ANCHORING ELEMENTS FOR INTRACARDIAC DEVICES
An intracardiac device comprising a ring-shaped body and one or more anchoring or stabilizing elements attached to said body, said elements being selected from the group consisting of levered anchoring arms, elongate anchoring arms, and lateral extension elements, wherein said device is able to move between two conformations, a collapsed conformation suitable for insertion into a delivery catheter, and an open conformation, suitable for implantation at a cardiac valve annulus.
1 . An intracardiac device comprising a ring-shaped body, one or more anchoring arms and one or more fulcrums, wherein said anchoring arms may be caused to pivot around said fulcrums, and wherein said device is able to move between two conformations, a collapsed conformation suitable for insertion into a delivery catheter, and an open conformation, suitable for implantation at a cardiac valve annulus.
2 . The intracardiac device according to claim 1 , further comprising a lower fulcrum support ring connected to the ring-shaped body by means of two or more bridging elements, wherein the fulcrum is provided by the margins of an aperture formed within each of said bridging elements, and wherein each anchoring arm passes through said aperture.
3 . The intracardiac device according to claim 2 , wherein the lower fulcrum support ring is a wire.
4 . The intracardiac device according to claim 2 , wherein the lower fulcrum support ring is an annular structure.
5 . The intracardiac device according to claim 1 , wherein the anchoring arms are pivotably connected to the fulcrum support ring.
6 . An intracardiac device comprising a ring-shaped body and elongate anchoring arms, wherein each of said arms comprises a basal section that is continuous with the inner circumference of said device and a free distal tip, and wherein said device is able to move between two conformations, a collapsed conformation suitable for insertion into a delivery catheter, and an open conformation, wherein said anchoring arms are curved away from said ring, such that the proximal portion of each of said arms is generally directed medially and/or inferiorly and then laterally and/or superiorly.
7 . The intracardiac device according to claim 6 , wherein the curvature of the arms is such that the free distal ends thereof may be caused to move upwards upon application of a radially-outward force on said arms.
8 . An intracardiac device comprising a ring-shaped body and one or more lateral extension elements that extend laterally from the body of said device, wherein each of said extension elements is attached to the outer circumference of said ring-shaped body at two or more discrete connection points, and wherein said device is able to move between two conformations, a collapsed conformation suitable for insertion into a delivery catheter, and an open conformation, suitable for implantation at a cardiac valve annulus.
9 . The intracardiac device of claim 8 , comprising only two lateral extensions, wherein said wings are positioned opposite each other around the circumference of the ring-shaped body.
10 . The intracardiac device of claim 8 , comprising four lateral extensions, arranged around the circumference of the ring-shaped body, wherein said extensions are arranged in the form of two opposing pairs of extensions.
11 . The intracardiac device of claim 10 , wherein the lateral extensions in one pair are larger than the lateral extensions in the second pair.
12 . The intracardiac device of claim 8 wherein adjacent lateral extensions are mutually connected, by means of connecting elements.
13 . The intracardiac device of claim 8 , wherein each lateral extension is attached to the ring-shaped body at two or more discrete connection points.
14 . The intracardiac device of claim 1 , wherein said device is selected from the group consisting of a replacement valve support device, a one-piece replacement valve and an annuloplasty ring.
15 . The intracardiac device of claim 14 , wherein the valve support device is suitable for use at the mitral valve annulus.
16 . The intracardiac device of claim 14 , wherein the one-piece replacement valve is suitable for use at the mitral valve annulus.
17 . An intracardiac device selected from the group consisting of valve support device, one-piece prosthetic valve and annuloplasty ring, wherein said device comprises one or more of the anchoring or stabilizing means selected from the group consisting of:
one or more anchoring arms and one or more fulcrums, wherein said anchoring arms may be caused to pivot around said fulcrums, and wherein said device is able to move between two conformations, a collapsed conformation suitable for insertion into a delivery catheter, and an open conformation, suitable for implantation at a cardiac valve annulus;
one or more elongate anchoring arms, wherein each of said arms comprises a basal section that is continuous with the inner circumference of said device and a free distal tip, and wherein said device is able to move between two conformations, a collapsed conformation suitable for insertion into a delivery catheter, and an open conformation, wherein said anchoring arms are curved away from a ring-shaped body, such that the proximal portion of each of said arms is generally directed medially and/or inferiorly and then laterally and/or superiorly; and
one or more lateral extension elements that extend laterally from the body of said device, wherein each of said extension elements is attached to the outer circumference of a ring-shaped body at two or more discrete connection points, and wherein said device is able to move between two conformations, a collapsed conformation suitable for insertion into a delivery catheter, and an open conformation, suitable for implantation at a cardiac valve annulus.
18 . An intracardiac device comprising a ring-shaped body and one or more stabilizing elements attached to said body, wherein said device is able to move between two conformations, a collapsed conformation suitable for insertion into a delivery catheter, and an open conformation, suitable for implantation at a cardiac valve annulus, said stabilizing elements being selected from the group consisting of:
a) anchoring arms and one or more fulcrums, wherein said anchoring arms may be caused to pivot around said fulcrums;
b) elongate anchoring arms, wherein each of said arms comprises a basal section that is continuous with the inner circumference of said device and a free distal tip, wherein said anchoring arms are curved away from said ring, such that the proximal portion of each of said arms is generally directed medially and/or inferiorly and then laterally and/or superiorly; and
c) lateral extension elements that extend laterally from the body of said device, wherein each of said extension elements is attached to the outer circumference of said ring-shaped body at two or more discrete connection points.