Prosthetic vascular conduit and assembly method

1. A method of assembling a prosthetic valved conduit, comprising:

providing a kit including:

a prosthetic heart valve having an annular portion;

a prosthetic vascular conduit having a terminal collar member to receive the annular portion of the prosthetic heart valve, the terminal collar member including a cuff that is radially contractible to engage the annular portion of the prosthetic heart valve to couple the prosthetic heart valve to the prosthetic vascular conduit;

a holder device including a shaft and a hub located at an end of a proximal portion of the shaft, the hub including a receiving portion to house the prosthetic heart valve, wherein the prosthetic vascular conduit is fitted on the holder device so that at least a portion of the conduit adjacent to the cuff wraps around the receiving portion of the hub; and

a sleeve member fitted onto the prosthetic vascular conduit at a position corresponding to the receiving portion of the hub, wherein the cuff is wrapped at least partially over the sleeve member;

advancing the prosthetic heart valve into the receiving portion of the hub until the annular portion of the prosthetic heart valve contacts the receiving portion;

sliding the sleeve member away from the hub to cause the cuff of the prosthetic vascular conduit to wrap around the annular portion of the prosthetic heart valve; and

securing the cuff of the prosthetic vascular conduit around the annular portion of the prosthetic heart valve by radially contracting the cuff.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cuff has a purse-string design including a drawstring passing through the cuff in and out along a marginal edge thereof, and wrapping the cuff comprises pulling the drawstring.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising anchoring the terminal collar member of the prosthetic vascular conduit to the sleeve member by passing a first set of anchoring threads through the cuff.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising anchoring the prosthetic vascular conduit to the holder device via a second set of anchoring threads.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling the holder device to a base member to hold the holder device in a vertical orientation.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising subsequently implanting the prosthetic valved conduit.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein implanting the prosthetic valved conduit comprises:

placing suture threads through an aortic annulus;

passing the suture threads through the cuff, a sewing ring and again through the cuff;

parachuting the prosthetic valved conduit along the suture threads to the aortic annulus;

securing the prosthetic valved conduit to the aortic annulus by tying the suture threads;

cutting the suture threads securing the prosthetic vascular conduit to the holder device; and

removing the holder device.

8. A method of assembling a prosthetic valved conduit, comprising:

providing a kit including:

a prosthetic heart valve having an annular portion;

a prosthetic vascular conduit having a terminal collar member to receive the annular portion of the prosthetic heart valve, the terminal collar member including a cuff that is radially contractible to engage the annular portion of the prosthetic heart valve to couple the prosthetic heart valve to the prosthetic vascular conduit;

a holder device including a shaft and a hub located at an end of a proximal portion of the shaft, the hub including a receiving portion including an inner portion to house a prosthetic heart valve and an outer portion, wherein the prosthetic vascular conduit is fitted on the holder device so that at least a portion of the prosthetic vascular conduit adjacent to the cuff surrounds the receiving portion of the hub and contacts the outer portion of the receiving portion; and

a sleeve member fitted onto and surrounding the prosthetic vascular conduit at a position corresponding to the receiving portion of the hub, wherein an inner surface of the sleeve member contacts the prosthetic vascular conduit and the cuff is wrapped at least partially over and around the sleeve member such that the cuff contacts an outer surface of the sleeve member;

advancing the prosthetic heart valve into the receiving portion of the hub until the annular portion of the prosthetic heart valve contacts the receiving portion;

removing the sleeve member from the hub to cause the cuff of the prosthetic vascular conduit to lose contact with the inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve member and be wrapped around the annular portion of the prosthetic heart valve; and

securing the cuff of the prosthetic vascular conduit around the annular portion of the prosthetic heart valve by radially contracting the cuff.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the cuff has a purse-string design including a drawstring passing through the cuff in and out along a marginal edge thereof, and wrapping the cuff comprises pulling the drawstring.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising anchoring the terminal collar member of the prosthetic vascular conduit to the sleeve member by passing a first set of anchoring threads through the cuff.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising anchoring the prosthetic vascular conduit to the holder device via a second set of anchoring threads.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising coupling the holder device to a base member to hold the holder device in a vertical orientation.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising subsequently implanting the prosthetic valved conduit.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein implanting the prosthetic valved conduit comprises:

placing suture threads through an aortic annulus;

passing the suture threads through the cuff, a sewing ring and again through the cuff;

parachuting the prosthetic valved conduit along the suture threads to the aortic annulus;

securing the prosthetic valved conduit to the aortic annulus by tying the suture threads;

cutting the suture threads securing the prosthetic vascular conduit to the holder device; and removing the holder device.