted at distal end of a dilator sheath, said dilator sheath having a lumen therethrough and said dilator sheath mounted on a distal side of dilator base, said dilator base having a sheath lock for operatively engaging the dilator sheath, said dilator base having a slidably removable luer-lock introducer disposed within the lumen, said dilator base having a guide rod aperture for engaging a guide rod that is connected to a guide rod handle mount that is attached on top of a handle apparatus, said dilator base having a traveller strap affixed on a proximal side and said traveller strap extending proximally to engage a tensioning unit on the handle apparatus, said handle apparatus having an actuator and a spring operatively connected to the traveller strap, wherein when the actuator is engaged the traveller strap is pulled proximally through the tensioning unit and the dilator base slides along guide rod towards the handle apparatus.
2 . The prosthetic heart valve retrieval device of claim 1 , further comprising wherein the dilator tip is bullet-shaped, cone-shaped, hooded, or otherwise shaped to guide the valve tether into the lumen of the dilator sheath.
3 . A method of using the retrieval device of claim 1 for capturing a tethered expandable prosthetic heart valve to re-position or remove said valve, comprising the steps of: (i) inserting said retrieval device containing a tethered and expandable prosthetic heart valve into a patient, and (ii) capturing and retracting the tether into the retrieval device.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of inserting the retrieval device by directly accessing the heart through the intercostal space, or using an apical approach to enter a heart ventricle.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of inserting the retrieval device by directly accessing the heart through a thoracotomy, sternotomy, or minimally-invasive thoracic, thorascopic, or trans-diaphragmatic approach to enter the left ventricle.
6 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of (iii) removing the tethered and expandable heart valve from the patient by collapsing the expandable prosthetic heart valve apparatus into the dilator sheath catheter and retracting the dilator sheath.